International Journal of Social Science and Education Research Studies

ISSN(print): 2770-2782, ISSN(online): 2770-2790

Volume 03 Issue 07 July 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55677/ijssers/V03I7Y2023-32, Impact Factor: 5.574
Page No : 1408-1422

The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case

Study of Undergraduate Students in Vitenam
Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang
National Academy of Public Administration, Vietnam

ABSTRACT Published Online: July 25, 2023

This study examines the impact of social media on academic motivation and engagement among
undergraduate students in Vietnam. Regression analysis reveals that motivation, engagement, and study
habits influence students' use of social networks for learning. Motivation shows a positive and
significant relationship with media use, supporting previous research emphasizing its role in academic
success. Social media platforms facilitate peer connections, information sharing, and participation in
discussions, enhancing student motivation. Engagement also exhibits a positive association with social
media use, highlighting its importance in leveraging these platforms for learning. Furthermore, study KEYWORDS:
habits demonstrate a positive link with social media use, indicating that effective habits contribute to Social media;
academic success and the utilization of social media for educational purposes. Importantly, this study Academic motivation;
does not find evidence of negative effects associated with social networks, although they can distract Academic
from academic pursuits when used non-academically. These findings underscore the significance of engagement;
motivation, engagement, and study habits in effectively harnessing social networks for educational Undergraduate
purposes, providing insights for educational practitioners and policymakers in promoting positive students; Case study;
technology integration in learning environments. Vietnam

INTRODUCTION Social media has become an increasingly prevalent

Social media refers to online platforms and aspect of modern life, and it is now integrated into many
applications that enable users to create, share, and exchange aspects of our daily routines, including education (Pempeket
user-generated content, such as texts, images, videos, and al., 2008). As a result, it has gained attention as a potential
audio recordings. These platforms provide a means of tool to support academic motivation and engagement among
communication and networking among individuals and undergraduate students (Bruns & Bahnisch, 2009). Academic
groups with common interests and goals (Bruns & Bahnisch, motivation and engagement have been shown to be critical
2009). Social media can take many forms, including social factors in achieving academic success, but research has
networking sites (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn), microblogging shown that students' engagement and motivation to learn can
services (e.g., Twitter, Tumblr), video sharing platforms (e.g., vary depending on a variety of factors, including learning
YouTube, TikTok), photo sharing sites (e.g., Instagram, environment, instructional methods, and social support
Flickr), and discussion forums and chat rooms (Boyd & systems (Madgeet al., 2009).
Ellison, 2007). The use of social media has grown rapidly in Social media has been identified as a promising tool
recent years, and it has become an increasingly influential for supporting academic motivation and engagement among
aspect of modern life, impacting a wide range of domains, undergraduate students (Roblyeret al., 2010). It offers new
including education, politics, business, and culture (Couldry, opportunities for communication, collaboration, and
2012). networking that can be leveraged to enhance students'
Corresponding Author: Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang learning experiences (Boyd & Ellison, 2007; Roblyer et al.,
2010). However, despite the potential benefits of social
*Cite this Article: Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang (2023). The
media, there is limited research on its role in academic
Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and
motivation and engagement among undergraduate students
Engagement: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in
(Lankshear & Knobel, 2011).
Vitenam. International Journal of Social Science and
Education Research Studies, 3(7), 1423-1434

