Social Media Influence on Learning Effectiveness among High School Students: A Case of a Public High School in Ubungo Municipal Council, Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined the influence of social media particularly Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok on learning effectiveness among high school students in one selected public school in Ubungo Municipal Council Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977), the research explored students’ patterns of social media use, its influence on classroom participation, and perceptions of academic performance. A qualitative case study design and qualitative research aproach was employed involving 40 participants: 30 students, 8 teachers, and 2 administrators. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, and analyzed thematically to develop meaning. Findings discovered that TikTok was the most main platform among students primarily used for entertainment and social connection rather than academic engagement. Teachers reported significant challenges including students’ fatigue, postponement, incomplete assignments, and declining classroom participation factors attributed to late-night social media use. While a few students acknowledged using WhatsApp and Facebook for academic discussions, the devastating use for entertainment demonstrated that social media often functions as a distraction rather than a learning aid. The study concludes that social media is a double-edged tool beneficial when used purposefully under structured guidance but detrimental when unregulated. It recommends integrating digital literacy education into secondary school curricula, strengthening parent–school monitoring partnerships, and encouraging teacher-facilitated academic social media groups to promote responsible use and model positive digital behavior.