The Digital Student: A Review of Social Media's Role in Learning and Personal Development

Johnson Thomas; Iwiwanini Jones D Kharlukhi

The Digital Student: A Review of Social Media's Role in Learning and Personal Development

Author(s)	Mr. Johnson Thomas, Dr. Iwiwanini Jones D Kharlukhi
Country	India
Abstract	The rapid growth of social media has changed the way students learn, communicate and develop their personal and social identities. Platforms such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and X are no longer used only for social interaction. They are also used for sharing learning materials, discussing academic topics, working with peers, developing digital skills and maintaining professional networks. At the same time, excessive or poorly regulated use may be linked with distraction, procrastination, reduced academic performance, anxiety, social comparison, sleep problems and lower psychological well-being. The present paper reviews the literature on the role of social media in students' learning and personal development. A narrative review approach was adopted. Literature was searched through Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar using terms related to social media, learning, academic performance, student engagement, personal development, higher education and psychological well-being. The review considered relevant literature published mainly between 2020 and 2025, while selected earlier studies were retained where they provided important conceptual or foundational evidence. Twenty-five studies were selected for detailed thematic consideration. The reviewed literature was organised under four themes: social media as a learning tool; academic performance and learning outcomes; social media and personal development; and psychological risks of social media use. The review indicates that social media has neither a purely positive nor a purely negative effect. Its influence depends largely on the purpose of use, quality of engagement, digital competence, self-regulation and the educational context. Purposeful use can support collaborative learning, communication, digital literacy and personal development, whereas excessive recreational use may interfere with study and psychological well-being. The paper concludes that educational institutions should promote purposeful, balanced and responsible social media use rather than simply encouraging or discouraging the technology.
Keywords	Social Med.ia, Lear.ning, Academic Performance, Personal Develo.pment, Digital Literacy, Stud.ent Engagement, Psychol.ogical Well-.being.
Field	Sociology > Education
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-19

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The Digital Student: A Review of Social Media's Role in Learning and Personal Development

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