Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination 

Caribbean Studies

School-Based Assessment

Name: Chenelle Williams

School: Immaculate Conception High School

Centre #: 100051

Candidate #: 100051

Territory: Jamaica 

Teacher’s Name: Mr. K Thompson 

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 Table Of Contents
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………3

Introduction……………………………………..…………………………………...4

Problem statement…………………………………………………………………….4

Background of the study………………………………………………………………4

Stated purpose…………………………………………………………………………4
.
Objectives……………………………………………………………………...4

Value of the study……………………………………………………………………………5

Definition of technical terms……………………………………………………………5

Literature Review……………………………………………………………. ………6-10

Data Collection sources………………………………………………………………..11-12

Presentation of data…………………………………………………………………….13-16

Analysis of data…………………………………………………………………………17-18

Discussion of findings……………………………………………………………………..

Limitations of research design………………………………………………………………

Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………

Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………..

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Acknowledgement

3
 Introduction and Purpose
 
Problem Statement

To what extent can it be said that social media affect the academic performance of

students at Immaculate Conception High School?

Background of the study

The students from the Immaculate Conception High School utilizes various social media

daily. Ranging from Snapchat to Instagram, these apps have their advantages and

disadvantages which can be of benefit to many. Students freely download and use these apps

because they are easily accessible, which can lead to addiction and a constant reliance on

these media sites. The students in grade 11 to 13 are more exposed to the school environment

as it relates to academics, so they were the best group to be used. As such, the researcher

intends to investigate to what extent can it be said that social media affect the academic

performance of students at Immaculate Conception High School.

Stated purpose

Social media is a combination of various apps in which individuals can share ideas and

communicate with others. The main purpose of this study is to examine the use of social

media by the different individuals identifying the different ways in which it affects them

academically, so that valid data can be used to understand if social media usage at the

Immaculate Conception High School is more constructive than destructive. 

Objectives

1. To identify the various impacts that social media has on the students’ academic

performance at the Immaculate Conception High School.

2. To identify and compare the academic performance of the students over the past two

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 Years

3. To examine the different strategies used by individuals to balance schoolwork and

utilizing social media. 

4. To Identify measures that can be implemented to help students to use social media in

a constructive way.

Value of the study

The study can be of benefit to the teachers and administrative staff at various other

institutions as knowing about social media and the overuse can prevent their academic

performance from deteriorating. This can also help the ministry in acquiring important data

on how to better implement social media programs software and hardware in schools that can

help to improve the students’ academic performance. 

Definition of technical terms

 Academic Performance- the measurement of student achievement across various

academic subjects.

 Overuse- to excessively use something too much.

 Productivity- a measure of production efficiency

 Social media- websites and applications that enable users to create and share content

or to participate in social networking.

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 Literature Review

    In an article by Creative Loafing Charlotte, (2020), it claims that usage of several social

media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and others, has increased

significantly. Students and social media have been linked in several ways, from working

together to write papers to simply conversing online. As a result, social media has both

advantages and disadvantages in terms of how well students achieve academically.

The opportunity to reach specialists, greater cooperation, and different ideas and interactions

are just a few advantages of social media. It gives students the opportunity to connect with

professionals and experts, which helps them improve their academic performance. Second,

because there are so many capabilities accessible, like video conferencing, using these apps

to complete collaborative work has never been easier. Thirdly, because they interact with

other pupils around the world, it enables them to think creatively. 

      On the other hand, a few disadvantages include lower retention rates, weaker writing

abilities and reliance on the internet. Due to distractions caused by the internet, pupils'

attention spans and recall rates have decreased. Additionally, students who use social media

excessively develop a habit of writing in slang and shorthand, which they then replicate in

exams and quizzes. Finally, the constant reliance on the internet for responses to various

queries render critical thinking unnecessary.  In conclusion, these apps can aid students to

connect with each other, but on the other hand, they can be a big distraction and can cause

serious long-term issues. Furthermore, students need to find a balance between the use of

social media and their academic performance as they get more and more intertwined with one

another. 

    In continuing, a segment in the newspaper published by the Jamaican Gleaner, defines

social media as a massive electronic entity intended for beneficial purposes, but one that may

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be misused, exploited, and turned destructive by/for social media users and the people in

charge of it. It has caused more harm than good since it has detrimental consequences on the

educational system, as it causes students to become distracted from their studies and

experience depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Since Tik Tok, Snapchat, and Instagram are

more alluring than picking up a book and devoting oneself to study, students would prefer to

spend hours online exploring and putting off assignments until the last minute. If things

continue in this path students will be wasting valuable time not learning anything beneficial.