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine 2012). Educators must also consider the potential for
the role of social media in academic motivation and cyberbullying and online harassment, which can impact
engagement among undergraduate students. Specifically, the students' emotional well-being and academic performance
study will investigate how social media is used by (Wong-Loet al., 2011).In summary, social media has both
undergraduate students to support their academic motivation positive and negative impacts on education (Akram &
and engagement, as well as explore the factors that influence Kumar, 2017). Its impact depends on how it is used, the
their use of social media for this purpose. The study will context in which it is used, and the skills and attitudes of the
employ a case study design, using surveys, interviews, and users (Abbaset al., 2019). Educators must carefully consider
observation to gather data from a sample of undergraduate the benefits and challenges associated with social media use
students. in education and develop effective strategies to leverage its
The findings of this study will contribute to our potential while mitigating its risks (Schroederet al., 2010).
understanding of the role of social media in academic Theoretical framework and models of motivation and
motivation and engagement among undergraduate students. engagement in learning
The results will provide insights into how social media can be Motivation and engagement are essential factors that
used to support student learning, as well as highlight the impact the quality of learning outcomes (Hsieh, 2014).
challenges and limitations associated with its use. This study Several theoretical frameworks and models have been
will be of interest to educators, policy makers, and other developed to explain and understand these factors in the
stakeholders seeking to enhance student engagement and context of education (Filgonaet al., 2020).One of the most
motivation in the context of higher education. influential frameworks is the Self-Determination Theory
(SDT), which proposes that motivation is a continuum that
LITERATURE REVIEW ranges from intrinsic motivation, which is driven by internal
The social media and its impact on education factors such as interest and enjoyment, to extrinsic
Social media has emerged as a significant aspect of motivation, which is driven by external factors such as
modern life, and it is now integrated into many aspects of rewards and punishments (Ryan & Deci, 2022). SDT
education (Blankenship, 2011). The use of social media in suggests that intrinsic motivation is the most potent type of
education has both positive and negative impacts on learning motivation and that it can be fostered by creating a learning
and teaching (Owusu-Acheaw & Larson, 2015). On the environment that supports autonomy, competence, and
positive side, social media can provide opportunities for relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2000).
collaboration and networking among students and educators Another influential framework is the Social
(Wankel, 2012). It enables students to connect with peers Cognitive Theory (SCT), which proposes that motivation and
from different parts of the world, share ideas and resources, engagement are influenced by personal, behavioral, and
and engage in collaborative learning activities (Johnson, environmental factors (Luszczynska & Schwarzer, 2015).
1991). Social media also offers new possibilities for informal SCT emphasizes the importance of self-regulation and self-
and self-directed learning, providing access to a vast array of efficacy in learning and suggests that individuals who possess
educational resources, such as online courses, videos, high levels of self-efficacy are more likely to engage in
podcasts, and articles (Bonket al., 2015). challenging tasks and persist in the face of difficulties
Social media can also play a role in enhancing (Bandura, 2001).
student engagement and motivation (Akbariet al., 2016). It The Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) proposes that
provides a platform for student-centered learning activities, motivation is determined by two factors: expectancy, which
such as project-based learning and peer assessment, which refers to the individual's belief that they can succeed in a
can help to increase student involvement and ownership of given task, and value, which refers to the individual's
the learning process (Gulzaret al., 2022). Social media can perception of the task's importance and relevance (Wigfield,
also be used to create personalized learning environments that 1994). EVT suggests that individuals are more likely to
cater to the individual needs and interests of each student engage in tasks that they perceive as valuable and that they
(Jeong, 2019). However, social media can also have negative believe they can succeed in (Cook & Artino, 2016).
impacts on education. It can be a source of distraction and Finally, the Flow Theory, developed by Mihaly
procrastination, reducing students' engagement and Csikszentmihalyi, proposes that engagement in learning is
motivation in academic tasks (Imlawiet al., 2015). Social facilitated by the experience of flow, which is characterized
media can also be a source of misinformation, and it can by a state of complete absorption and immersion in the task
contribute to the spread of rumors and fake news, which can at hand (Nakamura& Csikszentmihalyi, 2009). Flow is
impact the quality of learning (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). thought to be facilitated by the balance between the
Moreover, social media can create new challenges individual's skills and the task's level of challenge, resulting
for educators, including the need to navigate issues of in a feeling of energized focus and a sense of personal control
privacy, copyright, and intellectual property(Bertotet al., (Hwang et al., 2011).In summary, several theoretical

