The mediating effect of digital skills and literacy in the nexus between institutional policies and utilization of social media platforms for research: A PLS-SEM

Abstract

Social media has become an integral technology for both teachers and students, serving various purposes such as learning, communication, and entertainment. However, its potential for research purposes remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating how institutional policies influence students’ use of social media for research (SMR), mediated by their digital literacy (DL) and digital skills (DS). A cross-sectional survey involving 4,321 final year students was conducted using a validated structured questionnaire for quantitative data collection. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyze the data, revealing that institutional policies significantly enhance students’ utilization of SMR. Additionally, these policies have a notable impact on students’ DL and DS, which, in turn, facilitate their effective use of SMR purposes. Furthermore, the study finds that DL and DL play a mediating role, positively influencing the relationship between institutional policies and students’ utilization of SMR. The implications of these findings are discussed in detail, highlighting the importance of integrating DL initiatives within institutional frameworks to optimize students’ academic use of social media.