Jiaqi Liu, Hamedi Mohd Adnan, Nur Izzati Binti Aziz

The Role of Digital Literacy in Mitigating the Effects of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance: A Study of TikTok Users in Higher Education Institutions in China

Introduction

The role of digital literacy in mitigating the effects of social media usage on academic performance: a study of tiktok users in higher education institutions in china. Explore how digital literacy impacts TikTok users' academic performance in Chinese higher education. This study reveals significant relationships, emphasizing the need for improved digital literacy.

Abstract

Digital literacy improvement is considered supportive to optimize the use of social media platforms in a positive way. The influence of platforms such as TikTok is considered significant for influencing the academic performance level of a student pursuing his/her higher education. However, lack of proper knowledge about digital literacy improvement is still affecting the academic performance of the users in China. Relevant questions and objectives are developed to reach the purpose of the research study. The integration of the “Uses and Gratification Theory” further helps in exploring the interrelationship between the variables selected in the study that is followed by formation of the hypotheses. A detailed analysis of existing literature has facilitated the identification of the gap that shows lack of research on potential effects of TikTok on academic outcomes. Primary data collection has been used in this study for conducting the survey process among 410 students from the institutions of China. The quantitative data analysis has been used for examining the collected information through IBM SPSS. The results highlight that all the variables selected for the research have a significant impact on the Academic Performance of the students in higher education institutions in China apart from frequency of usage. Its direct impact on Academic Performance has not been established by the findings from the analysis. The study helps in identifying the need for more extensive research or doing qualitative data based research for exploring more ideas about the factors associated with digital literacy improvement by practical strategies.

Review

This paper addresses a timely and significant topic concerning the interplay between digital literacy, social media usage (specifically TikTok), and academic performance among higher education students in China. The study clearly articulates its purpose, aiming to investigate how digital literacy can mitigate the negative effects of social media on academic outcomes. The application of the "Uses and Gratification Theory" provides a robust theoretical foundation for exploring these relationships. Furthermore, the abstract highlights a substantial primary data collection effort, surveying 410 students, which lends credibility to the quantitative approach taken to analyze the proposed hypotheses. While the research tackles an important area, the abstract presents several points that require clarification and deeper elaboration in the full manuscript. The definition and operationalization of "digital literacy improvement" are not clearly articulated, making it difficult to understand how it was measured and integrated into the model. A notable inconsistency arises in the reported findings: the abstract initially states that "all the variables selected for the research have a significant impact on the Academic Performance," but then immediately qualifies this by noting that "frequency of usage. Its direct impact on Academic Performance has not been established." This contradiction needs to be resolved for the results to be interpreted accurately. Additionally, stating only "significant impact" without specifying the nature or magnitude of these impacts limits the insight provided by the findings. Despite these points, the study offers valuable initial insights into the complex relationship between digital engagement and academic success in a critical demographic. The identified gap concerning the lack of research on TikTok's effects on academic outcomes underscores the study's relevance. To enhance its contribution, the paper would benefit from a more precise definition of its key constructs, a clearer presentation of its specific findings (especially regarding the conflicting results on 'frequency of usage'), and perhaps a discussion on *how* digital literacy practically mitigates negative effects. The suggestion for future qualitative research is prudent, as it could provide the nuanced understanding needed to translate these quantitative findings into actionable strategies for promoting responsible social media use and improving academic performance.

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