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam
frameworks and models have been developed to explain and media to access a wide range of educational resources, such
understand motivation and engagement in learning (Eccles & as videos, podcasts, blogs, and articles, and to create and
Wang, 2012). These frameworks highlight the importance of share their own content, such as study notes and summaries
factors such as autonomy, competence, relatedness, self- (Song & Bonk, 2016).
regulation, self-efficacy, expectancy, value, and flow in However, there are also potential negative effects
fostering high levels of motivation and engagement in associated with social media use in the context of academic
learning (Garrin, 2014). motivation and engagement (Greenhow & Lewin, 2016). For
The role of social media in academic motivation and example, social media can be a source of distraction and can
engagement is an area of active research and debate (Oh et lead to procrastination, reducing students' motivation and
al., 2020). Some studies suggest that social media can play a engagement in academic tasks (Anierobiet al., 2021).
positive role in supporting academic motivation and Moreover, social media can be a source of stress and anxiety,
engagement among undergraduate students, while others particularly when it is used for social comparison or when
suggest that it can have negative effects (Gulzaret al., 2022). negative feedback is received (Lee, 2020).
On the positive side, social media can provide Overall, the role of social media in academic
opportunities for students to connect with peers and motivation and engagement is complex and multifaceted
instructors, share resources and ideas, and engage in (Skinneret al., 2022). It can have both positive and negative
collaborative learning activities (Chuang, 2016). For effects, depending on how it is used and the context in which
example, social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, it is used. Further research is needed to better understand the
and Twitter can be used to create online learning communities factors that influence the impact of social media on academic
where students can share and discuss academic topics, ask motivation and engagement, and to develop effective
and answer questions, and receive feedback and support from strategies for leveraging its potential benefits while
their peers and instructors (Abdulahiet al., 2014). mitigating its potential risks.
Social media can also be used to support informal Based on literature reviews, the following research
learning and self-directed learning. Students can use social model (Figure 1) is proposed.

Academic Motivation
(Motivation)
+

Academic
Engagement + Social Media Use
(Engagement) (Media_Use)

+
Study Habits
(Habits)
Figure 1. Proposed research model

On the basis of the research model, the following

research hypotheses are proposed: METHODOLOGY
Hypothesis 1 (H1). The Academic Motivationfactor Instrument and participant
has a positive and meaningful impact on Social Media Useof This study included undergraduate students from
undergraduate students. universities in Hanoi city, selected through purposeful
Hypothesis 2 (H2). The Academic sampling. The questionnaire used in the study was developed
Engagementfactor has a positive and meaningful impact on by the author with input from two psychology professors and
the Social Media Useof undergraduate students.. based on a literature review. The questionnaire consisted of
Hypothesis 3 (H3). The Study Habitsfactor has a two parts: Part 1 collected demographic information, and Part
positive and meaningful impact on the Social Media Useof 2 gathered research information. A pilot test involving 40
undergraduate students. individuals was conducted, resulting in slight modifications
to the questionnaire. To ensure cultural relevance, two
linguists further revised the questionnaire, which was then

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam
pre-tested on 40 individuals representing the target from universities in Hanoi city participating. The
population. Based on the pre-test findings, minor adjustments questionnaires were distributed via mail, and participants
were made to enhance the questionnaire's structure and marked their responses using a pencil. The response rate was
comprehensibility, resulting in the final Vietnamese version. 100%, with all 200 surveys completed. Table 1 provides an
The data collection took place in May 2022, with 200 students overview of the participants' demographic information.

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of survey participants

Academic
freshman junior senior sophomore
Count Row Count Row Count Row Count Row
N% N% N% N%
Gender Female 21 23.9% 29 33.0% 15 17.0% 23 26.1%
Male 31 27.7% 42 37.5% 20 17.9% 19 17.0%
Age 18 20 years old 17 28.3% 18 30.0% 12 20.0% 13 21.7%
21 23 years old 22 25.6% 32 37.2% 14 16.3% 18 20.9%
24 26 years old 7 28.0% 11 44.0% 4 16.0% 3 12.0%
over 26 6 20.7% 10 34.5% 5 17.2% 8 27.6%
Year 1 year 13 31.0% 16 38.1% 6 14.3% 7 16.7%
2 years 21 28.4% 26 35.1% 9 12.2% 18 24.3%
3 years 9 23.1% 14 35.9% 9 23.1% 7 17.9%
4 years 9 20.0% 15 33.3% 11 24.4% 10 22.2%
Major BA 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 42 100.0
%
English 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 35 100.0 0 0.0%
language %
IT 52 100.0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
%
Tourism 0 0.0% 71 100.0 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Management %
GPA 20 52 100.0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
%
30 0 0.0% 71 62.8% 0 0.0% 42 37.2%
40 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 35 100.0 0 0.0%
%

Reliability analysis evaluated (Cortina, 1993; Kline, 2015). In general, a number

