WhatsApp usage among the selected schools students in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka

Abstract

In this descriptive cross-sectional research study, a sample of 233 school students data were collected from different two schools in Kalmunai Zone using a stratified random sampling technique. This study aimed to analyse the student’s usage of the internet and WhatsApp, to compare the WhatsApp usage among stream wise, and to check the relationship between WhatsApp usage and school educational performances. More students preferred chatting and information sharing in WhatsApp. And they said that WhatsApp is a time waste and they do not have enough time to use. 60.5% of the students spent less than 1 hour on WhatsApp. 20% of the pupils kept their internet for 24 hours. The findings prove that valuable study time of a day is engaged with WhatsApp usage, thus it affects the time allocation for the studies. Further, the field of study is significantly related to all variables except WhatsApp usage during studies, face to face communication reduction and only some reasons for using WhatsApp. But the class stand is interconnected with information sharing, wish to others WhatsApp installation, WhatsApp quality, and affecting rest time. WhatsApp is considered one of the best messengers in the student’s view. This study recommends that the positive usage of WhatsApp needs collaborative study and research should be encouraged while extreme usage for entertaining purposes must be reduced to the least possible.