Impact of school values on mass media preference and usage: a study of a private university in North Central, Nigeria

Mass media significantly impacts students' behavior and academic performance. However, the influence of school values on media preferences and usage remains under-researched. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between school values and students' media choices and usage patterns within a private university in North Central Nigeria. The study's context is significant because it explores how institutional values, specifically the seven core Christian values of Landmark University (Spirituality, Capacity building, Possibility mentality, Diligence, Responsibility, Integrity, and Sacrifice), interact with students' media consumption habits in a technologically evolving world. The proliferation of new media, particularly the internet, has dramatically altered communication patterns and information access, potentially overshadowing traditional media sources like print. Previous research has shown a correlation between social media usage and academic performance, highlighting the need to understand the interplay between institutional values and media engagement. This study aims to clarify this interaction, contributing to a deeper understanding of media influence in educational settings, particularly within a context of explicitly defined institutional values.

Existing literature highlights the powerful influence of mass media on knowledge acquisition, leisure, and societal change. However, concerns exist regarding media overuse, cyberviolence, and the potential negative impact of social media on academic performance. Studies have shown a negative correlation between excessive media consumption and GPA among university students. While some research explores the influence of media on academic performance in religious universities, few have directly investigated the interaction between school values and media preferences/usage. The Media System Dependency Theory provides a framework to understand this interaction, suggesting that reliance on a specific medium is influenced by its availability and the ability to satisfy individual needs. This theory posits that the more dependent individuals are on a specific medium, the more influential it becomes. This study adopts this framework to analyze how Landmark University's core values interact with students' media choices and usage to achieve social and academic goals.

This study employed a triangulating mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative in-depth interviews. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 390 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Landmark University. The sample size was determined using Watson's (2001) calculation, ensuring a 5% margin of error for a population of over 3000 students. Data collection involved questionnaires exploring media preferences, usage, and the influence of school values. Five in-depth interviews were also conducted using a convenient sampling technique to gather rich qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 22, employing descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-square test) to assess the relationships between variables. The qualitative data from in-depth interviews were analyzed through inductive content analysis. The study focused on Landmark University due to its explicitly defined Christian core values and its structured environment, providing a unique setting to investigate the interaction between institutional values and student media habits.

The study revealed a clear preference for the internet (89.2%) among respondents, compared to significantly lower usage of traditional media (radio, television, print). A substantial majority (52.3%) of respondents indicated that school values did not influence their media preferences, while 47.7% felt otherwise. Regarding media usage, 52.3% stated that school values did not influence their media use, whereas 47.7% believed they did. The chi-square test revealed a statistically significant relationship between school values and media preference (P=0.137), suggesting that the university's values influence the types of media students choose to engage with. However, no significant relationship was found between school values and the purpose for using mass media (P=0.003). The most common purpose for media use was identified as multitasking (78.7%), followed by connecting with friends and family (11.3%), research (4.6%), and entertainment (5.4%). Print media readership was notably low.

The findings suggest a complex relationship between school values, media preferences, and usage. The strong preference for the internet aligns with its accessibility and multi-functional nature. The absence of a significant relationship between school values and media use indicates that despite institutional influence, students maintain considerable autonomy in how they utilize media. This autonomy challenges the Media Dependency Theory to a certain extent, highlighting the complexity of individual choice. The significant relationship between school values and media preference suggests a degree of institutional shaping, although the influence may be indirect or contextual. The high rate of multipurpose media use, however, supports the core tenets of the Media Dependency Theory. The low print media readership raises concerns about declining reading habits, potentially impacting critical thinking and academic success.

This study highlights the interconnectedness of mass media, students, and the university environment. While the university's values seem to influence media choices to some extent, they do not fully dictate how students utilize media. Students exhibit a degree of autonomy, indicating that while institutional norms provide a framework, individual preferences and choices remain significant. Future research could investigate this relationship in different institutional settings, using longitudinal studies to track media consumption habits over time.

The study's focus on a single private Christian university limits the generalizability of findings to other institutions with differing values or student populations. The cross-sectional nature of the data prevents a full understanding of the causal relationships between variables. Future research should consider a wider range of institutions and employ longitudinal designs to better understand the evolving relationship between school values, media consumption, and student outcomes.