Adolescent social media use in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe : a case study

Abstract

Despite widespread usage of social media platforms by learners globally, the application of digital platforms in Masvingo District secondary schools remains unknown. Consequently, research into social media use in Masvingo schools is warranted. This study followed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. A questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data in phase one, while focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were used to acquire qualitative data. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed, using descriptive statistical and thematic content analysis, respectively. Form one learners, computer teachers, guidance and counselling teachers, the educational psychologist, and parents/guardians participated in this study. One hundred and twenty (120) learners were selected through stratified random sampling to participate in phase one. Twenty-four (24) participants, selected through nested sampling from phase one, were purposively sampled for phase two (qualitative). The study found that social networking sites can help students learn more in the classroom by incorporating different ideas. In contrast, the study also revealed the negative consequences of social media use. Furthermore, a lack of legislation regulating social media use in secondary schools in the Masvingo District was identified. Above all, it is critical to underline that the adolescent's environment is all-encompassing. Factors such as the adolescent's financial status, socialisation agents, and connection problems all play a significant role in how social media is utilised. Hence, the Context (encapsulating all), Adolescent social media use programmes, Policy frame, Constructive influences, Undesirable influences and Psychological aspects (CAPCUP) conceptual model is proposed as a guideline for stakeholders involved in adolescent education. Future research needs to reveal how, where, when, and for whom social media practices support positive well-being and social connectedness outcomes. Furthermore, research concerning child-rearing, academic practices, and policies that enable affirmative social media use and related outcomes is warranted.

Naphezu kokusetshenziswa kabanzi kwezinkundla zokuxhumana ngabafundi emhlabeni wonke, ukusetshenziswa kwezinkundla zedijithali ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu eSifundazweni saseMasvingo akwaziwa. Ngakho-ke, ucwaningo ngokusetshenziswa kwenkundla yezokuxhumana ezikoleni zaseMasvingo lufanelekile. Lolu cwaningo lulandele umklamo ochazayo wezindlela ezixubile ezilandelanayo. Uhlu lwemibuzo lusetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa imininingwane eveza ubuningi obuthile, besigaba sokuqala, kuyilapho izingxoxo zamaqembu okugxilwe kuwo kanye nezingxoxo ezihlelwe kancane zisetshenzisiwe ukuthola imininingwane echaza ucezu lolwazi. Kuhlaziywe imininingwanye eveza ubuniningi obuthile nechaza ucezu lolwazi, kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya okuchazayo kwezibalo kanye nokuqukethwe kwengqikithi, ngokulandelana. Abafundi bebanga lesishiyagalombili, othisha bekhompuyutha, othisha abaqondisayo nabelulekayo, isazi sokusebenza kwengqondo sezemfundo, nabazali/ababheki babambe iqhaza kulolu cwaningo. Abafundi abayikhulu namashumi amabili (120) bakhethwa ngamasampula angahleliwe ukuze babambe iqhaza esigabeni sokuqala. Ababambiqhaza abangamashumi amabili nane (24), abakhethwe ngesampula eyindlela yokulingisa ukulinganisa amathuba asemaceleni kusukela esigabeni sokuqala, bathathwe ngokuhlosiwe kwesigaba sesibili (ukuchaza ucezu lolwazi). Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi izinkundla zokuxhumana zingasiza abafundi ukuthi bafunde kabanzi ekilasini ngokuhlanganisa imibono eyahlukene. Ngokuphambene nalokho, ucwaningo luphinde lwembula imiphumela emibi yokusetshenziswa kwezokuxhumana. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwatholakala ukwentuleka kwemithetho elawula ukusetshenziswa kwezinkundla zokuxhumana ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu esifundeni saseMasvingo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, kubalulekile ukugcizelela ukuthi indawo yentsha ihlanganisa konke. Izinto ezifana nesimo sezimali somuntu osemusha, abenzeli bezokuxhumana, kanye nezinkinga zokuxhumanisa zonke zidlala indima ebalulekile endleleni inkundla yezokuxhumana esetshenziswa ngayo. Ngakho-ke, uMongo (ikuhlanganisa konke) oyisifanekiso senqondo, ukusetshenzisa kwezinhlelo zezinkundla zezokuxhumana zabasebasha, Uhlaka Lwenqubomgomo, Amathonya Akhayo, Amathonya Angathandeki kanye Nezici Zengqondo (CAPCUP) uhlongozwa njengomhlahlandlela wababambe iqhaza ababandakanyeka emfundweni yabasebasha. Ucwaningo lwesikhathi esizayo ludinga ukudalula ukuthi imikhuba yenkundla yezokuxhumana isekela kanjani, kuphi, nini, futhi obani imiphumela emihle yenhlalakahle kanye nokuxhumana kwezenhlalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo olumayelana nokukhulisa izingane, imikhuba yezemfundo, nezinqubomgomo ezivumela ukusetshenziswa kwenkundla yezokuxhumana okuqinisekisiwe kanye nemiphumela ehlobene nayo iyaqinisekiswa.

