CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
The emergence, growth and development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) all over the globe have improved communication a great deal. Of course, communication has a long history as the existence of man but the invention of ICT has brought information to the finger tip of people. One cannot dispute the fact that the emergence of computers and mobile phones coupled with the corresponding internet facilities has aided the development and growth of many social media. People can now share ideas, thoughts, feelings, opinions, pictures, music, videos and make friends via different Social Networking Sites (SNSs). Thus, the social media has indisputably become one of the most important communication means in recent times.
However, Social Networking Sites exist so as to provide communication among people regardless of the distance, making it open to people easily share information, news, files and pictures and videos, create blogs and send messages, and conduct real-time conversations. These systems are referred to as social, simply because they allow communication with friends, family members, followers and co-workers so easily and effectively. It also strengthens the ties between people of those systems. The favourites in the realm of internet sites are Facebook, Twitters, Youtube, Whatsapp, 2go, Instagram, Myspace, Skype among others. These websites and social forums are way of communication directly with other people socially and in media. The platforms can be used for teaching and learning processes, romantic relationship among others. They are playing a large and influential role in decision-making in the global world of economy, politics, social, cultural and education. Asides our educational landscape, the world political, religious, social, media and business settings have been greatly influenced by the potential of social media.
We all need to realize that social networking communities are here to stay, considering the millions of users that they have. A great deal of students is actively engaged in these online communities all minutes, all hours, all days and all nights. The first activity early in the morning for many people today is to visit the social media sites while the last before going to bed is the same to check and update messages, pictures, news on the sites. The trend has become viral that whether at home or at work, on the street or on the bus, in the dining or kitchen, in the classrooms or religious houses, people continue to visit these sites for one reason or the other. In fact, those who do not patronize the sites are considered to be behind or not belong. Every student including pupils in basic schools now struggle to have gadgets such as mobile phones to engage in the online communities. Some force their parents and guardian to buy the iPads, Smart phones internet enabled computers, many worked to buy it while some go to the extent of stealing Smartphone to get along in this mad rush to engage in social media communication and interaction.
     Social media networks have created a phenomenon on the internet that has gained popularity over the last decade. People use social media sites such as Facebook, Whatsapp, 2go, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, MySpace and a host of others to create and sustain relationships with others (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). These social media sites allow those who use them create personal profiles, while connecting with other users of the sites. Users can upload photographs, post what they are doing at any given time, and send personal or public messages to whomever they choose. These platforms are also used to send breaking news and advertise products as they cover a wide range of people. In this “information age,” social media sites seem to be growing in popularity rapidly, especially among young adults. Without any exaggeration, the fact remains that we live in a wired generation where information communication has become so easy and fast. The information gaps and delays have been bridged with the new technology and access to the internet. People can source and get any information in any discipline without stress nowadays.
      There is no doubt in the fact that an additional benefit of social technologies provided on the internet is that they are frequently free or require marginal investment, eliminating a potential barrier to adoption. Many internet service providers now give data to navigate through the internet free. There have been various overviews and opinions which recognized four major advantages of social media use in education. These include, enhancing relationship, improving learning motivation, offering personalized course material, and developing collaborative abilities. This means that social networking activities have the possibility of enhancing student contact and is used to improve their participation in class, particularly where introverted students are involved. Students can function in online group learning, with less or no anxiety of needing to raise questions before peers at school. This incredible development has helped students as well as academic researchers to have the limitless access to information through the internet and social media to advance knowledge.