O uso estratégico das mídias sociais no engajamento acadêmico: uma abordagem do marketing digital educacional

Abstract

Social media has changed the dynamics of social interaction and engagement in the academic environment, allowing students and teachers to share educational resources and create a collaborative learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom. However, the impact of social media on academic engagement is not linear, as excessive use can generate distractions, misuse of purpose, and negatively affect student performance. This study investigates how social media influences academic engagement and encourages student participation in undergraduate courses in higher education. The research, which uses a qualitative and quantitative approach, is based on data collected through questionnaires applied to students and interviews directed at professors from higher education institutions (HEIs). The data were analyzed through exploratory factor analysis and content analysis. The clustering patterns of the latent variables followed a categorization around engagement, benefits, and challenges. The results indicate that the unbalanced use of social media can represent difficulties for users, especially with regard to organizing information and the level of concentration in studies. Furthermore, it was possible to identify that social media are perceived as channels that increase accessibility to educational content. However, it is necessary to invest in teacher training so that the pedagogical use of social networks can maximize their benefits.