The European Educational Researcher

The contribution of social networks to the learning-social interaction and their impact on student motivation and academic achievement

Sharon Tzur 1,
Nitza Davidovitch 2,
Adi Katz 3,
Aleksandra Gerkerova 2 *
1 Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ariel University, Israel2 Education Department, Ariel University, Israel3 Industrial Engineering & Management Department, Shamoon College of Engineering, Israel* Corresponding Author
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The European Educational Researcher, Volume 8, Issue 1, February 2025, pp. 29-44
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 73 DOWNLOADS: 33 Publication date: 15 Feb 2025
ABSTRACT
This study examines how interactions in class WhatsApp groups impact students' motivation and academic achievements. The research incorporates both qualitative and quantitative analyses to explore associations between various types of interactions and academic performance. Key findings reveal a strong positive correlation between students' motivation and the volume of affective-emotive messages, especially those from teachers. While cognitive-analytic interactions did not significantly predict higher academic achievement, qualitative interviews highlighted the need for more educational content in WhatsApp groups, such as exercises. The study also found a positive, albeit weak, association between classroom climate and interaction patterns. However, an interesting inverse relationship emerged between socioeconomic status and the prevalence of affective-emotive messages. The research emphasizes the importance of incorporating affective-emotive interactions in educational settings and recommends expanding the use of WhatsApp groups as an effective supplementary platform for fostering motivation and improving academic achievements.
KEYWORDS
Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, academic achievements, technological environment, social networks, WhatsApp, social interaction, learning interaction.
CITATION (APA)
Tzur, S., Davidovitch, N., Katz, A., & Gerkerova, A. (2025). The contribution of social networks to the learning-social interaction and their impact on student motivation and academic achievement. The European Educational Researcher, 8(1), 29-44. https://doi.org/10.31757/euer.813
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