Assessing the use and effects of WhatsApp on the academic performance of students in T. I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Kumasi

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the use and effects of WhatsApp on the academic performance of students in T. I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Ghana. Specifically, it was designed to identify the uses of WhatsApp messenger by the students; the challenges that students face when using WhatsApp and their perceived effects on their academic performance. The study adopted descriptive survey design and 60 students were purposively selected for the study. The data were collected from the respondents using questionnaire. Descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages were used when analyzing the collected data. The study revealed that majority of the respondents agreed to the usefulness of the WhatsApp. Furthermore, most of the respondents were of the view that usage of WhatsApp by students for other social activities than academic work leads to poor performance in school. Again, the study revealed that majority of the respondents had positive feelings and intentions about using WhatsApp in their formal learning if it is introduced. Based on these findings from the study, it was recommended that parents, classroom teachers and counsellors should encourage students to utilise the WhatsApp platform for disseminating only educational information to their colleagues. It was further recommended that teachers and school counsellors should endeavour to give orientation to students on the effective and positive use of WhatsApp as regards to teaching and learning.