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Social Media Use and Moral Development of Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey

November 2019 · International Journal of Innovative Research and Development 8(11)

DOI:10.24940/ijird/2019/v8/i11/NOV19025
Authors:

Eric Mensah Kyei Solomon

University of Cape Coast University of Cape Coast

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Citations (2) References (4)

Abstract

Social media has now become an integral part of human socialization. There is no Discover the world's
argument that it offers both the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ and is having a lot of influence on research
humanity especially the youth. To this end, this study examined the influence of social
25+ million
media usage on the moral development/education of Senior High School students. Focus
members
was on students studying in the Kwabre East Municipality in the Ashanti region of Ghana.
Based on the purpose of the study, the descriptive cross-sectional survey design was 160+
employed. Respondents for the study were 446 SHS students selected using the million
proportionate random sampling technique. A self-developed instrument (questionnaire) publication
with a reliability coefficient of 0.87 (Cronbach Alpha) was used for data collection. Both pages
descriptive (frequency counts, percentages, means, standard deviation) and inferential 2.3+ billion
statistics (Point Biserial Correlation) were employed for data analysis. It was revealed Join for free
citations
among others that, Senior High Schools Students studying in the Kwabre East Municipality
use social media for lots of purposes but chiefly for; sharing information, gleaning
information, communication and getting new friends. Again, most of them spend between
1-4 hours on social media for the purposes indicated. Also, it was revealed that the
students had high levels of moral development but the amount of time spent on social
media had a weak negative inverse relationship with their moral development. It was
recommended among others that, the Ghana Education Service, Heads of schools and
other stakeholders should organize a sensitization programme on social media use for
students in senior high schools. This way, social media can be effectively utilised for
maximum and positive benefits. Also, an approach is needed to better balance the
relationship between social media and moral development/education of students. School
authorities and parents should monitor the activities of students on use social media.

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www.ijird.com November, 2019 Vol 8 Issue 11

www.ijird.com November, 2019 Vol 8 Issue 11

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 ISSN 2278 – 0211 (Online)

Social Media Use and Moral Development of

Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Dr. Eric Mensah
Lecturer, Department of Arts Education, Col
College
lege of Education Studies,
University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Solomon Kyei
Researcher, Department of Arts Education, College of Education Studies,
College
University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract: ISSN 2278 – 0211 (Online)

