The proliferation of social media, driven by technological advancements, has significantly altered communication and interaction patterns globally. Higher education students are major contributors to this trend, with billions using social media platforms (SMPs) daily for various reasons, including convenience and flexibility. The integration of social media into education is gaining traction, affecting student-teacher interaction and access to learning materials. Saudi Arabia, with high internet and social media penetration rates, is uniquely positioned to leverage this potential, particularly considering its Vision 2030 focus on higher education excellence and technological innovation. However, empirical evidence on SMPs' impact on learning in Saudi Arabian universities remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the influence of four key e-LAM components—self-efficacy, effort, performance expectancy, and communication functionality—on undergraduate students' intentions to use SMPs for learning purposes in Saudi Arabian universities.

Existing literature highlights social media's interactive nature, facilitating content sharing, co-creation, and discussion. Various platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ResearchGate, and Google+ show promise as educational tools due to their embedded features and Web 2.0 structures. Studies indicate that SMPs positively influence students' learning intentions, enhancing interaction between students and teachers, improving access to course information and assignment details, and facilitating collaborative learning. Twitter, for instance, has been shown to promote group knowledge creation and improved quiz scores. YouTube's video-sharing capabilities offer personalized learning experiences, and ResearchGate's academic focus provides access to research materials. The consensus is that social media, when effectively utilized, can be a powerful learning tool in higher education. However, research specifically targeting the Saudi Arabian context remains scarce.

This quantitative study employed a convenient sampling and snowballing technique to collect data via an online questionnaire from 369 undergraduate students at Saudi Arabian public universities. Ethical considerations, including anonymity and confidentiality, were carefully addressed. The questionnaire, developed based on existing literature and expert review, used the e-LAM to measure the constructs of performance, effort, communication functionality, and self-efficacy, assessing their relationship with students' intention to use SMPs for learning. The e-LAM encompasses several dimensions: Performance (perceived usefulness and flexibility), Effort (perceived ease of use and learning), Communication Functionality (collaboration, sharing, interaction), and Self (social media efficacy, attitude, enjoyment). Data analysis utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4.0, a method which does not require distributional assumptions. Construct validity and reliability were assessed using factor loading, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted (AVE). