Impact of social media on academic performance of Makerere University students

Abstract

This study examined the impact of social media on the academic performance of students at Makerere University, Uganda. A cross-sectional research design was employed, with data collected from 274 students across nine colleges using a structured questionnaire. The study explored the relationship between social media usage, demographic factors (sex, age, place of residence), social factors (religion, year of study), and academic performance measured by Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Key findings revealed that 97.81% of students actively use social media, with WhatsApp (95%), Twitter (64%), and TikTok (63%) being the most popular platforms. On average, students spent 1 to 8 hours daily on social media, primarily for communication (42.70%), academic research (45.26%), and accessing news (12.04%). Bivariate analysis showed significant associations between academic performance and factors such as sex (p=0.043), age (p=0.015), and place of residence (p=0.032). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that female students were 2.5 times more likely to score below a 2.79 CGPA compared to males, while students aged 21–24 were more likely to achieve higher CGPAs (3.60–5.00). Despite high social media engagement, the study found no significant negative impact on academic performance when platforms were used for academic purposes. However, excessive use for nonacademic activities correlated with lower grades. The study concludes that while social media is integral to students' lives, its impact on academic performance is moderated by usage patterns and demographic variables. Recommendations include promoting balanced social media use and integrating academic-focused platforms into learning environments.