EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA INSTRUCTIONAL PLATFORMS ON PUPILS’ SOCIAL INTERACTION, ATTITUDE TO EXTENDED LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE IN EKITI-STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Studies have shown that social media instructional platforms such as Schoology and WhatsApp can be used to further engage pupils’ interaction beyond the classroom. However, previous studies concentrated largely on the use of social media platforms for social engagement but rarely use them for learning activities and interactions (pupil-to pupil, pupil-to-teacher and pupil-to-material interactions) outside the classroom. This study, therefore, was carried out to examine extended learning using social media instructional platforms (Schoology and WhatsApp) for primary school pupils’ social interaction, attitude to extended learning and achievement in Basic Science in Ekiti-State, Nigeria to foster learning interaction among them using their parents’ android mobile devices. The moderating effects of social media self-efficacy and parents’ digital divide were also considered. The study was anchored to Engagement Theory, while the pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with a 3x2x3 factorial matrix was used. The three senatorial districts in Ekiti State were enumerated, while three Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly selected. One primary school from each LGA was purposively selected based on pupils’ technology competency, availability of resources and alternative power supply. Seventy-three pupils in primary V from three schools were randomly assigned to Schoology Instructional Platform (SIP - 18), WhatsApp Instructional Platform (WIP - 24) and control (31) groups. The instruments used were Achievement Test in Basic Science (r = 0.72), Pupils’ Attitude to Extended Learning (r = 0.75), Social Media Self-efficacy (r = 0.85), Parents’ Digital Divide (r = 0.75), Rubric for Social Interaction (r = 0.76) scales and instructional guides. Treatment lasted 12 weeks. Data were subjected to Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance. Treatment had significant main effects on pupils’ social interaction (F (2;58) = 51.05, partial ɳ2 = 0.63), attitude to extended learning (F (2;58) =107.56; partial ɳ2 = 0.78) and achievement in Basic Science (F (2;58) = 725.49; partial ɳ 2 = 0.96). Pupils in SIP group had the highest posttest mean score (57.60), followed by control (56.15) and WIP (39.54) groups on social interaction. Pupils exposed to SIP group had the highest posttest mean score (45.82), followed by control (43.06) and WIP (23.89) groups on attitude to extended learning, while pupils in WIP group had the highest posttest mean score (70.41), followed by SIP (64.01) and control (31.33) groups on achievement in Basic Science. The main effects of social media self-efficacy and parents’ digital divide were iii not significant. There was a significant two-way interaction effect of treatment and parents’ digital divide on achievement to Basic Science (F (3;58) = 4.95; partial ɳ 2 = .25), but none on social interaction and attitude to extended learning. The two-way interaction effect of treatment and social media self-efficacy, and three-way interaction effects were not significant. Schoology instructional platform enhanced pupils’ social interaction, attitude to extended learning and achievement in Basic Science in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Schoology and WhatsApp instructional platforms should be employed to engage pupils in extended learning settings, regardless of their social media self-efficacy and parent’s digital divide