Social Media Use, Perceived Usefulness, and Demographic Factors as Predictors of Academic Performance among First-Year BEED Students at Southern Baptist College

This study explored the extent to which social media use, perceived usefulness, and demographic factors predict the academic performance of first-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) students at Southern Baptist College. With the increasing integration of digital platforms in academic environments, understanding how students’ online behaviors relate to learning outcomes has become essential. This study employed a cross-sectional, descriptive–comparative quantitative research design. Data were gathered through a validated survey questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multiple linear regression. Findings revealed that students moderately agreed that Facebook serves as a beneficial academic tool, while Twitter was not perceived as useful for academic activities. Perceived usefulness of social media obtained a relatively high mean, indicating that students value social media primarily as a medium for accessing information, coordinating academic tasks, and communicating with peers and instructors. Results showed no significant differences in the impact of social media on academic performance when grouped according to age and gender, suggesting that the academic influence of social media remains consistent across demographic categories. Regression analysis further revealed that among all variables tested, perceived usefulness emerged as the only significant predictor of academic performance. Social media use itself—whether frequent or minimal—did not significantly influence academic outcomes unless students perceived the platforms as academically valuable. These findings highlight the importance of guiding students toward purposeful social media engagement and integrating digital tools meaningfully in instruction. Schools and educators are encouraged to maximize academic-oriented social media practices to strengthen student learning and performance.