Since this article was written and published in march 2020, which is known as the start

of the pandemic, it urged the government to open schools to facilitate face-to-face classes

because doing so would help students focus more intensely on their studies because all the

distractions from online classes and social media would be left at home.

     The third source which is a journal entry entitled “Effects of social media on academic

performance of the students” described social media as a method of communication. It was

noted that while it had an impact on many industries, the education system as a whole and

classroom instruction particularly benefited. However, they worry that students would

become overly reliant on these apps because of the frequent use of apps that are unrelated to

the learning processes. The use of social media is expanding quickly worldwide. In order to

communicate with friends, relatives, and complete strangers, more adults and teenagers are

logging onto websites like Facebook, Myspace, Skype, WhatsApp, and Twitter. Knowledge

workers can broaden the range and scope of their professional relationships by using social

networking sites to locate expertise, share content, and collaborate on content creation.

Researchers can access a social network of knowledge and people through social media

networking, which is different from their normal circle of friends. Sharing and creating

information are two characteristics of social media networking that have considerable

importance in the context of higher education. In the world of education and in the lives of

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students, social media is crucial. Social media makes it simpler and more convenient to

communicate, share information, and receive information.

     Teachers and students can utilize these social media platforms to focus on their education

because they are connected to one another. Professors are using social media more and more

to provide debates, live lectures, and after-hours help for their students. Teachers and

educators can engage with their students and former pupils through social media. Along with

this, a study showed that the use of social media tools improved the student’s learning

abilities and allowed for communication outside the classroom as teachers are assisting

students and vice versa. According to (Choney, 2010), social networking gives students the

opportunity to connect with their peers off campus since it gives them a sense of belonging.

Over 50% of school pupils continue to use social networking sites daily. Students spend an

average of 47 minutes each day on Facebook alone (Sheldon, 2008). With much research

carried out it can be concluded that some specialists agree that social media affects academic

performance while others don't. To gather more information, The Online Journal of Distance

Education and e-learning carried out a study and, in the end, it displayed different tables

showcasing if social media affects academic performance, the difference in time spent on

social media and the academic performance of students and so forth.  The goal of the study

was to determine how students' use of social media affected their academic achievement.

The study found that most students had access to the internet on their mobile devices and

were aware of social media's presence.

    In closing, the goal of the study was to determine how students' use of social media

affected their academic achievement.

The study found that many students had access to the internet on their mobile devices and

were aware of social media's presence. Therefore, students who spend between 5 and 6 hours

every day on social media sites perform better academically than their counterparts. The

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survey also showed that students who used Spare Moment on social media platforms

performed better academically than their counterparts.  It demonstrates that students who use

WhatsApp perform better academically than their counterparts. Positive student use of social

media influences educational outcomes. The study also found that most students talk on

social media platforms for academic purposes, which helped them perform better in class.

    The final source, a research paper, published by “The International Journal of Scientific

Engineering and Research Volume 9”, assesses the impact of social media sites on student

academic performance in Samuel Adegboyega University. Later research revealed a

significant correlation between the amount of time spent using social media and academic

performance. Since using social media sites has become the social norm and way of life for

individuals all over the world, students have adopted these platforms as a means of

connecting with their peers across the world (Boyd, 2007). According to the Problem

Statement, as social media use has become more widespread, there are growing worries

about the potential effects it may have on students' academic performance. In this context, a

case study of Samuel Adegboyega University was used to examine how much time students

spend on social media affects their academic performance. Internet use, according to Choney

(2010), Mehmood & Taswir (2013), Kist (2008), Jacobsen & Forste (2011), is one of the

most significant elements that can influence mental health. 

    With a focus on students at Koforidua Polytechnic, Owusu-Acheaw, & Larson (2015)

conducted a study to evaluate students' use of social media and its impact on academic

performance at tertiary institutions in Ghana, he studies found that many respondents

possessed mobile phones with Internet capabilities and were aware of the availability of

several media websites. Additionally, among another research carried out, Khan (2012)

explores the impact of social networking websites on students. The study's findings indicate

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that respondents who are between the ages of 15 and 25 are the ones who utilize social

networking sites the most. 

