This document summarizes a study on the impact of social media usage on the academic progress of college students in Chennai, India. It found that the majority of male and female students agree that social media is spoiling their studying time and health by spending too much time on sites like Facebook and Twitter each day. While social media can be useful for sharing thoughts and developing friendships, it is also distracting students from educational activities and career development. The study concludes that social media should be better integrated to support education rather than solely used for entertainment and passing time.

1. Social Media sites and Academic Progress of College
Students in Chennai: An Empirical study
S.H.Sheik Mohamed
Assistant Professor,
Department of Media Studies,
St.Thomas College of Arts and Science, Chennai-107, Tamil Nadu.
&
Dr.V.P.Nedunchezhiyan.M.A., Ph.D.
Associate Professor,
Department of Defence & Strategies Studies,
Guru Nanak College, Chennai-42, Tamil Nadu.

2. New Media
Most technologies described as "new media" are digital, often having characteristics
of being manipulated, networkable, dense, compressible, and interactive. Some
examples may be the Internet, websites, computer multimedia, video games, CD-
ROMS, and DVDs

3. SOCIAL MEDIA
Internet-based software and
interfaces that allow
individuals to interact with
one another, exchanging
details about their lives
such as biographical data,
professional information,
personal photos and up-to-
the-minute thoughts.

4. Objectives of the study
 To analysis the Social media sites affect the academic progress of the college
students.
 To analysis the social media sites access practice of the college students.

5. Data collection
The sampling elements for the user’s survey were users of social
network sites of a college in Chennai city. Total population of this
college is approximately two thousand students. Suitable sampling
was used to collect the data of this population. Sample of 50 users
are taken for the study from population. Using proportionate
stratified random sampling methods.

6. DATAANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Sl.No
Preferred
Social
Networks sites Male % Female % Total %
1 Facebook 33 94.3 12 80.0 45 90
2 Twitter 6 17.1 1 6.7 7 14
3 Googleplus 10 28.6 2 13.3 12 24
4 Orkut 4 11.4 1 6.7 5 10
5
Bharath
students.com 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0
6 Flicker 1 2.9 0 0.0 1 2
7 Youtube 22 62.9 5 33.3 27 54
8 Blogger 4 11.4 2 13.3 6 12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Preferred social Network sotes
regarding Gender
Male % Female%

7. Male Respondents Perceptions
Sl.No Respondents Perceptions S.A A U.D D.A S.D.A
1 I feel social network sites useful to students 16(45.7%) 16(45.7%) 1 (2.8%) 0(0%) 2(5.7%)
2 I feel SNs despoiled the studying time of students 15(42.8%) 6(17.1%) 11(31.4%) 2(5.7%) 2(5.7%)
3
I feel SNs usages decrease the academic progress
in college students 5(14.2%) 14(40%) 13(37.1%) 3(8.5%) 0(0%)
4 I feel college students waste their time in SNs 5(14.2%) 12(34.2%) 8(22.8%) 7(20%) 3(8.5%)

8. Female Respondents’ Perceptions
Sl.No Respondents Perceptions S.A A U.D D.A S.D.A
1 I feel social network sites useful to students 8(53.3%) 6(40%) 1(6.6%) 0(0%) 0(0%)
3 I feel SNs despoiled the studying time of students 4(26.6%) 6(40%) 2(13.3%) 1(6.6%) 2(13.3%)
4
I feel SNs usages decrease the academic progress in
college students 3(20%) 6(40%) 2(13.3%) 3(20%) 1(6.6%)
5 I feel college students waste their time in SNs 2(13.3%) 9(60%) 1(6.6%) 2(13.3%) 1(6.6%)

9. Purpose of the usages of SNs sites
1 Entertainment 24 68.6 11 73.3
2 News 16 45.7 2 13.3
3 Sharing 17 48.6 10 66.7
4 Chatting 13 37.1 10 66.7
5 Environment 5 14.3 0 0.0
6 Friendship 21 60.0 9 60.0
7 Business 1 2.9 0 0.0
8 Educational Activities 9 25.7 6 40.0
9 Social Networking 8 22.9 4 26.7
10 All other activities 5 14.3 3 20.0

10. Purpose of the usages
68.6
45.7
48.6
37.1
14.3
60
2.9
25.7
22.9
14.3
73.3
13.3
66.7 66.7
0
60
0
40
26.7
20
Entertainment News Sharing Chatting Environment Friendship Business Educational
Activities
Social
Networking
All other
activities
Male % Female %

11. SNs affecting the academic progress of the college students
Gender Yes No
Male 71.40% 28.60%
Female 46.70% 53.30%
71.40%
28.60%
46.70%
53.30%
Yes(%) No(%)
Are SNs affecting the academic progress of students?
Male Female

12. Social Networks access habits of the Respondents
Sl.No social site networks Access Habits Male % Female %
1 Access social site networks through a)Computer 1 2.9 3 20.0
2 b)Mobile 14 40.0 5 33.3
3 c)Both 20 57.1 7 46.7
4 I access social network sites every day 17 48.6 9 60.0
5 I access social network sites only during weekend 12 34.3 4 26.7
6 I access social network sites between 1 – 3 days a week 15 42.9 11 73.3
7 I do access social network sites at all times 5 14.3 6 40.0
8 I access social network sites mostly during the day (6am– 3pm) 6 17.1 1 6.7

13. Cont….. Social Networks access habits of the Respondents
9 I access social network sites during evening 27 77.1 14 93.3
10 I access social network sites mostly at night (9pm – 1am) 10 28.6 4 26.7
11 I used SNs almost the whole day 7 20.0 3 20.0
12 I access social network sites mostly at home 24 68.6 11 73.3
13 I access social network sites one hour a day. 4 11.4 9 60.0
14 I access social network sites less than 1 hour a day. 15 42.9 11 73.3
15 I access social network sites between 2 hours a day 2 5.7 5 33.3
16 I access social network sites between 3 hours a day 3 8.6 1 6.7

14. Cont….. Social Networks access habits of the Respondents
17
I access social network sites more than 4
hours a day 5 14.3 5 33.3
18
I access social network sites mostly for
entertainment 21 60.0 8 53.3
19
I access social network sites for maintains
friendships 25 71.4 11 73.3
20 I access social network sites for time pass. 15 42.9 1 6.7

15. Most of the male and female students are
agreed, social media sites are spoiling their
studying time as well as their health also.
Observation of this study is, students are
agreed that they are spending maximum time
in social media sites like face book, twitter
and so on in every day. “Social networks
aren’t about Web sites. They’re about
experiences. “Social media is like a snowball
rolling down the hill. It’s picking up speed.
Five years from now, it’s going to be the
standard. Social media sites must be
concerted to the educational activities as
well as social media sites should motivate
the students in the perspectives of
educational development and carrier
development. Sharing thoughts and
developing the friendship networking is not
only the main activities of the social media
sites. Social media sites are like alcohol, we
can use it as drugs and other horrific
activities.

16. Thank You
My special thanks
To
School of Special Education
and Rehabilitation,
Tamil Nadu Open University
For
This
Opportunity………………