Relationship Between Social Networking Time and Students’ Academic and Professional Performance

Final Research Paper

Shan Hua

2017.12.05

Daniel James Kazia

Relationship between Social Networking Time and Students’ Academic and Professional Performance

Social Networking Sites have being gaining an increasing amount of attention and popularity since its first introduction in the early 2000s. Today, a majority of the population would have an account on at least one social networking platform. . “SNS are becoming ubiquitous aspects of youth and young adult life” (Ahn 2011). There are over billion of active users around the world, and they have already been incorporated into the daily routine of many people “Social media can be defined as websites and other online means of communication used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contracts” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). A lot of the users on these platforms are Generation Yers, or otherwise known as millennials. Drawing on various academic journals and textbooks, this paper will explore how social networking sites can positively impact a student’s academic and professional performance through ease of access to course material, collaboration with peers as well as expansion of professional network.

First of all, Social networking sites act as a tool to facilitate communication between students, enhancing the overall efficiency of learning. Course groups can be created online where students can interact and answer each other’s questions. This kind of convenience would not be available in an offline situation. A study by Liu (2010) identified the top four reasons for students to use social networking services, one of them being the speed of feedback/results. Questions and answers would be posted in a timely manner, and open for anyone to view. Further to that, Social networking sites such as Facebook also provide ease for students to participate in team projects especially if they are in different locations. Team assignments make up a large portion of student work in today’s classrooms. However, with each student having a different schedule and located in different vicinities, virtual meetings are their best option. This would also minimize the amount of time wasted on finding a compromised time and location to meet and discuss about the assignment. Lastly, introvert students can maximize their studying experience by asking professors as wells as peers questions online, in an anonymous manner. As they might be afraid to raise concerns during class, these students would not be able to extract the full benefit of the lectures. Overall, social networking platforms offers a new and better way to communication, which can help students, increase their efficiency in learning.

Secondly, Social networking platforms allow for easier information gathering. Research projects make up a large portion of the university curriculum today, which all require references to scholarly articles. Many educational and scientific organizations use social networking sites to publish research information where students can easily access. Students would be able to access the information they need at their fingertips. This is the transition of paper media to paperless electronic forms, which enables accessibility of information and increases students’ awareness of important events and developments. A study by Kalia (2013) indicated that this is a very important factor in a student’s academic success. Students are able to set up reminders and upload their documents for information gathering and sharing on social networking platforms. This can facilitate the student as well as their peers in the learning process. Overall, information is the way to success in today’s society, and being able to easily access the information would certainly increase the chances of academic success.

Lastly, social networking sites can help students expand their professional network and achieve success in their career after graduation. The goal of attending school is ultimately to find a job and achieve career success. According to a poll by Bullhorn, more than 97 percent of recruiters used LinkedIn for recruiting in 2012. Many employers use social networking platforms to pre-screen their candidates. This is because these platforms hold more information than can be found on a typical resume. For example, recruiters would be able to see what the potential candidates do on their spare time and their values. This would be important to evaluate whether or not the candidate fits with the company culture. Also, feedbacks from previous employers as well