The impact of social media on academic performance of fashion and design students in Makerere university.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social media usage and academic performance of fashion and design students at MTSIFA Makerere University. The usage of social media among students has weakened their academic performance while the parents and the lecturers similarly believe using social media results in decline in academic performance in most learning institutions. The objectives of the study were to: Determine the time spent on social media by students in fashion and design at Makerere University, Determine the effects of social media sites like Face book, Twitter, whatsapp and YouTube on students’ academic performance. Explore the use and gratification obtained by fashion and design students using social media. Using a qualitative methods approach, data was collected through questionnaires and interviews with 20 students out of many students enrolled in the Fashion and Design program. The findings indicate that social media can serve as a less useful tool for academic collaboration and learning and excessive use negatively affects time management, focus, and overall academic performance. The study highlighted the need for effective use of social media platforms into academic learning to enhance student engagement if properly managed The findings of the paper can be used to propose the effective plans for improving the academic performance of the students in such a way that a balance in the leisure, information exchange and academic performance can be maintained.