HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF

FOREIGN LANGUAGES - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

The Impacts of Social Networking on Students

Nguyễn Hữu Phát

May, 2017

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Running head: The Impacts of Social Networking on Students

The Impacts of Social Networking on Students

Nguyễn Hữu Phát

HCM City University of Foreign Languages – Information Technology

May, 2017

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 Abstract

Social network sites have spread widely all over the world and are used by various users

for several reasons and purposes. The paper intentionally analyses the impacts of social

networking on students. This research is conducted online, with the participation of more

than 20 students. Through the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, the

researcher collected and presented the data precisely in charts. The data are investigated

and analysed in various aspects, including the impacts of social networking on society

and students. This paper confirms the effects of using social networks such as Facebook

or Twitter on students' life in both academic and social. It also provides recommendations

for students on how to use social networking sites to improve their academic results

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Introduction

Research rationale

Online Social networks such as Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and so on have gained a

tremendous popularity among people around the world. There are many reasons that

these technologies are used such as to do online business. According to Paula (2015),

word-of-mouth on Internet social networking site has a strong impact on new customer

acquisition and has longer carryover than traditional forms of marketing. However,

communication is still the number one. In the past, the communicating and free sharing of

thoughts among people were restricted by long distance, nationality or religion. But now,

even these barriers cannot stop the flow of information and knowledge. People use these

networks to talk to their friends in other cities or even other countries. In fact, there are

many situations that do not allow people to use telephone, this maybe the reason why

social networking is preferable by many. Additionally, these networks not only allow

communication but also allow you to meet new people. Those who have similarities or

same hobbies can become friends and start a new relationship. This allows one's social

circle to expand. For many people, social networking is a tool to promote and aid

communication, especially students. As students lead nomadic lives, they have

considered social networks as beneficial tools for communication and social gatherings.

When students transit from highschool to their first year of university, a new pivotal

phase of their life starts. They have to encounter socializing with new people, getting

engaged and involved in their new society and adapting to a new educational

environment. Everyone is connected to one another in this vast network generated by the

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Internet. Therefore, it has played a major role in building, maintaining or reviving

relationships of students. It affects our lives in many ways including our communication,

self-expression, isolations, friendships, and our very own sense of humanity. In this age

of globalization, the world has become a smaller place thanks to the electronic media and

portals. Communication has become effective as never before thanks to the advent of the

internet. Hence the objective that we wanted to achieve through this research is to

investigate if there is any correlation between using online social networks and the

academic performance of students. Moreover, we aim to discover what advantages and

disadvantages that social networking brings to students.

Our main research question

What impacts of social networking on students?

Intended outcome

This research is conducted to explain the importance of proper usage of social

networking sites. It aims to point out particular effects of social networks on students'

life. These sites evidently have a lot positive effects, but they also have negative impacts.

Through this research, we want to provide evidences and information about the impacts

of these sites on students, thus reducing addicting activities and potential danger.

Literature review

Social networking

The communication grown with the advancement in technology. Abed (2010) states that

the Internet and the World Wide Web have become two key components in today's

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technology based organizations and businesses. Therefore, the Internet is becoming more

and more popular, it is starting to make a big impact on people's daily life. Moreover, it

has become easier and cheaper to communicate and connect with people across the world

because communication systems have grown from wired devices to wireless devices. The

social network has developed greatly thanks to the internet and by using it, you can

communicate and share your thoughts with many people at the same time. It is easy to

share information like pictures, advertisements, videos and text messages. There are

many kinds of social sites and it depends on oneself to choose the one that they are

comfortable with. Social networks allow you to keep and manage accounts. This makes it

easier for people to search for you and get you. You can invite people to your account

such as your family members, friends, classmates and colleagues. It also allows you to

create groups like fan pages which is based on the likeness of ideas and goals. This

makes it easy to communicate with people you have a common goal. You can post the

things you want in the group and every member can contribute their thoughts. In addition,

social networking makes it possible to reach many people in a very short time. This has

led to the creation of sites that helps people to look for jobs. Social sites also involved in

social care by spreading the news in cases of danger. Messages on these sites get to

people in a very short time and this has helped a lot of people from potential danger.

