Electronic and Social Media Use among Secondary Students in Kenya

Mercy M. Mugambi

doi:10.18535/ijsrm/v10i11.el03

Abstract

In the last decade, we have witnessed a sharp increase in the availability and use of electronic devices. Due to this, electronic devices have become an integral part of adolescent life with reports indicating ownership of at least one electronic media by students. There is increasing concern about the negative effects of excessive use of various electronic media by students but the monitoring of these behaviors is globally low. This necessitated the need for this study which investigated on usage of electronic and social media among students, and perceived influence of electronic media on students’ social behaviour. The study was guided by two objectives: To establish student electronic ownership and activities when using internet and to determine influence of electronic and social media on students’ social behaviour. The study is anchored on two theories: Social influence theory and the social innovation theory. Descriptive survey design was employed with a sample of 359 students. Data was obtained using a questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed by use descriptive statistics. Stratified and random sampling procedures were used to select participants. The study established that students frequently connected to the internet; students concentrated on searching sexual images and listening to sexual discussions and explicit music and that sex-texting was common. Common discussions among students focused on dating and explicit music, movies and celebrities. It was concluded that electronic media has a major influence on students life and students social behaviour. The study recommended that there is need to educate students on more effective use of electronic media.

Keywords

Electronic mediasocial mediaElectronic devicessocial behaviour

References

Alexandra,T. (2014). Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 – 2014.Google Scholar ↗
Antiwi, S.O. (2016). Social Innovation Creates Prosperous Societies: Stanford Social InnovationReview. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/social_innovation_creates_prosperous_societiesGoogle Scholar ↗
Atkinson,T. (2022). Technology – Changing Communication around the World https://itchronicles.com/technology/technology-changing-communication/Google Scholar ↗
Chawinga, W. (2017). Taking social media to a university classroom: teaching and learning using Twitter and blogs. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 14.1: 1-19.Google Scholar ↗
Cortada, J.W. (2015).Application of Electronic Media. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195165876.003.0010DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Dowdell, E. B., Burgess, A. W., & Flores, J. R. (2011). Online social networking patterns among Adolescents, young adults, and sexual offenders. American Journal of Nursing, 11(7), 28-36.Google Scholar ↗
Kalinga, L.K. (2011).The Effects of Sex Education on Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour in Secondary Schools in Thika District, Kenya.Google Scholar ↗
Kelman, H.(1958). Compliance, identification, and internalization three processes of attitude change. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 2(1), pp.51-60.Google Scholar ↗
Lonergan, A.R. (2020). Protect me from my selfie: Examining the association between photo-based social media behaviors and self-reported eating disorders in adolescence. International Journal of Eating Disorders. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eat.23256DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Murray R, Caulier-Grice J, Mulgan G. (2010). The Open Book of Social Innovation, London: NESTA.Google Scholar ↗
Pathak, A. (2022). Role of social media in student’s life. https://blog.madeeasy.in/role-social-media-students-life.Google Scholar ↗
Ravizza, S.M.; Uitvlugt, M.G. & Fenn KM. (2016). Logged in and Zoned Out: How Laptop Internet Use Relates to Classroom Learning. Psychological Science, 1-10.Google Scholar ↗
Vircks, J. (2017). Technology and young children. Graduate research paper. University of Northern Lowa.Google Scholar ↗
Wang, Q. (2008) A generic model for guiding the integration of ICT into teaching and learning, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45:4, 411-419, DOI: 10.1080/14703290802377307DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Wilcox, K. & Andrew, S.T. (2013).Are Close Friends the Enemy? Online Social Networks, Self-Esteem, and Self-Control. Journal of consumer research, Inc. Vol. 40 ●June 2013 0093-5301/2013/4001-0006$10.00. DOI: 10.1086/668794DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-1] Alexandra,T. (2014). Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 – 2014.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-2] Antiwi, S.O. (2016). Social Innovation Creates Prosperous Societies: Stanford Social InnovationReview. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/social_innovation_creates_prosperous_societiesGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-3] Atkinson,T. (2022). Technology – Changing Communication around the World https://itchronicles.com/technology/technology-changing-communication/Google Scholar ↗

[refR-4] Chawinga, W. (2017). Taking social media to a university classroom: teaching and learning using Twitter and blogs. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 14.1: 1-19.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-5] Cortada, J.W. (2015).Application of Electronic Media. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195165876.003.0010DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-6] Dowdell, E. B., Burgess, A. W., & Flores, J. R. (2011). Online social networking patterns among Adolescents, young adults, and sexual offenders. American Journal of Nursing, 11(7), 28-36.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-7] Kalinga, L.K. (2011).The Effects of Sex Education on Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour in Secondary Schools in Thika District, Kenya.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-8] Kelman, H.(1958). Compliance, identification, and internalization three processes of attitude change. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 2(1), pp.51-60.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-9] Lonergan, A.R. (2020). Protect me from my selfie: Examining the association between photo-based social media behaviors and self-reported eating disorders in adolescence. International Journal of Eating Disorders. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eat.23256DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-10] Murray R, Caulier-Grice J, Mulgan G. (2010). The Open Book of Social Innovation, London: NESTA.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-11] Pathak, A. (2022). Role of social media in student’s life. https://blog.madeeasy.in/role-social-media-students-life.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-12] Ravizza, S.M.; Uitvlugt, M.G. & Fenn KM. (2016). Logged in and Zoned Out: How Laptop Internet Use Relates to Classroom Learning. Psychological Science, 1-10.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-13] Vircks, J. (2017). Technology and young children. Graduate research paper. University of Northern Lowa.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-14] Wang, Q. (2008) A generic model for guiding the integration of ICT into teaching and learning, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45:4, 411-419, DOI: 10.1080/14703290802377307DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-15] Wilcox, K. & Andrew, S.T. (2013).Are Close Friends the Enemy? Online Social Networks, Self-Esteem, and Self-Control. Journal of consumer research, Inc. Vol. 40 ●June 2013 0093-5301/2013/4001-0006$10.00. DOI: 10.1086/668794DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