THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON TEACHING AND LEARNING IN NIGERIA HIGHER INSTITUTIONS:A FOCUS ON LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE EDUCATION IN SOUTH-EAST POLYTECHNICS

Abstract

This study examined the impact of social media on teaching and learning in Library and Information Science (LIS) education across South-East Nigerian polytechnics. Employing a survey research design, the investigation focused on three primary research questions concerning social media integration in pedagogy and one null hypothesis testing gender-based perception differences among lecturers. The study population consisted of all 41 LIS lecturers in the region. A researcher-developed questionnaire served as the main data collection tool, validated by three subject experts and demonstrating strong reliability (r=0.75). Data analysis incorporated mean and standard deviation for research questions, while a t-test (α=0.05) evaluated the hypothesis. Significant deficiencies in social media availability and utilization for LIS instruction; Comparable perceptions between male and female lecturers regarding resource availability and Systemic underutilization of digital tools despite their growing educational relevance. These results underscore the urgent need for: Strategic investments in social media infrastructure; Comprehensive lecturer training programs and Policy reforms to modernize LIS pedagogy. The study concludes that bridging this technology gap is essential for aligning Nigerian polytechnic education with global digital learning standards.

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