Abstract
The pervasive impact of social media on educational outcomes has prompted extensive research, particularly regarding its effects on motivation and engagement. In Malaysia, where the prevalence of social media is significantly high, this impact warrants detailed scrutiny. This study investigated 317 Arabic learners from universities across Malaysia to determine the mediating role of self-regulated learning strategies (SRLS) on learners’ motivations (LM) and social media usage (SMU). Three instruments were used in the study: SRLS were evaluated by the Self-Regulated Online Learning Questionnaire (SOL-Q), LM was assessed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), and learners’ SMU was measured using Data Language Technologies for Lifelong Learning, 2008. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data in the study. The findings suggest that SRLS significantly mediates the relationship between Arabic learners’ SMU and LM. The results show the potential of integrating SRLS into educational practices to enhance learning outcomes in SMU. The implications of the findings for learners, educators, and policymakers are discussed, emphasizing the need for strategies that foster self-regulation as a component of digital literacy education.