  In the data analysis section of the research, it suggests that there is a strong correlation

between the amount of time spent engaging in social media activities and the amount of time

spent on academic tasks like assignments, research, term papers, seminars, etc. The more

time a student spends on social media activities, the less time he or she has for academic

work and spending so much time on social media on activities not related to academic pursuit

will negatively impact their academic performance.

   To basically wrap everything up, the use of social media has grown immensely in

popularity all around the world as a result of recent technological advancements. Social

networking websites are utilized by people from all walks of life. Many people, especially

students, have grown accustomed to social media to the point where they can easily

hours on. This research was done to find out how social media affects students' academic

performance. Hence, students need to minimize the time they spend engaging in social media

activities.

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 Data Collection sources

   Primary and secondary data collection sources were used during this research. The primary

data source was a questionnaire, while the secondary sources were a research paper, an

article, a journal entry, and a newspaper article. Sixth form students from Immaculate High

School made up the sample for this study, and to conduct this research, a planned sampling

method was used. The respondents were better able to respond to these questions as they

could relate more to being a victim in the situation. As they could relate more to being a

victim in the circumstance, the respondents were better able to reply to these questions. It

contained 10 questions, 7 being closed-ended and 3 being open-ended questions. 

      The secondary source of information included a research paper, an online article, a

journal entry and a newspaper article. The article was published by Creative Loafing

Charlotte, which is a Digital Media source with a mission to influence, impact and inspire.

They create, organize, package valuable information in Text, video and voice through their

websites, social media, YouTube Channels and Podcast. It is a reliable source as it has been

in existence for 30+ years as the dominant alternative weekly news media outlet and has

steadily upped its presence as repeatedly winning the state-wide journalism awards.

Following, the newspaper article published by the gleaner, which had been in existence for

over 180 years and counting providing news, information, advertising, options and more for

Jamaicans. It can be deemed as being credible as it takes its job seriously as the nation’s

watchdog, provider of news as they hold themselves to the highest ethical standards. The

third secondary source is a journal entry published by TOJDEL which is an international,

non-profit, professional association for managers and users of information resources on

college and university campuses.  It is updated quarterly and is an award-winning and trusted

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site. The final source which is a research paper published by The International Journal of

Scientific Engineering ensures that all articles published are well-researched and written by

highly qualified and educated researchers.

 
    

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 Presentation of Data

Social Media affecting regular

study time
An extentsive period of
time
13%
A good amount of time
Hardly any time
27%
60%

Figure 1 above demonstrates how social media interferes with students' regular study
time. This varies from an extensive period to hardly any time at all.

Pictograph showing when student’s complete assignments

Yes

Sometimes
                  

No

Key

5 persons

1 person

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Figure 2 displays the students’ responses to putting off assignments until the last minute.
Do you think your productivity would be higher now if
Covid-19 hadn’t been around two years ago?

Responses Percentage (%)

Yes 46.7

Maybe 20

No 33.3

Fig 3. This table displays the individual’s productivity levels and whether it would have been
higher currently than it was two years ago.

Pictograph showcasing a comparison between academic performances

It has Improved

It has remained the same

           

It has gotten worse

Key

5 persons

1 person

Fig.4 This pictograph illustrates the contrast in academic performance now and two years.

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ago.

How would you rate your time management skills?

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10

0
Poor Weak Good Very Good Excellent

Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 series 4

Fig 5. This graph highlights the individuals time management skills with one being the lowest
and five being the highest.

What various tactics do you employ to ef -

fectively manage your time?

17% 13%
Setting reminders
Creating a schedule
Timers and alarms
13%
Making a To-do list
Other

30%

27%

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Fig 6. Shows the different tactics that students use to prevent the over-use of social media.

Do you think it would be possible to

put in place various strategies to assist
students in making the most of social
media?
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yes no

Fig.7 shows that students believe social media can be used to their benefit if certain tactics
are implemented.

.
Different ways in which an institution can help to manage social media usage

Measures Responses

Forums and seminars about social media 13

Give them advice and educate them about 11

social media use.

3
Putting restrictions on certain apps

They cannot help the students. 3

Fig. 8 shows a table stating how an institution like a school can help students to limit their
time on social media.

