A study on the usage of social media among GCE A/L biological science students in the National schools of Batticaloa town

Abstract

In today's society, social media has become an almost indispensable part of daily life, particularly among students, who are generally heavy social media users. There has been various overview and opinions about advantages and disadvantages of social media use in education. The objective of the study are to assess the prevalence, Socio-demographic factors, purpose and impact of social media usage on education among GCE A/L biological science students in the National school of Batticaloa town. This was a Descriptive Cross Sectional school based study design carried out in the National schools in Batticaloa town as a complete enumeration using a self-administered questionnaire. 186 students participated in this study. Data entry, analysis, and interpretation were conducted using the SPSS V.27. All the students (100%) who participated in the study were using social media and use for the educational purpose. According to the usage of social media of the students, 97.8% use Whatsapp, 80.6% use YouTube, 77.4% were use Zoom and Telegram. Among them, 86.1% students think that social media make human life easier. Other than the educational purpose, the reasons for the usage of social media are to stay touch with friends (73.8%), to stay update with news and current events (58%). According to the preference of the mode of classes, 64.7% preferred online classes, and 34.8% not preferring online classes. Among students who participate in the study 90.9% were thought that best social media for video conference is zoom. Majority of participants (91.4%) expressed agreement with the statement that social media platforms are beneficial for study purposes. Majority of respondents, approximately 66.7%, are worrying about the potential abuse of social media. As per the findings on the usage time of social media, 63.4% female students used social media at nighttime mostly. There is significant association between family monthly income and average cost for data/Wi-Fi for general purposes (0.001 p value). This study explores the dual role of social media among students, both personally and academically. Results indicate widespread adoption (100%) of social media for educational purposes, with WhatsApp for general use and Zoom for academic interactions. A significant majority (86.1%) find social media eases daily life. Online classes are favored by nearly two-thirds of participants. Most agree that social media aids studies, with only a small dissenting group. This study highlights social media's integral role in student life, benefiting personal and educational spheres. Majority of participants agree that social media platforms are beneficial for study purposes and also worrying about the potential abuse of social media.