Reimagining higher education: the role of social media as a pedagogical tool in university learning environments

The rapid institutionalisation of social media in higher education has intensified debates about its pedagogical value, particularly in post-pandemic learning environments where digital platforms have become infrastructural rather than optional. This article examines how social media functions as a pedagogical tool in university learning by focusing on the mechanisms through which its use influences student engagement, collaboration and academic outcomes. Grounded primarily in constructivist and social learning theory and informed by connectivism as a descriptive lens for networked participation, the article adopts a convergent mixed-methods design. Quantitative data from 967 students across five universities were analysed using structural equation modelling, complemented by qualitative interviews, focus groups and document analysis. The findings demonstrate that social media does not exert a strong direct effect on academic performance. Instead, its impact is mediated through behavioural, cognitive and emotional engagement, as well as through collaborative knowledge-sharing practices. These relationships are further conditioned by barriers such as digital distraction, inequitable access and faculty attitudes towards pedagogical integration. Qualitative insights show how social media operates as a ‘second classroom’, extending learning beyond formal settings while simultaneously introducing new challenges related to boundaries, attention and institutional support. By specifying mediation linkages and boundary conditions, this article advances understanding of social media’s contingent pedagogical effectiveness and contributes an explanatory framework for interpretating its uneven outcomes in contemporary higher education.