Influence of Social Media on Reading Habits and Performance in Social Studies among Upper Basic School students in Delta State

This research investigated the influence of social media on reading habits and performance in Social Studies among Upper Basic School students in Delta State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A well-structured questionnaire titled ‘Social Media Influence on Reading Habits and Performance Questionnaire’ (SMIRHAPQ) was used as the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by two (2) experts in educational research and (2) two lecturers in the department of Social Science Education Delta State University, Abraka and had a reliability coefficient of 0.85, established through a pilot test using the Cronbach Alpha method. The population of the study consisted of 1,094 Upper Basic Class two (2) Social Studies students (444 males and 650 females) during the 2023/2024 academic session in Delta State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select a representative sample of 300 students (120 males and 180 females) drawn from the three senatorial districts of the State. Data collected were analyzed using Chi-square and t-test statistical methods. The findings revealed that there is a significant influence of social media usage on the reading habits of Social Studies students in upper basic schools. Additionally, it was found that social media usage significantly influences students’ performance in Social Studies. However, there was no significant difference in the performance of Social Studies students who frequently use social media and those who do not in upper basic schools in Delta State. The study concluded that while social media has both positive and negative impacts, its potential for enhancing educational outcomes cannot be ignored if effectively managed. It recommended that schools, educators, parents, and policymakers should collaboratively promote responsible social media use through education, curriculum integration, parental guidance, and engaging classroom activities to enhance academic focus and leverage its potential for learning Keyword: Social Media Usage, Reading Habits, Performance, Social Studies, Upper Basic school students.