Impact of Social Media on the Academic Performance of College Students

The impact of social media on performance is varied. While some functions of social media can be integrated into training and learning to provide an enhanced experience, it can also provide a distraction that distances students from classroom tasks and expectations. The following will analyze the impact of social media on the academic performance of college students and provide a number of quotes from multiple sources related to the issue. The impact of social media on the grades of college students is largely dependent on its application and tendency to be integrated or disconnected from academic activities.

Positive Implications

When social media is integrated into academic activities such as discussions, students are more engaged and excited about their academic participation and performance. A 2010 study revealed that this type of interaction can have positive effects on student learning and participation. It revealed that using the social media site Twitter “for educationally relevant purposes can impact college student engagement and grades” (Junco, Heibergert, Loken, 2010). This study addresses the importance of integrating social media with academic standards in order to merge student interests with academic goals. As social media sites are already so integral to the lives of students, incorporating it into their academic lives is appropriate as an engagement application. Aside from social media integration for classroom discussions, it also plays a beneficial role by increasing student/faculty contact, facilitating cooperation and respect among students. As a result, social media has the potential to play an integral role in improving and maintaining the grades of college students.

Negative and Neutral

Despite the benefits social media can have, it can also have a negative impact on the grades of college students. In a recent study, Walsh (2013) found that students who “spend more time using some forms of media report fewer academic behaviors, such as completing homework and attending class, lower academic confidence and more problems affecting their school work, like lack of sleep, substance use, or conflicts with interpersonal relationships” (Nauert, 2013). This statement supports the idea that social media is a significant distraction, and can lead to academic disconnection and a decrease in the grades of college students. Despite this assertion, the multi-faceted elements of social media make its impact significantly dependent on the way it is being used. Some researchers cite the distraction and impulse of social media as the reason for low grades among students (Wang, Chen & Liang, 2011). However, others assert that the number of times a student checks social media is only weakly related to academic performance. In an interview discussing his findings, Junco asserts that “spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook is related to negative outcomes, while just checking Facebook for a few minutes each time is not” (Ruiz, 2011). Still, other studies assert that there is absolutely “no correlations between the amounts of time students spend using social media and their grades” (Martin, n.d). These contrasts in outcomes enhance the fact that while social media as a whole does not have a positive or negative impact, how it is used is the significant determinant.

Conclusion

Research relating to the impact of social media on the academic performance of college students is varied. Some assert that there is a positive correlation, while some assert there is a negative correlation, and others assert there is no correlation at all. This variance suggests that the real determinant of social media’s impact on academic performance is how it is applied.

Works Cited

Martin, C. (n.d). Social networking usage and grades among college students. University of New Hampshire. Whittemore school of business and economics. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.unh.edu/news/docs/UNHsocialmedia.pdf

Ruiz, R. Facebook’s impact on student grades. The New York Times. (2011). Retrieved from http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/fbook-grades/?_r=0

Junco, R. Heibergert, G. & Loken, E. The effect of twitter on college student engagement and grades. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/administration/president/sparc/meetings/docs/StudentEngagementArticle.pdf

Nauert, R. Social media, facebook & twitter use may harm grades of college freshman. Psych Central. (2013). Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/04/12/social-media-use-may-harm-grades-of-college-freshman/53711.html

Wang, Q., Chen, W., Liang, Y. The effects of social media on college students. Johnson and Wales University. The Alan Shawn Feinstein graduate school. (2011). Retrieved from http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=mba_student