Le ge go na le tshomiso ye e phatlaletsego ya matlakala a dikgokagano tsa leago ke baithuti go ralala le lefase, tshomiso ya matlakala a titsithale kua dikolong tse di phagamego tsa Dilete tsa Masvingo e sa le yeo e sa tsebjego. Ka lebaka le, dinyakisiso tsa tshomiso ya matlakala a dikgokagano tsa leago kua dikolong tsa Masvingo di a nyakega. Dinyakisiso di dirilwe go ya ka sebopego sa kopantsho ya mekgwa ya go fapafapana ya tlhaloso. Lenaneopotsiso le somisitswe go kgoboketsa datha ya boleng legatong la pele, mola dipoledisano tsa dihlopha tsa maitemogelo a go swana le dipotsiso tsa sebopego seo se lokologilego di somisitswe go hwetsa datha ya boleng. Tshedimoso goba datha ya boleng le ya bontsi di ile tsa sekasekwa, ka tshomiso ya mekgwa ya go sekaseka tlhaloso ya boleng le tlhaloso ya diteng, ka go fapana ga tsona. Baithuti ba mphato wa bo seswai, barutisi ba khomphutha, barutisi ba tlhahlo le thobamatswalo, morutisi wa tsa monagano, gammogo le batswadi/bahlokomedi ba tsenetse thuto ye. Baithuti ba lekgolo masomepedi (120) ba kgethilwe go ya ka gore ba ka aroganywa bjang ka dihlophana tsa go fapafapana go kgathatema legatong la pele. Bakgathatema ba masomepedi nne (24), bao ba kgethilwego go ya ka dihlophana tsa legato la pele, ba kgethilwe ka lebaka go kgatha tema legatong la bobedi (ya boleng). Dinyakisiso di hweditse gore matlakala a dikgokagano tsa leago a ka thusa baithuti go ithuta le go feta ka phaposing ya borutelo ka go kopantsha dikgopolo. Go fapana le se, thuto e tsweleditse gape ditlamorago tse mpe tsa tshomiso ya matlakala a leago. Ka tlaleletso go se, go hloka molao wa go laola tshomiso ya matlakala a dikgokagano tsa leago kua dikolong tsa di fapanego tsa Dilete tsa Masvingo go hlathilwe. Go feta tse ka moka, go bohlokwa go lemoga gore tikologo ya go ba ka gare go bokgarebe/bosogana e a akaretsa. Dintlha tsa go swana le maemo a tsa ditshelete a lekgarebe/lesogana, didiriswa tsa go dira dikgokagano, gammogo le mathata a go kgokagana ka moka di raloka karolo ye bohlokwa gore matlakala a dikgokagano tsa leago a somiswa bjang. Ka gona, sebopego sa monagano sa gore tebelelo ya gore (di a akaretsa), Mananeo a tshomiso ya matlakala a dikgokagano tsa leago ke masogana/makgarebe, ditlhako tsa pholisi, dikhuetso tsa maleba, dikhuetso tse di sa nyakegego, le dikarolo tsa monagano (CAPCUP) se sisinywa bjalo ka sehlahli sa bakgathatema bao ba amegago go thuto ya dikgarebe/masogana. Dinyakisiso tse di sa tlago di swanetse go bontsha gore bjang, kae, neng, le gore ke bo mang ditiro tsa dikgokagano tsa leago di thekgago boiketlo bja bona gammogo le dipoelo tsa go kgokagana. Go tlaleletsa se, nyakisiso ya mabapi le kgodiso ya bana, ditiro tsa thuto, le dipholisi tseo di kgontshago thekgo ya tshomiso ya dikgokagano tsa leago gammogo le dipoelo tse di nyakegago tsa go swana.