In assessing the quality and precision of survey data, of 0.7 or above is seen as indicating a high degree of internal
reliability analysis is an important step (Chien& Thanh, consistency and dependability and is regarded as an
2022;Tung et al., 2023; ). The purpose of reliability analysis acceptable criterion for the majority of surveys (Cortina,
is to determine the consistency and stability of a measuring 1993; Kline, 2015). A number between 0.6 and 0.7 may be
instrument or survey questionnaire across time and situations acceptable for certain surveys, but may suggest that some
(Nghi et al., 2022;Thanh et al., 2021). In this study, questionnaire questions are not contributing to the assessment
Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the degree of internal of the underlying concept and may need to be altered or
consistency dependability (Thanh et al., 2022; Luan & Thanh, eliminated (Cortina, 1993; Kline, 2015; Thanh et al., 2023).
2022). The criteria for evaluating Cronbach's alpha analysis A number below 0.6 is often regarded as poor, suggesting that
findings are subjective and dependent on the particular study the questionnaire questions may not be assessing the same
environment and questionnaire or test variables being concept and may need revision (Kline, 2015).

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam

Table 2. Summary of Reliability

Scales Number of Reliability coefficients The correlation coefficient
variables observed (Cronbach Alpha) of the smallest total variable
Social Media Use 4 0.844 0.539
Academic Motivation 4 0.735 0.497
Academic Engagement 4 0.777 0.521
Study Habits 4 0.730 0.487

Table 2 presents the results of testing the reliability media in academic motivation and engagement of
and validity of the research questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha undergraduate students in Vitenam.
coefficients for all items were more significant than 0.7,
indicating the internally consistent reliability of the Factor analysis
questionnaire (Hair et al., 2019). The validity of the Factor analysis is a widely used statistical tool in the
questionnaire was also confirmed through construct validity social sciences that can help researchers identify underlying
testing, including exploratory factor analysis and factors or dimensions in a set of variables. The process
confirmatory factor analysis (Hair et al., 2019). All items in involves reducing the number of variables in a dataset by
the questionnaire were found to have good convergent identifying patterns of inter-correlation among them and
validity, indicating that they are measuring the same construct grouping them into a smaller set of underlying factors
(Fornell & Larcker, 1981). Discriminant validity was also (Gorsuch, 1983). The number of factors to be extracted is
established, as each item was more strongly correlated with often determined through the examination of scree plots and
its respective construct than with other constructs in the eigenvalues (Fabrigar et al., 1999). The results of a factor
questionnaire (Fornell & Larcker, 1981; Hair et al., 2019). analysis can inform the development of more refined research
The study thus demonstrated a high level of reliability and questions, hypotheses, and models (Hair et al., 2019) and
validity in the questionnaire used to measure the role of social provide insights into the key factors that explain the
relationships among variables in a dataset.

Table 3. Result of factor analysis

Rotated Component Matrixa
Component
1 2 3 4
Media_Use1 .903
Media_Use2 .903
Media_Use4 .648
Media_Use3 .546
Engagement2 .798
Engagement1 .754
Engagement4 .655
Engagement3 .627
Motivation2 .766
Motivation3 .699
Motivation1 .661
Motivation4 .562
Habits3 .729
Habits1 .704
Habits4 .659
Habits2 .550
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 6 iterations
b. Initial Eigenvalues = 1.113 ; Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings =61.092
c.KMO= 0.870
d.Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (Chi-Square = 1594.742; df =120; sig.=0.000
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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
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Table 3 presents the results of the factor analysis Correlation analysis

conducted to validate the research questionnaire. The Correlation analysis is a statistical method used to
Bartlett's test of sphericity was statistically significant (Sig. = measure the strength and direction of the linear relationship
0.000), and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (KMO) = between two variables (Bryman & Bell, 2015). According to
0.891 (>0.5), indicating that the observed variables are Tabachnick et al. (2013), it is a way to quantify the
correlated in the population and are, therefore, suitable for association between two variables and to determine if
factor analysis. The factor loading coefficients for all changes in one variable are associated with changes in
variables >= 0.5, indicating the validity of the factor analysis. another variable. The correlation coefficient, also known as
The criterion for practical significance of factor loading is a Pearson's correlation coefficient, is a measure of the strength
minimum level = 0.3, an essential level = 0.4, and a practical of the linear relationship between two variables and ranges
level = 0.5. Table 3 shows that all variables have factor from -1 to 1 (Field, 2013). According to Hairet al.(2019), -1
loading coefficients >= 0.5, demonstrating the validity of the indicates a perfect negative correlation, 1 indicates a perfect
factor analysis. The total of the load squared extraction for positive correlation, and 0 indicates no correlation.
the four factors = 61.092% (>50%), indicating that the Correlation analysis can provide valuable insights into the
extracted factors can explain a significant amount of variance relationships between variables and can be used to make
in the data. The initial eigenvalue of the four factors = 1.113 predictions about one variable based on the values of another
(> 1.00), indicating that the extracted factors have variable (Gronlund & Linn, 2014). However, it is important
eigenvalues greater than one and are, therefore, valid. These to note that correlation does not imply causality and that other
results demonstrate the suitability and validity of exploratory factors may be contributing to the relationship between the
factor analysis for the proposed research model (Hair et al., variables (Agresti & Finlay, 2009). The results of the
2019; Kim & Mueller, 1978). Three items, specifically correlation analysis (Table 4) show that, with a 95%
questions 4, 5, and 10, were excluded from the regression significance level, the correlation coefficient indicates that
model because their factor loadings were <= 0.50, indicating the relationship between the dependent variable and the
a weak association with the proposed model.. independent variable is statistically significant (Sig. = 0.05).

