Social media as digital reading ecosystems among college students majoring in Language and Literature Pedagogy

Abstract

Introduction: The study addressed the influence of social media as an ecosystem for the reading practices of university students, considering how the ways of learning, communicating, and accessing textual information in personal and academic contexts have been transformed. Objective: To analyze how the use of social media influenced the reading practices of students in the Language and Literature Pedagogy program at ULEAM and to determine the frequency of use of these platforms, with the purpose of describing the digital reading practices they develop within the reading ecosystem; likewise, perceptions of their impact and the strategies that students consider useful for using these media as a digital reading ecosystem were examined. Methodology: To this end, a mixed-methods approach with a descriptive level was employed, applying a survey to a sample of 60 students through probability sampling and an interview with five participants, whose analysis consisted of methodological triangulation. Results and discussion: The findings showed that students frequently use social media and have developed a reading practice based on the content of debates and comments. It was determined that their frequent use has shifted part of their interactions with texts toward digital environments. In addition, a dichotomous perception of the impact on reading habits was identified, and students expressed integration strategies to benefit reading. These digital platforms, in addition to functioning as spaces for entertainment, are also settings with educational potential for promoting academic reading. Conclusions: Consequently, the integration of specific pedagogical and didactic strategies makes it possible to take advantage of these digital environments to strengthen reading habits and foster critical-reflective participation in learning processes.