AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF MOBILE PHONES IN INTERACTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA

                   ABSTRACT  This study “An Assessment of the Role of Mobile Phones in Interaction among Undergraduate Students of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria” is to find out the uses of mobile phones, the impact of social media on interaction among undergraduate student of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and to identify the aspect of social media that impact more on the interaction. Cross sectional research design was employed with a sample size of 320 using multi-stage sampling technique to administer copies of the questionnaire to the respondents. 312 copies of the questionnaires were duly filled and returned. Findings from the study show that the use of mobile phones in interaction among undergraduate students plays a positive role in the sense that 85.9% of respondents use mobile phones to make calls, browse the internet and send SMS text messages to stay connected with colleagues, family and friends, and to also engage in class group chat using the social media app Whatsapp. Based on the findings, it is therefore recommended for lecturers to include mobile phones in their teaching methods and should make teaching materials available on social media application platform. In addition, such academics should use mobile phones to communicate with students since they are often with their mobile phones and information can be easily passed. 
TABLE OF CONTENT TITLE PAGE..............................................................................................................................i DECLARATION.......................................................................................................................ii CERTIFICATION....................................................................................................................iii DEDICATION..........................................................................................................................iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENT............................................................................................................vi LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................viii LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................................xi ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................xii
1.0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................1 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM........................................................4 1.2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.............................................................................................5 1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES.............................................................................................5 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY................................................................................6 1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY.............................................................6 1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS...............................................................6
CHAPTER TWO.....................................................................................................................11 LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................................11 2.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................11 2.1 USES OF MOBILE PHONE BY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.......................11 2.2 GENDER DIFFERENCES IN REASONS TO USE MOBILE PHONES...................14 2.3 MOBILE PHONE USAGE PATTERN........................................................................15 2.4 GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MOBILE PHONE USAGE PATTERN......................16 2.5 THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON INTERACTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATES..................................18 2.6 ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE...................................................................................21 2.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK................................................................................26 2.7.1 THE USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY......................................................26
CHAPTER THREE..................................................................................................................29 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................29 3.1 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................29 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN.......................................................................................................29 3.3  STUDY POPULATION...................................................................................................30 3.4  SAMPLING TECHNIQUE..............................................................................................30 3.5 SAMPLE SIZE...................................................................................................................31 3.6 INSTRUMENT AND   METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION........................................31 3.7 METHOD OF DATA PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION.............................32
CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................33 DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION.........................................................................33 4.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................33 4.2 Data Presentation and Interpretation..................................................................................33 4.3 Discussion of Findings.......................................................................................................60
CHAPTER FIVE......................................................................................................................63 SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION................................................63 5.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................63 5.2 Summary.......................................................................................................................63 5.3 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................64 5.4 Recommendations.........................................................................................................64 5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies....................................................................................65 REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................66 APPENDIX..............................................................................................................................69