Influence of Online Social Networking on Civic Behaviour among Upper Basic School Students in Edo State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026392Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of online social networking on civic behaviour among Upper Basic school students in Edo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design. Three hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised 52,480 Upper Basic school students in public secondary schools across Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South senatorial districts. A sample size of 250 students was selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Online Social Networking and Civic Behaviour Questionnaire (OSNCBQ) developed by the researcher. The instrument consisted of items measured on a four-point Likert scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). Face and content validity were established by three experts from the University of Benin, Benin City, including two specialists in Curriculum and Instructional Technology and one in Measurement and Evaluation. Reliability was determined using the Cronbach Alpha method, which yielded a coefficient of 0.85. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and simple regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that frequency of online social networking, type of online social networking activities, and level of interaction on online platforms significantly influence civic behaviour among students. The study concluded that purposeful and constructive use of online social networking enhances civic awareness and participation. It was recommended, among others, that digital civic education should be integrated into the curriculum and that students should be guided toward responsible and meaningful use of social media for civic engagement.
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