Effect of social networking on academic achievement of dental students, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.

We investigated the effect of social networking (SN) on academic achievement of dental students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed during the 2015/16 academic year to all dental students and data were analysed by SPSS version 21. There were 348 participants (70% response rate) and 53% were male. Fifty-one percent of participants reported that they studied just before examinations, and 51% scored 3.5-4.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) in the last semester. Up to 98% of the participants reported using their smartphones/ computers for SN, with 93% doing so on a daily basis, and 66% reported SN during lectures, laboratories and clinics. Fifty-seven percent thought that SN affected their study negatively, and 65% thought that their GPA would improve if they stopped or reduced SN. Students who spent more hours each day on SN had lower GPA scores. SN negatively affected the academic achievement of dental students. Further evaluation and tailored educational programmes are needed to increase students' awareness about the negative effects of SN.

Effect of social networking on academic achievement of dental students, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia

We investigated the effect of social networking [SN] on academic achievement of dental students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed during the 2015/16 academic year to all dental students and data were analysed by SPSS version 21. There were 348 participants [70% response rate] and 53% were male. Fifty-one percent of participants reported that they studied just before examinations, and 51% scored 3.5-4.5 Grade Point Average [GPA] in the last semester. Up to 98% of the participants reported using their smartphones/computers for SN, with 93% doing so on a daily basis, and 66% reported SN during lectures, laboratories and clinics. Fifty-seven percent thought that SN affected their study negatively, and 65% thought that their GPA would improve if they stopped or reduced SN. Students who spent more hours each day on SN had lower GPA scores. SN negatively affected the academic achievement of dental students. Further evaluation and tailored educational programmes are needed to increase students' awareness about the negative effects of SN

Nous avons étudié l'influence des réseaux sociaux sur la réussite universitaire des étudiants en médecine dentaire à l'Université de Jazan, en Arabie saoudite. Un questionnaire auto-administré a été distribué à tous les étudiants en médecine dentaire sur l'année universitaire 2015-2016, et les données ont été analysées à l'aide du logiciel SPSS, version 21. Au total, 348 étudiants ont participé [taux de réponse de 70%], dont 53% d'hommes. Cinquante et un pour cent des participants ont rapporté qu'ils étudiaient juste avant les examens, et 51% ont obtenu une moyenne de 3,5-4,5 au dernier semestre. Jusqu'à 98% des participants ont rapporté qu'ils utilisaient leur smartphones/ordinateurs pour se connecter aux réseaux sociaux, dont 93% sur une base quotidienne, et 66% ont rapporté se connecter pendant les cours, en laboratoire et en clinique. Cinquante-sept pour cent pensaient que les réseaux sociaux avaient une influence négative sur leurs études, et 65% étaient d'avis que leur moyenne serait meilleure s'ils arrêtaient ou réduisaient leur utilisation des réseaux sociaux. Les étudiants qui passaient le plus de temps par jour sur les réseaux sociaux avaient des moyennes plus faibles. Les réseaux sociaux affectaient négativement la réussite universitaire des étudiants en médecine dentaire. De plus amples investigations et des programmes d'éducation adaptés sont requis pour sensibiliser les étudiants aux effets négatifs des réseaux sociaux