The Effects of Social Media on Pharmacy Students’ Academic Performances
Nehad J. Ahmed *
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulrahman S. Alrawili
College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal Z. Alkhawaja
College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: The use of social media by students helps to have access to basic information as quick as possible but numerous universities and schools around the world restrict the access to social networks within its buildings to help students to concentrate on their studies.
Aim: The aim of this article is to assess the impact of social media on academic performance of pharmacy students.
Methodology: The present study includes gathering data from students through a survey research design to determine the effect of social media usage on their academic performance. The survey was adapted from a previous study and after that it is converted to online Google Form.
Results: Most of the participants in the present study said that their academic achievement is excellent (41.67%) or very good (41.67%). The majority of the students agree that the use of social media is useful in educational institutions, social media can be used to arrange group discussions with the experts and that it can be used to fix an appointment with other subject experts. The majority of the students also agree that they can receive announcements from lecturers and faculty using social media.
Conclusion: The majority of the students feel that social media affect their academic performance positively and about half of them feel that social media affect their performance negatively. It is important to increase their awareness about the importance of regulating social media usage.
Keywords: Academic performances, effects, negative, positive, social media.