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Facebook Use Linked to Lower GPAs One of the first studies linking academic success to Facebook use was released and presented at the American Education Research Association annual conference in April 2009. The pilot study, conducted by Aryn Karpinski, a doctoral student at The Ohio State University in Columbus, and Adam Duberstein, an academic advisor at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, surveyed 219 OSU students, consisting of 102 undergraduate students and 117 graduate students, in order to examine this link. Results of the surveys showed a correlation between time spent on Facebook and grade point averages. The 148 respondents who used personal Facebook pages had average GPAs of 3.0 to 3.5, while the non-users had GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0. However, Karpinski stresses that results merely showed a relationship and that there “may be other variables involved.” Further results from the surveys showed that Facebook users spent 1-5 hours studying per week, while non-users spent 11-15 hours studying per week and that 65 percent of respondents used their Facebook accounts daily or multiple times a day. However, 79 percent of students said that Facebook did not interfere with their studies, with common explanations including that academics were a priority and that they didn’t use Facebook frequently enough. Demographically, Facebook users were more likely to be younger students and more likely to be science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and business majors than humanities and social science majors. There were no variations in Facebook use among different ethnic or racial groups or between men and women. Another notable result is that respondents who spent more time working at paid jobs were less likely to use Facebook and that students who were more involved in extracurricular activities were more likely to use Facebook. Karpinski acknowledges that Facebook has positive uses, citing survey responses such as using Facebook to form study groups, communicate with classmates, and share academic journals. “It can be used as a learning tool by professors,” Karpinski suggests. “However, the primary purpose of these sites is social, so making it an academic tool would be a difficult transition.” Karpinski concludes that further research needs to be done on links between social networking sites and academics and believes 6/5/09 see Mike's Ad 6-3 we will 9:11 AM this in the future, most likely from the Association of Internet Researchers. “Since this area is so new, you get an idea of trends when multiple studies produce the same results,” says Karpinski. “There need to be more studies, whether they come to the same conclusions or come to different conclusions.” For more information, visit www. researchnews.osu.edu/archive/ Facebookusers. Page 1

http://www.researchnews.osu.edu/archive/Facebookusers http://www.researchnews.osu.edu/archive/Facebookusers http://www.researchnews.osu.edu/archive/Facebookusers http://www.DatesafeProject.org http://www.DatesafeProject.org

Talking Stick - July/August 2009

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