Skip to main content
Log in

To WeChat or to more chat during learning? The relationship between WeChat and learning from the perspective of university students

  • Published:
Education and Information Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

WeChat has become an indispensable part of university students’ life in China. However, there was little research into the relationship between WeChat and learning. This study investigates university students’ attitudes towards the impact of WeChat on learning, the determinants of WeChat learning engagement, and how WeChat usage influences students’ academic performance. A total of 719 valid questionnaires were sent and collected from university students. The results indicate: 1) WeChat is perceived as a “double-edged sword” of learning with two-sided effects. 2) Students’ engagement with WeChat on learning is at the upper-medium level, over which the motivation of WeChat usage, other than usage duration and login time, is found to have strong explanatory power. 3) The frequency of WeChat usage affects students’ academic performance in a complicated way with self-control playing a moderating role. The findings have significant value for future research about WeChat usage among university students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chubing Zhang.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hou, R., Han, S., Wang, K. et al. To WeChat or to more chat during learning? The relationship between WeChat and learning from the perspective of university students. Educ Inf Technol 26, 1813–1832 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10338-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10338-6

Keywords

Navigation