It seems to have a hold on us : social media self-regulation of students

Abstract

Social media plays a positive role in the lives of students by providing social networking, communication and information functionalities. However, social media also acts as a distraction, resulting in multi-tasking between social media and studying which leaves fragmented time intervals for focused concentration. Self-regulation is emphasized as an essential skill necessary to manage the use of social media when planning or performing learning activities. In this paper we determine whether students are aware of the need for social media self-regulation behavior during their studies and if so, which measures they take. Through interviews with 50 students, we analysed the self-reported self-regulation behaviour of students using Zimmerman’s cyclical model of self-regulation. Students are aware of the distractive nature of social media and make and implement plans to limit it. Some of these include the physical removal of the phone, using technological functions to limit access (e.g. removal of the battery, uninstall the apps) or sheer will-power. However, what is clear from the data is the strong ‘pulling’ power of social media, making the implementation of these plans difficult. Reasons for this phenomenon include fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) and the habit-forming nature of social media and mobile devices. Another factor is the two ‘worlds’ of social media as perceived by students: it can be used both academically and socially. How to ignore the one and focus on the other? We emphasise the importance of awareness amongst students and lecturers regarding the need for self-regulation of social media use as well as strategies to manage it.