The Impact of Social Media on Learning Behaviour and Academic Engagement among Generation-Z Students: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis
Acceptance: 02/08/2026
Published: 13/09/2026
Abstract
Abstract The growing prominence of social media has significantly transformed the everyday experiences of Generation Z, particularly in the ways young people communicate, seek information, interact with others, and participate in learning. Social-media platforms offer considerable opportunities for knowledge sharing, collaboration, creative expression, communication, and independent learning. At the same time, excessive or inappropriate engagement with these platforms may contribute to distraction, ineffective time management, difficulties in maintaining academic attention, exposure to unreliable information, and concerns related to students’ emotional well-being. The present study explores the relationship between social media and the learning behaviour of Generation Z students through a qualitative examination of existing literature. The study follows a literature-based qualitative approach and relies exclusively on secondary sources, including scholarly studies and theoretical writings related to social media, digital learning, Generation Z, student engagement, and digital literacy. The literature is analysed thematically to identify recurring patterns and significant dimensions of social-media use in relation to learning. Five major themes emerge from the analysis: social media as an alternative space for learning; communication and collaborative engagement; digital literacy and the evaluation of online information; creativity and learner independence; and distraction, time management, and digital well-being. The analysis suggests that the influence of social media on learning is complex and largely dependent on the context and manner of its use. While social media can broaden learning opportunities, strengthen peer interaction, and provide access to diverse educational resources, excessive or uncritical engagement may undermine academic focus and productive learning practices. The study therefore emphasises that the educational value of social media is determined not simply by the technology itself but by the purpose, content, and regulation of its use. Developing digital literacy, critical-thinking abilities, self-regulation, and responsible digital citizenship is consequently essential for enabling Generation Z learners to engage with social media in meaningful and educationally productive ways.
Keynote: Generation Z; Social media; Learning Behaviour, Digital literacy; Collaborative learning, Critical thinking, Learner autonomy and Digital citizenship
Author Name:
Dr. Sanjay Kumar , Mr. Sandeep Kumar Srivastava , Dr. Ajay Pal & Shweta Vishwakarma
Pages:
159-168
DOI Number:
10.5281/zenodo.22728580
Country:
india
Orcid:
Full Article
Reference
Khanam, A. (2022). The impact of social media on the academic performance of the students in India. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), 10(6), 350–359 https://www.ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT22A6909.pdf
Bhowmick, T., & Madhu, S. (2020). Social media and its influence on social skills. International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science, 2(12), 1068–1075. https://www.irjmets.com/uploadedfiles/paper/volume2/issue_12._december_2020/5495/1628083220.pdf
Pulido, C. M., Redondo-Sama, G., Sordé-Martí, T., & Flecha, R. (2018). Social impact in social media: A new method to evaluate the social impact of research. PLOS ONE, 13(8), e0203117. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203117
Dwivedi, A., & Qasim, S. H. (2017). A study of emotional intelligence of secondary level students. Annals of Education, 3(1), 48–52. http://www.crsdindia.com/aoe.html
Sachdev, R. (2012). Impact of social networking sites (SNS) on the youth of India: A bird’s eye view. Anusandhan, 19(29), 72–75. https://rntujournals.aisect.org/user/article/559/Impact_of_/2-22
Arjun, M., & Juna, B. (2015). A study on the impact of social networking sites among higher secondary students. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management, 2(4), 339–342. https://doi.org/10.3126/ijssm.v2i4.13681
Al-Barashdi, H. S., Bouazza, A., & Jabur, N. H. (2015). Smartphone addiction among university undergraduates: A literature review. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 4(3), 210–225. https://doi.org/10.9734/JSRR/2015/12245
Asemah, E. S., Okpanachi, R. A., & Edegoh, L. O. N. (2013). I/nfluence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate students of Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(12), 90–96.
https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/RHSS/article/view/7118
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hallhttps://books.google.com/books?id=HFokAQAAMAAJ
Bekalu, M. A., McCloud, R. F., & Viswanath, K. (2019). Association of social media use with social well-being, positive mental health, and self-rated health: Disentangling routine use from emotional connection to use. Health Education & Behavior, 46(2_suppl), 69S–80S. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119863768
Bronfenbrenner, U., & Evans, G. W. (2000). Developmental science in the 21st century: Emerging questions, theoretical models, research designs and empirical findings. Social Development, 9(1), 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00114
Deaton, S. (2015). Social learning theory in the age of social media: Implications for educational practitioners.i manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 12(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.26634/JET.12.1.3430
Writer Name
Dr. Sanjay Kumar , Mr. Sandeep Kumar Srivastava , Dr. Ajay Pal & Shweta Vishwakarma
Pages
159-168
DOI Numbers
10.5281/zenodo.22728580
Our Social Networks
AD EDUXIAN Publication is dedicated to advancing educational research and providing innovative learning solutions. We offer a wide range of services including publishing, editing, design, and marketing to support authors and researchers in their academic and professional endeavors.
Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.
