Impacts of ICT and Social Media Platforms on Academic Performance of Students in the Field of Geography: An Analysis of Some Selected Tertiary Institutions in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

The rapid diffusion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and social media platforms has fundamentally reshaped teaching and learning processes in higher education, including the discipline of Geography, which depends heavily on maps, spatial data, remote sensing imagery and field-based information that are increasingly accessed and shared through digital channels. This study examined the impacts of ICT and social media platforms on the academic performance of Geography students in selected tertiary institutions in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 360 undergraduate Geography students was drawn from three purposively selected tertiary institutions, namely Kaduna State University, Federal University of Education Zaria, and Nigerian Army University Kaduna Campus, using a multi-stage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection, complemented by key informant interviews with lecturers. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi-square test of association) with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 25). Findings revealed that 91.4% of respondents owned at least one internet-enabled device, WhatSApp (87.2%), YouTube (74.6%) and Google Earth/Google Classroom (61.9%) were the most utilised platforms for academic purposes, and a statistically significant positive relationship existed between the frequencies of ICT/social media use for academic purposes. However, excessive non-academic use of social media was found to be significantly and negatively associated with academic performance. The study concludes that ICT and social media platforms hold considerable potential for enhancing the teaching and learning of Geography when purposefully and moderately deployed. It is recommended that tertiary institutions in Kaduna State should integrate approved educational technology and social media tools into the Geography curriculum, provide reliable campus internet infrastructure, institutes digital literacy and time management orientation programmes for students.