Social media has now become an in integral
tegral part of human socialization. There is no argument tthat hat it offers both the
‘good’ and the ‘bad’ and is having a lo lott of iinfluence
nfluence on humanity especially the youth. To this end, this study examined
the influence of social media usage on the moral development/educati development/education on of Senior High School students. Focus w wasas on
students studying in the Kwabre East Municipality in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Based on the purpose of the study,
the descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. Dr. Eric MensahR
Respondents
espondents for the sstudy tudy were 446 SHS students selected
using the proportionat
proportionate e rando
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of Cape Coast,BothGhana descri
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Social Media Use and Moral Development of
means, standard deviation) and inferential statistics
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thers that, Senior High SSchools
(Point Biserial
Solomon Kyei Correlation) were eemployed mployed for data analysis. It
chools Students studying in the Kwabre East Municipality use social
Researcher, Department of Arts Education, College of Education Studies,
Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey
media for lots of purposes but chiefly for; sharing information, gleaning information, communication and getting new
University of Cape Coast, Ghana
friends.
Abstract: Again, most of them spend between 1-4 hours on ssocial ocial media for the purposes indicated. Also, it was revealed
that the stude
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students studying in the Kwabre East Municipality in the Ashanti region
benefits. Also, an approach is needed to better balance the relationship between social media and moral of Ghana. Based on the purpose of the study,
the descriptive cross-sectional
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means, standard
Keywords: Socialdeviation)
media, so andmedia
social
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sites, moral (Point Biserial
development, Correlation) were employed for data analysis. It
students
was revealed among others that, Senior High Schools Students studying in the Kwabre East Municipality use social
media for lots of purposes but chiefly for; sharing information, gleaning information, communication and getting new
1. Introduction
friends. Again, most of them spend between 1-4 hours on s ocial media for the purposes indicated. Also, it was revealed
Since
that the creation,
stude nts hadhuman beingsofhave
high levels moral always be
been
developmenten socially
but theconnected
amount of or time
networked.
spent onInsocial the early
media21st hadcentury,
a weak the
internet saw inverse
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relat a new erawithoftheir information sharing, so
moral development. social
cial media,
It was w hich is now
recommended a ggrowing
among rowing
othersphenomenon
that, the Ghana on the
internet (O’Reiley,
Education 2007).
Service, Heads Social mediaand
of schools relates
other tostakeh
websitesoldersand applications
should organizethat enable users
a sensitizat create andonshare
ion programme socialcontent
media or
participate
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senior high (Merr
(Merriam-Webster,
schools.iam-Webster,
This way, social 2018
2018). ).media
It refers
can beto interactive web and
effectively utilised for mobile
maximum p
phones
hones platforms
and positi ve
through which
benefits. individuals
Also, and communities
an approach is needed share, to betterco-create,
balance andthe exchange information,
relationship between ideas,socialphotos,
mediaor videos
and moralwithin a
virtual network (Naslund,
development/educati on2016). Ther
There
of students. e School
are numerous social
authoritie s a ndmedia
parents sitesshou
thatldusers can choose
monitor from. However
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2017,
usethe
top social
four social
media. media sites were Facebook, WhatsApp WhatsApp,, Instagram, and Twitt Twitterer (Statista, 2017).
In recent times, accessinaccessing g Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. can be don done e anywhere and a t any time
Keywords:
simply by the use of mobile
Social media,phone (Luik, sites,
social media 2010). In Ghana,
moral the use of
development, socia
sociall media has risen considerably over the past few
students
years. The growth of social media usage can be tied to the advancement of communication technolo technology gy in Ghana, that is, the
increase in the
1. Introduction u
usage
sage of sm
smartphones
artphones a
and
nd the ease of access to broadband and mobile inte
internet.
rnet. Students may however
form a chunk of social media users in Ghana aass research has shown that social media is largely used by young people
betweenSince
the ages creation, human beings
of 15-34(Pew Research have always
Centre, beenaand
2014) socially
nd manyconnected
students fall or within
networked.
this age In the earlytherefore
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ites sharing, soas
have been recognized cialanmedia, w hichresource
important is now for a g rowing
eeducation
ducationphenomenon
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in the
internet of
sharing (O’Reiley,
information 2007).onSocial media
relevant relates tomaterials
education websites within
and applications
the schoolthat or enable
classroomuserssetting.
create andTo thisshare content
end, severalor
participate in social networking (Merr iam-Webster, 2018 ). It refers to interactive
software has been developed for e-learning in various jurisdictions using social media. Liccardi, Ounnas, Massey, web and mobile phones platforms
through which
Kinnunen, Midy,individuals
and Sakarand communities
(2007) have opined share, co-create,
that learnersand iin exchange
n the schoolinformation,
setting connect ideas, photos,toorshare
socially videos within
their dailya
virtual network
learning exexperiences(Naslund, 2016). Ther e are numerous social
periences and have conversations on several topics. However, other stu media sites that users can choose
studies from. However
dies show that students use social , in 2017, the
top four
media social
sites such media
as F sites werefor
Facebook
acebook Facebook,
fun, to WhatsApp
kill time, to , Instagram,
meet e xisting and Twitt
friendser (Statista,
or to make 2017).
new ones (Ellison, Steinfield, &
In recent
Lampe 2007). times, amidst
However, accessin g Facebook,
all the be benefits,
nefits, Twitter,
social Instagram,
media use has WhatsApp
re etc. can
regrettably
grettably be done to
ccontributed
ontributed anywhere
the moral anddegeneration
a t any time
simply by the use of mobile phone (Luik, 2010). In Ghana, the use of socia l media has risen considerably over the past few
years. The growth
INTERNATIONAL JOUR
JOURNALof social
NAL media usage
OF INNOVATIVE RESEAR
RESEARCH can
CH be tied to the
& DEVELOPM
DEVELOPMENT ENTadvancement DOI No.of communication technolo
: 10.24940/ijird/2019/v8
10.24940/ijird/2019/v8/i11/NOV19025 gy in Ghana, Page
/i11/NOV19025 that93is, the
increase in the usage of smartphones a nd the ease of access to broadband and mobile internet. Students may however
form a chunk of social media users in Ghana a s research has shown that social media is largely used by young people
between the ages of 15-34(Pew Research Centre, 2014) a nd many students fall within this age bracket therefore majority
of them are students. Social media sites have been recognized as an important resource for education a s it helps in the
sharing of information on relevant education materials within the school or classroom setting. To this end, several
software has been developed for e-learning in various jurisdictions using social media. Liccardi, Ounnas, Massey,
Kinnunen, Midy, and Sakar (2007) have opined that learners i n the school setting connect socially to share their daily
learning experiences and have conversations on several topics. However, other studies show that students use social
media sites such
INTERNATIONAL JOURasNALFOFacebook for fun,
INNOVATIVE RESEAR to CHkill time, to meet
& DEVELOPM ENT e xisting friends
DOI No. or to make new
: 10.24940/ijird/2019/v8 ones (Ellison, Steinfield,
/i11/NOV19025 Page 93 &
Lampe 2007). However, amidst all the benefits, social media use has regrettably c ontributed to the moral degeneration
:
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 Citations (2) References (4)

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