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 Analysis of data

The questionnaire was created and sent to thirty students that attend the Immaculate

Conception High School, to examine the extent to which social media affects the

academic performance of these individuals. The results were then presented using a

variety of charts and graphs as depicted above.

Figure 1 shows how social media interferes with the student’s regular study time.

Based on the pie chart, 60% of the respondents stated that social media takes up an

extensive period, 27% stated that social media consumes of a significant amount of time

and 13% stated social media takes up hardly of their time. With constantly utilizing these

apps throughout the day will allow a significant decline in their academic performance as

a result of devoting more time to social networking sites and online chat rooms than

doing graded assignments that are due. Furthermore, Figure 2 can relate to this as

according to the data gathered, more than half of students put off completing assignments

until the last minute. If users use these apps too frequently, they could find themselves

losing track of time and scrolling endlessly. The endless scrolling will cause

procrastination, which will prevent different tasks from being completed because of the

extensive use in figure 1.

The table in figure 3 illustrates that the respondents think if covid 19 wasn’t

present two years ago their productivity level would be higher. Most of the responses

were yes and comparing it to the pictograph in figure 4, after the covid-19 period their

academic performance has vastly increased. The respondents that selected maybe or no in

in figure 3 was as a result of their academic performance remaining the same or getting

worse as seen in the pictograph.

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 Figure 5 shows the students' time management abilities, with 1 being the lowest and 5
representing the highest. 40% of the responses said their time management was good with

the remaining selecting poor, weak, very good and excellent. This then ties into the

various tactics that can be employed in figure 6 to assist with effectively managing time.

13% suggested creating a schedule and setting reminders, 30% suggested making a To-do

list, 27% said setting timers and alarms and 17% said other. Since majority of the

respondents have good time management if these different strategies are implemented,

time will be handled, and pupils will be able to be more organized increasing productivity

levels.

In figure 7 and 8, the respondents thinks that various strategies can assist students

make the most of social media and how the institution can aid students to ensure that

they are using these apps at home wisely. They gave suggestions such as forums and

seminars, giving advice about using these apps and putting restrictions on certain apps.

However, those who said that no strategies could be put in place to benefit students in

figure 7 could not assist the students overall in figure 8.

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 Discussion of findings

In conducting my research, both primary and secondary sources were used. This makes it

possible to compare the results using the secondary sources examined in the literature

review.

To begin with, 60% of the respondents stated that social media takes up extensive

period of their time. This can tie in with a section of the literature review where Creative

Loafing Charlotte, (2020), stated that “furthermore, students need to find a balance

between the use of social media and their academic performance as they get more and

more intertwined with one another. He is basically saying that achieving a balance

between homework and social media use will enable students to finish more work and

submit assignments on time. Furthermore,

Figure 2 can relate to a point made by the Jamaican Gleaner which says “Since Tik Tok,

Snapchat, and Instagram are more alluring than picking up a book and devoting oneself to

study, students would prefer to spend hours online exploring and putting off assignments

until the last minute”. As the majority of responders selected "yes," it can be inferred that the

information was correct and indeed accurate.

Also, in figure 7 students strongly believed that different tactics can be put into place to

assist them with making the most of social media and can be correlated with a point made

by a journal entry that stated professors are increasingly using social media to host

discussions, deliver live lectures. Educators and teachers can communicate with current and

former students. Seeing this, they believed that the institution could then implement certain

measures, such as forums, seminars, and app restrictions, to ensure that social media is used

wisely at home, as shown in figure 8.

In conclusion there were many similarities between the literature review and the

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information presented above although some similarities were highlighted.
Conclusion
In conclusion,

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Recommendations

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 Bibliography

Creative loafing Charolette (2020). The influence of social media on academic

Performance.

Retrieved from: https://m.clclt.com/charlotte/the-influence-of-social-media-on-academic-

performance/Content?oid=18569257

The Gleaner (2022). Social media is harmful.

Retrieved from: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/letters/20220310/social-media-

harmful

TOJDEL (2020). The effects of social media on the academic performance of the students

Retrieved from: https://tojdel.net/journals/tojdel/articles/v08i02/v08i02-03.pdf

The international Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research (2018). Impact of social

Media on students’ academic performance

Retrieved from: https://www.ijser.org/researchpaper/IMPACT-OF-SOCIAL-MEDIA-

ON-STUDENTS-ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE.pdf

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Appendices

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