Table 4. Correlation analysis results

Correlations
Media_Use Motivation Engagement Habits

Media_Use Pearson Correlation 1 .470** .455** .540**

Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .000 .000

N 200 200 200 200
** **
Motivation Pearson Correlation .470 1 .537 .527**

Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .000 .000

N 200 200 200 200
Engagement Pearson Correlation .455** .537** 1 .495**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .000 .000
N 200 200 200 200
Habits Pearson Correlation .540** .527** .495** 1

Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .000 .000

N 200 200 200 200
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Multivariate linear regression analysis used to model the relationship between the independent
Multivariate linear regression analysis is a statistical variables and the dependent variable (Hair, 1998). The goal
method used to examine the relationship between multiple of multivariate linear regression is to determine the
independent variables and a dependent variable (Osborne, coefficients for each independent variable, which represent
2000). In this type of regression analysis, a linear equation is the strength and direction of their relationship with the

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam
dependent variable (Greene & Hensher, 2003; Tung et al., linear regression is commonly used in the social sciences,
2023). These coefficients can then be used to make economics, and other fields to understand the relationships
predictions about the dependent variable based on the values between variables and to make predictions based on those
of the independent variables (Hair et al., 1998). Multivariate relationships (Kalaian & Raudenbush, 1996).

Table 5. The results of the multivariable linear regression analysis

Coefficientsa
Model Unstandardized Standardized t Sig. Collinearity
Coefficients Coefficients Statistics

B Std. Error Beta Toleranc VIF

e
1 (Constant) .705 .222 3.172 .002
Motivation .197 .076 .188 2.595 .010 .621 1.610
Engageme .181 .071 .180 2.543 .012 .650 1.539
nt
Habits .368 .074 .351 4.994 .000 .659 1.517
Dependent Variable: Media_Use
R Square = 0.360; Adjusted R Square = 0.350; Std. Error of the Estimate = 0.651; F=36.771; df= 3;
sig.=0.000

The results of the multivariable linear regression Engagement variable and the Media_Use variable (β = 0.181,
analysis (Table 5) indicate that the regression model is valid p-value = 0.012), supporting the acceptance of H2. This
to explain the results, as evidenced by the statistical finding aligns with the earlier research by Greenhow & Lewin
significance of the F-test (p.value = 0.000, df = 3 ) (Hair, (2016), further emphasizing the positive association between
Black, Babin, & Anderson, 2019). The model also does not Academic Engagement and students' utilization of social
have multicollinearity, as the variables in the model have a networks for learning purposes.
VIF <1.610 (Kutner, Nachtsheim, Neter, & Li, 2005). This Thirdly, the regression analysis results (Table 5)
suggests that the variables are not highly correlated with each indicate a significant and positive relationship between the
other, and the regression coefficients can be estimated with Habits variable and the Media_Use variable (β = 0.368, p-
high precision. value = 0.000), leading to the acceptance of H3. This finding
supports the notion that study habits have a constructive
RESULTS association with the use of social networks in learning. These
Firstly, the regression analysis results (Table 5) results are consistent with previous research defining
demonstrate a significant and positive impact of the academic habits as the study practices and behaviors
Motivation factor on the Media_Use variable (β = 0.197, p- employed by students to achieve academic success (Bonk et
value = 0.010), confirming H1. This finding aligns with al., 2015). Such habits encompass activities like time
previous research by Song & Bonk (2016), emphasizing the management, goal-setting, note-taking, and active learning
crucial role of motivation and engagement in academic strategies. Numerous studies have demonstrated that students
success. Motivated and engaged students tend to achieve who cultivate strong academic habits are more likely to excel
better academic outcomes, and social media platforms can in their courses and persist until graduation (Oh et al., 2020).
serve as a catalyst for student motivation by enabling peer Furthermore, a study found that students who utilize social
connections, information sharing, and active participation in media for academic purposes tend to exhibit strong academic
discussions (Ryan & Deci, 2022). Additionally, social media habits, including goal-setting and time management skills
fosters a sense of community and belonging, further (Garrin, 2014).
motivating students to actively engage in their studies. Finally, contrary to previous findings, this study did
Leveraging social media tools, such as discussion forums, not uncover negative aspects associated with social networks
content sharing, and online study groups, can enhance among students. The relationship between academic habits
students' interaction with course materials and their peers, and students' utilization of social networks in learning has
promoting a more interactive and meaningful learning garnered increasing interest in the field of education (Wong-
experience (Hwang et al., 2011; Gulzar et al., 2022). Lo et al., 2011). While social networks offer diverse
Secondly, the regression analysis results (Table 5) resources and learning opportunities, they can also pose
reveal a significant and positive relationship between the distractions and facilitate procrastination (Bertot et al., 2012).