The impacts of social networking on society

Social networking can have both good and bad effects on society. In terms of benefits,

social networking has helped the business in a variety of ways thanks to the worldwide

connectivity. The traditional marketing such as the radio and TV commercials are now

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completely obsolete now and cost a lot of money. However, with social media the

business can connect with their targeted customers for free. According to Baker (2000),

thanks to social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, the business was able to save thousands

of dollars for advertisements. Another positive impact of social networking sites is to

unite people on a huge platform for the achievement of some specific objective which is

very important to bring the positive change in the society. Brian (2010) states that,

“Social media spark a revelation that we, the people, have a voice, and through the

democratization of content and ideas we can once again unite around common passions,

inspire movements, and ignite change”. However, social networking also has some

negative effects such as being targeted by identity thief. Whether you like it or not, when

you post your personal information on the internet, there will always be a risk for you to

be targeted by these annoying thieves. According to Erika (2015), “the majority of

identity theft victims (86%) experienced the fraudulent use of existing account

information, such as credit card or bank account information”. Another negative effect is

about the kids. The reason is that sometimes people share photos on social media that

contains sex and violence which can damage the behavior of kids and teenagers.

The impacts of social networking on students

Nowadays, social networking has become a part of student's life. In a research of

Barkhuus and Tashiro (2010), it has shown that the itinerant lifestyle of students these

days makes them face many challenges when it come to separating between their

schoolwork and their social daily life. In fact, social network such as Facebook is used

not only to socialize with people, but also to help first-year students overcome their

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shyness. There are many shy people in the world who are afraid of speaking with

strangers, making it very hard for them to make new friends. In this case, Facebook can

be an outlet for them to share ideas and thoughts with other people. According to Junco

(2010), though Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world, many

students choose Twitter as an enhancing educational tool. The research of Stollak (2011),

has shown that students can utilize social networks such as Twitter to develop their

education performance. Students can have longer and richer discussions on Twitter than

in class. Moreover, they felt more comfortable to ask questions about homework without

being shy. As a result, they become good friends and work better as a group. However,

spending too much time on social sites can also create stress on their mind and health. It

may have bad effects on their study.

Summary

After the review of all articles, it shows that social sites can have both good and negative

effects on society, especially students. It affects college students' educational

performance and social lives. Furthermore, social sites facilitate the social life of college

students. However, it can also have negative effects if overused. To conclude, it is an

interesting topic for us to find out more about social sites and clarify their impacts on

students.

Method

In order to answer the research question, a survey was used as the main data gathering

instrument. The survey used quantitative method to determine the extent and and

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frequency of the perceived issues. Moreover, by answering these questions, it could

shows us what social site students were using and how popular it was with their family

members. The survey also used qualitative questions that focused on giving explanations

of the issues, then I compared the answers of these questions with my own observations

and experience of the issue and made use of the literature review to make general

comments. The survey was directed to both male and female students through the internet

by using Google Forms. A total of 20 people was asked to do this survey through the link

given on Facebook. The survey consisted of 2 main sections. Section one had 10

questionnaire questions which focused on Yes/No answer. The second one had 4

questions which asked to give explanation of the issues. The survey also included the

effects of social networking sites on students' academic performance and how it affected

their social relationship.

Participants: 20 students

Survey form: Online survey

Quantitative method

Are you a member of a social networking site?

▢Yes ▢No

Is social networking a part of your life?

▢Yes ▢No

Do you use Facebook or Twitter?

▢Yes ▢No

Do you use social media more than 3 hours per day?

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 ▢Yes ▢No

Are your parents aware of your social networking activities?

▢Yes ▢No

Do your parents use social networking site?

▢Yes ▢No

Have you ever been a victim of cyberbullying?

▢Yes ▢No

Are social networking sites helping your life?

