The influence of online social networking behaviour towards academic performance of designated secondary school students in Klang Valley

Abstract

Recent statistics indicate that the utilization of Online Social Networking among Malaysian youngsters is increasing exponentially. These youngsters who predominantly are students, use Online Social Networking daily. This recent trend is now often accompanied by parental worry of potential negative impact of Online Social Networking which may be detrimental to their children’s academic performance. Even though there are numerous literature related to Online Social Networking, there are limited research on Online Social Networking behaviour and its relation to academic performance especially in the context of Malaysian secondary school students. Most studies on Online Social Networking behaviour were conducted at tertiary level and concentrated on developed countries in the West. Hence, this study investigated the Online Social Networking behaviour and its relation to academic performance among secondary school students. The conceptual framework is based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology on Students (UTAUTS) and ‘ACADEMIC’ variables synthesized from the literature. The incorporation of ‘ACADEMIC’ to the UTAUTS framework to study the impact of students’ academic performance is new. A survey was conducted on 247 students from selected six secondary schools in Klang Valley. The study identified four crucial factors that influence students’ adoption and use behaviour of Online Social Networking: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating condition. The results showed positive and significant relationships among all the factors. On the impact of Online Social Networking with academic performance, the result showed that the adoption and use of Online Social Networking is positively correlated with the students’ academic performance. The result indicated that the usage of Online Social Networking is vital in enhancing knowledge and social skills among students beyond the school setting, which helps to improve their academic performance. In sum, the findings of this study can be used to harness the benefits of Online Social Networking to enhance students’ learning experience.