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam
Social networks serve as a double-edged sword for students, motivation and engagement, and to develop effective
providing access to educational resources, peer support, and strategies for leveraging its potential benefits while
collaborative learning, yet potentially impeding productivity mitigating its potential risks (Greenhow & Lewin, 2016).
and academic performance (Schroeder et al., 2010). Notably, There are also potential negative effects associated
students who employed social media for non-academic with social media use in the context of academic motivation
purposes displayed higher tendencies for procrastination and and engagement, such as distraction and procrastination,
lower academic achievement (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). which can reduce students' motivation and engagement in
academic tasks (Anierobi et al., 2021). Several studies
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION provide insights into this relationship. For example,
The findings of this study contribute to our Kirschner and Karpinski (2010) found that students who used
understanding of the relationship between academic habits Facebook while studying had lower levels of academic
and students' use of social networks in learning. The achievement, while Junco (2012) discovered that students
regression analysis revealed that motivation, engagement, who used Twitter as part of their course had higher levels of
and acadamy habits had a positive and significant impact on engagement and academic success. Similarly, Manca and
students' use of social media for learning. These results Ranieri (2016) found that students who used social media for
support previous research emphasizing the importance of educational purposes had higher levels of engagement,
motivation, engagement, and strong academic habits in motivation, and satisfaction. Additionally, Roblyer,
academic success and suggest that these factors are also McDaniel, Webb, Herman, and Witty (2010) found that
influential in students' utilization of social networks. students who incorporated social media in their courses had
Motivation and engagement are crucial for academic higher levels of engagement, motivation, and satisfaction.
achievement, and social media can provide a platform for Wang, Chen, and Liang (2011) reported that social media use
connecting with peers, sharing information, and participating had a positive impact on students' academic achievement by
in discussions, thereby enhancing motivation and facilitating knowledge sharing and easier access to learning
engagement (Song & Bonk, 2016; Ryan & Deci, 2022). materials. Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) proposed that social
Additionally, social media can facilitate a sense of media could enhance student motivation and engagement by
community and belonging, motivating students to actively supporting self-determination theory principles.
engage in their studies. Furthermore, strong academic habits, The research findings have several implications for
such as goal-setting and time management skills, are educational practice. Firstly, educators and institutions
associated with social media use for academic purposes should recognize the positive relationship between
(Garrin, 2014). It is important to acknowledge that while this motivation and students' use of social networks for learning.
study did not find negative effects of social media, further They can leverage social media platforms to enhance student
research should explore the potential risks and benefits and motivation and engagement by encouraging peer interaction,
consider contextual factors that may influence outcomes facilitating information sharing, and promoting active
(Wong-Lo et al., 2011; Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). Overall, participation in discussions. Incorporating social media into
these findings underscore the importance of fostering instructional strategies can create a sense of community and
motivation, engagement, and strong academic habits to belonging, fostering a supportive learning environment.
effectively leverage social media for educational purposes. Secondly, the study highlights the importance of
Previous studies have yielded mixed results academic engagement in promoting the utilization of social
regarding the relationship between social media and networks for learning. Educators can encourage and promote
academic motivation and engagement. While some studies active student engagement by integrating social media tools
have found positive effects, others have reported negative into their teaching practices. Creating online discussion
effects or no significant effects (Lee, 2020; Skinner et al., forums, sharing relevant articles and videos, and organizing
2022). The impact of social media on academic motivation virtual study groups through social media can enhance
and engagement is complex and multifaceted, and more student engagement and promote collaborative learning.
research is needed to understand how to leverage social media Furthermore, the findings emphasize the
effectively in educational contexts. Social media can be a significance of cultivating effective study habits among
source of stress and anxiety, particularly when it is used for students. Educators can incorporate explicit instruction and
social comparison or when negative feedback is received guidance on time management, goal-setting, note-taking, and
(Lee, 2020). Overall, the role of social media in academic other study skills to support students in developing strong
motivation and engagement is complex and multifaceted academic habits. By promoting these habits, students are
(Skinner et al., 2022). It can have both positive and negative more likely to utilize social media platforms in a purposeful
effects, depending on how it is used and the context in which and productive manner for educational purposes.
it is used. Further research is needed to better understand the
factors that influence the impact of social media on academic