▢Yes ▢No

Are social networking sites help to improve your academic result?

▢Yes ▢No

Have you ever been attacked by identity thief?

▢Yes ▢No

Qualitative method

What is your purpose of using social networking beside communication?

……………………………………………..………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………

What benefits does social networking bring to you?

……………………………………………..………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Does social networking have bad effects on your life?

……………………………………………..………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………

How much time do you spend on social networking everyday?

……………………………………………..………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Results

To have a better understanding of all the responses, I converted raw data into numerical

results and presented them in pie charts. These results are illustrated below. The first aim

of this survey was to find how popular social networking was with students and their

family. The following charts show the popularity of social networks and how much time

students spend on them.

Are you a member of social networking site?

Is social networking a part of your life?

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Do you use Facebook or Twitter?

Do you use social media more than 3 hours per day?

Through these results, we see that social networking is super popular nowadays. A lot of

people use it, especially students. They often use Facebook or Twitter. Though they don’t

consider social networks as a part of their life, they often spend more than 3 hours on

them. Moreover, students use social networks not only to stay in touch with others but

also to stay updated on what is going on in the world around us. Other people use

Facebook or Twitter as a place for study, they can discuss questions or share thoughts

about their homework.

The survey also shows that the students’ parents really care about their children's social

networking activities. In addition, lots of them use it too.

Are your parents aware of your social networking activities?

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Do your parents use social networking site?

The next objective of the survey is to find out about the advantages of social networking

on students. For most people, social networking has helped them to create many

connections, developing their social relationship. It also has positive on their academic

performance because when using Facebook or Twitter, they can have longer and richer

discussions than in class.

Are social networking sites helping your life?

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Are social networking sites help to improve your academic result?

Although having many advantages for students, the results of the survey also show many

negative effects of social networking. Many people feel stress because using social media

for too long. Moreover, some people think the more time students spend on these social

media sites, the less time they will spend socializing in person with others. This reduces

their communication skill. The survey also shows that some people have become victims

of cyberbullying and identity theft.

Have you ever been a victim of cyberbullying?

Have you ever been attacked by identity thief?

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Discussion

In this discussion, I am going to investigate and highlight several results I obtained from

the online survey that are crucial to answer the main research question and to study the

effects of social networking on students. First I'd like to discuss the popularity of social

networking in the society, especially the students. Walter and Riviera (2004) state that

social media is “the relationships that exist between network of people”. Thanks to the

advancement of technology, social networking has become extremely popular. Moreover,

there are many kinds of social networks such as Facebook or Twitter that gave us a wide

variety of choices. This makes it easier for us to communicate with each other and more

importantly, it is free. Because of this, more and more people are using social media to

communicate instead of telephone. Through the results of the survey, it shows that many

students are using social networks nowadays. In the survey, 82% of students use social

media on a daily basis. Facebook or Twitter is their favourite social networking site. They

often spend about 3 hours or more on social media. According to a Nielsen Media

Research study, almost 25% of students' time on the Internet is now spent on social

networking websites (Jacobsen and Forste, 2011). For them, using social networks is not

only for communication but also to stay updated to what is going on in the world. In

addition, they can use Facebook or Twitter as a place to study and share their ideas. This

helps students to develop important knowledge and social skills, and be active citizens

who create and share content.

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A second finding was that students' parents also care a lot about social networking. In the

survey, 61.5% parents aware of their children’s social networking activities. Most of

them worry that social media will have negative effects on their children’s study. Because

every day, many students are spending countless hours immersed in social media such as

Facebook, MySpace, World of Warcraft, or Sim City after school. The parents think that

this is really a waste of time. However, many parents also said that their children's

academic results have improved thanks to social media. On the other hand, there are a lot

of parents that use social media too. They use it to communicate with their children and

relatives. This has helped them to improve the relationships in their family.

