Social Media Utilization And Students’ Academic Performance
[A CASE STDUY OF ALIMOSHO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, LAGOS STATE]

Our finding also revealed that most students failed to utilize these sites for academic-related purposes but for relational purposes and romantic purposes among others. This is further affirmed by the results obtained by the researcher from the students’ poor performance in Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) between 2010 and 2015 in the selected schools.  
    The researcher equally found out that students’ unguarded exposure to social networking sites posed many behavioural risks to them as some sites make them wild, aggressive, narcissistic, bullying in language, conduct, comportment and character.
    However, the researcher also found out that, apart from the adverse effects of SNSs to students’ academic performance, there are many benefits students could derive if the sites were appropriately utilized. These platforms if properly utilized can be a veritable tool for e-learning among students. There are lots of teaching aids that can be accessed through the social media, teachers and students can create groups for academic discussions; teachers can engage students in quiz competitions and a host of other benefits it offers. Also, for instance, students can form online communities in order to plan for a project, have group discussions about class material, or use the Social networking sites(SNS) as a way to keep in contact when a student who has been absent needs to be updated on current academic information.
    Educational authorities should come up with a template on how students can maximize the benefits of social media while the government needs put in place adequate control measures to regulate the use among students and teachers.
5.4     Recommendations
    This study serves as a basis for further research study on social media and the academic performance of students. Similar studies should be conducted in other Local Government Areas of Lagos State so as to bring about improvement in the academic performance of students through the use of social media networks and to create more pages for research and academic activities, thereby avoiding distraction which leads to deviation from their academic works. Future researchers can investigate the level of academic engagement and interaction between teachers and students through social media. Other researchers can also embark upon a contrastive study of students’ academic performance in schools where use of mobile phone is prohibited and schools where it is not prohibited.