TEACHERS OPINIONS ON STUDENTS SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION

Abstract

This study aims to examine students' levels of social media addiction, as observed by teachers, and the effects of this addiction on academic achievement, psychological well-being, and social relationships. Adopting a qualitative research method, interviews with 21 teachers were evaluated through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that students spend significant amounts of time on digital platforms, particularly TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and this habit negatively impacts their academic performance, attention spans, and peer relationships. It was observed that excessive use of social media leads to more prevalent psychological problems such as lack of self-confidence, feelings of loneliness, increased stress, a tendency for constant comparison, and cyberbullying. Additionally, it was identified that there is a lack of institutional and sustainable strategies in schools to combat social media addiction, with teachers trying to guide students through individual efforts. The study concluded that integrating digital media literacy into educational curricula, enhancing teachers' digital guidance competencies, and strengthening collaboration between families and schools are of significant importance.