The next thing I'd like to discuss is the advantages that social networking brings to

students. The results of the survey show that social media has helped students to improve

their academic results. It also helps them overcome their shyness and develop their

relationships. “The positive aspect of online communities is that youths can utilize them

for academic assistance and support (Lusk, 2010).“ Due to the ability of social media to

enhance connections by making them easily accessible, social media yields many benefits

for the young, including providing a virtual space for them to explore their interests or

problems with similar individuals, while strengthening online communication skills.

Facebook or Twitter can also provide a comfortable space to discuss questions in class.

They can have longer and richer discussions. Domine (2009) said “ Students who may be

reluctant to speak up in class are participating in book discussion blogs and writing for

real audiences. There are new Web tools emerging all the time that are enhancing

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learning.“ Social media can give many benefits if we use it the right way. Brydolf (2007)

said “when it is used in a positive way, it can be an extraordinary tool.“

Beside many advantages, social networking also shows to have many negative effects. It

can have bad effects on health and academic results. Using social media for too long can

cause stress on your mind. It can also distract you from your study. According to the

research of Jacobsen and Forste (2011), electronic media use is negatively associated

with grades. They also found that two-third of the students reported using electronic

media while in class, studying or doing homework. This multitasking likely increases

distraction and has negative impact on student performance. As social media websites,

such as Facebook, Youtube or Twitter gain popularity, they are also becoming

increasingly dangerous as they create modes to procrastinate while trying to complete

homework. In addition, some people may become victims of cyberbullying and identity

theft.

Finally, the aim of this discussion is to suggest some recommendations that can facilitate

integrating social networks into students' lives. The research indicates that most college

students would prefer to use social media and spend many hours checking social media

sites. Social networking is definitely affecting students' efficiencies as well as their

grades. Hence, educators need to be concerned about these problems and try to find better

ways to solve these problems.

Conclusion

In conclusion, through the process of collection and analysis of the data, the researcher

could confirm these main points. The first thing is the popularity of social networking in

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the society, especially the students. Secondly, the awareness of students' parents about

social networking. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages that social networking

brings to students. The research conducted in this paper gave us a somehow better

understanding of how social networks affect the student's life. Throughout this research,

the researcher do not aim to solve a problem, but rather aim to demonstrate the

importance of social networks to students.

In addition, the research also provides some recommendations to improve the academic

results of students through using social networking sites. First, the instructors should

encourage students to use social sites for academic purposes such as using Twitter or

Facebook to discuss assignment online. Secondly, if students are too shy to ask about

their problems in class, they could use social sites to communicate their instructors for

questions. Finally, elder students could create an online social group to share experience

and help freshman students. This not only help students to improve their academic results

but also help them create many social relationships.

Reference

Paula, P. (2015), Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on Social

Media, Academic Conferences Limited, (pp. 329)

Abed, A. (2010), The impact of Social Networking Websites to Facilitate

the Effectiveness of Viral Marketing, International Journal of Advanced Computer

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 Science and Applications, (pp. 6)

Baker, W. (2000), Achieving success through social capital, San Francisco:

Jossey Bass. (pp. 116)

Brian, S. (2010), Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses

to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web, Wiley

Erika, H. (2015), Victims of Identity Theft, Bureau of Justice Statistics

L. Barkhuus and J. Tashiro (2010), Student Socialization in the Age of

Facebook, University of California

R. Junco (2010), The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and

grades, Blackwell Publishing Ltd

M. J. Stollak (2011), Getting social: The Impact of Social Networking

usage on grades among college, Las Vegas: ASBBS Annual Conference

Jacobsen, W. C., and Forste, R. (2011), The Wired Generation: Academic and

Social Outcomes of Electronic Media Use Among University Students

Lusk, B. (2010), Digital natives and social media behaviors: An overview.

Prevention Researcher, 173-6

Brydolf, C. (2007), Minding MySpace: Balancing the benefits and risks of

students' online social networks. Education Digest, 73(2), 4

Domine, V. (2009), A social history of media, technology and schooling. Journal

of Media Literacy Education, 1(1), 42-52

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