It is shown that younger users are more active in social media (Pew Research, 2021). The frequent use of social media is changing the manner in which a new generation of students communicate, learn, and think. As a result, the discussion on the impact of social media on learning achievement has taken on a new urgency. In this paper, we have employed data from OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 database to investigate the effect of using social media for school learning on academic performance. In order to eliminate selection bias and assess the causal effect of using social media on learning, this research used propensity score matching (PSM) with the marginal mean weighting through stratification (MMWS) approach. By running the analyses in each participating country, we were able to see whether the effect of social media use on school learning manifests itself differently in various social, cultural, and political contexts. According to the results measured based on test scores in the PISA assessment, more frequent use of social media as a tool of learning related to schoolwork is detrimental to academic performance in most countries. Although it is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss the causes behind the negative correlation between social media use and academic achievement in most cases, conclusions and suggestions are cautiously presented.

Authors:
Jia Pang, Claremont Graduate University, United States
Zhiqiang Ji, Georgetown University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Jia Pang is a University Doctoral Student at Claremont Graduate University, United States

See this presentation on the full schedule – Schedule

Bookmark