From Distraction to Learning: Exploring Social Media's Influence on Academic Performance and Critical Thinking in Higher Education

Abstract

Social media has become a part of higher education, offering opportunities for sharing academic information, collaboration and learning, but also presenting challenges concerning distraction, misinformation, information overload and source credibility. The role of social media in the academic learning of higher education students was investigated through an exploration of patterns of use, educational engagement, perceived academic outcomes, information literacy, critical thinking and digital challenges. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 554 students from different academic levels and disciplines in higher education. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on social-media usage behaviours, academic orientated engagement, educational perceptions, academic collaboration, information related practices and perceived academic outcomes. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, chi-square tests, Spearman’s correlation and ordinal logistic regression were used for the analysis. The findings showed that students used social media extensively for academic purposes and they felt they benefited educationally from the interactions. Academic-oriented use, perceived learning effectiveness, academic discussion, information reliability and positive study-habit changes were positively associated with perceived academic-performance improvement. At the same time, distraction, overload of information, misinformation and problems in identification of credible information remain major challenges. The results suggest that the educational advantages of social media are more dependent on the purpose and quality of engagement rather than simply on exposure. Therefore, higher education institutions should also embrace purposeful academic use, information literacy and responsible digital use practices.