INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN DEKINA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KOGI STATE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of social media usage on the academic achievement of Social Studies students in secondary schools in Dekina Local Government Area, Kogi State. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 115 Social Studies students using a structured questionnaire. The study examined four key areas: the extent of social media usage, roles of teachers, academic benefits, and challenges associated with social media use for academic purposes. The major findings of the study include, Students extensively use social media platforms, with WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram being the most popular platforms among secondary school students. Teachers moderately engage with social media for academic purposes, though they do not extensively use it as a direct teaching tool. Social media usage provides substantial academic benefits particularly in enhancing collaboration among classmates and providing access to educational resources. Students face significant challenges when using social media for academic purposes, including poor internet connectivity and distractions during study time.