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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam

LIMITATIONS 9. Bertot, J. C., Jaeger, P. T., & Hansen, D. (2012). The

This study has several limitations that should be impact of polices on government social media
considered. Firstly, the use of intentional sampling may limit usage: Issues, challenges, and
the generalizability of the findings. The sample size of 200 recommendations. Government information
participants may not fully represent the diverse population of quarterly, 29(1), 30-40.
students, potentially leading to biased results and limiting the 10. Blankenship, M. (2011). How social media can and
ability to draw broad conclusions. Additionally, the R- should impact higher education. Education
squared value of the regression model, which indicates the Digest, 76(7), 39-42.
proportion of variance explained by the model, is 0.360. This 11. Bonk, C. J., Lee, M. M., Kou, X., Xu, S., & Sheu, F.
suggests that there are other factors not accounted for in the R. (2015). Understanding the self-directed online
study that may contribute to students' use of social networks learning preferences, goals, achievements, and
in learning. Therefore, caution should be exercised in challenges of MIT OpenCourseWare
interpreting the results and applying them to a wider context. subscribers. Journal of Educational Technology &
Future research with larger and more diverse samples is Society, 18(2), 349-368.
needed to enhance the generalizability and strengthen the 12. Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social
predictive power of the model. network sites: Definition, history, and
scholarship. Journal of computer‐mediated
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Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, The Role of Social Media in Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of
Undergraduate Students in Vitenam

Appendix
QUESTIONNAIRE
Your profile: Please select ONE answer from each statement that best describes you.
Your age:…………………….
Your gender:☐male ☐female
Year in College:☐1 year ☐2 years ☐3 years ☐4 years ☐over 4 years
What is your current academic standing?
☐freshman ☐sophomore☐junior☐senior
What is your major area of study? ………………………………………
What is your current GPA? …………………………………………….
☐< 2.0 ☐2.0-2.5 ☐2.5-3.0 ☐3.0-3.5☐3.5-4.0
Instead, mark the number that best represents your viewpoint on each survey topic on a scale of 1 to 5, as shown.

Media_Use Social Media Use

Media_Use1 How often do you use social media for academic ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

purposes?
Media_Use2 How often do you use social media to communicate ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
with classmates about coursework?
Media_Use3 How often do you use social media to connect with ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
professors outside of class?
Media_Use4 How often do you use social media to research academic ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
topics?
Motivation Academic Motivation

Motivation1 I feel motivated to do well in my courses. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Motivation2 I am interested in the subject matter of my courses. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Motivation3 I set challenging goals for myself in my academic work. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Motivation4 I am willing to put in the effort necessary to succeed ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

academically.
Engagement Academic Engagement

Engagement1 I actively participate in class discussions. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Engagement2 I am able to apply what I learn in my courses to real- ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

world situations.
Engagement3 I seek out additional resources to enhance my learning. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Engagement4 I am curious about the subjects I am studying. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Habits Study Habits

Habits1 I manage my time effectively to complete coursework. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Habits2 I review course material regularly to reinforce my ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

learning.
Habits3 I take notes during lectures and while studying. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Habits4 I ask questions when I don't understand something. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Thank you for your participation.

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