ABSTRACT
This study was on “An Assessment of The Use of Social Media By Computer Science Lecturers.” It was carried out in the Computer science department in the University of Benin. The purpose of this study is to assess the usage and influence of social media platforms by computer science lecturers. Specifically, it seeks to assess the extent to which social media is used by computer science lecturers and to determine whether its utilization enhances student participation in the learning of computer science. Furthermore, the study seeks to examine the relationship between lecturers use of social media and students’ performance. Finally, it aims to identify effective social media platforms for teaching computer science.
The research design employed for this study is a survey, with the goal of assessing the usage of social media by computer science lecturers’. The study population consisted of 32 computer science lecturers in the Department of Computer Science in the University of Benin.
A sample of 32 computer science lecturers was randomly selected using the simple random sampling technique, while the stratification process considered academic rank, gender, and years of teaching experience. The primary research tool was a self-constructed questionnaire, divided into two sections: biographical data and questions concerning lecturers' perceptions and attitudes towards the use of social media for teaching. To ensure the questionnaire's validity, it underwent a rigorous review and gained approval from the project supervisor. Data collection involved the personal administration of the questionnaire, and statistical methods were used for analysis. Demographic data were evaluated through mean values and research questions were assessed using mean values also. A benchmark mean score of 2.50 served to categorize responses as "agree" if they exceeded this threshold, and "disagree" if they fell below it. Additionally, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was employed for hypothesis testing, with a significance level set at 0.05.
The findings revealed that in teaching computer science, WhatsApp, YouTube, and LinkedIn are the most frequently used social media platforms. YouTube and GitHub are popular tools, TikTok is used innovatively, and Telegram is widely used for creating and sharing interactive learning resources. WhatsApp is preferred for providing feedback on assignments, Twitter positively impacts student engagement, WhatsApp facilitates resource access, Twitter enhances a sense of academic community, LinkedIn aids timely feedback for lecturers, and WhatsApp improves communication for students seeking help. Overall, diverse social media platforms play significant roles in computer science education, fostering engagement, resource access, and effective communication between students and educators.
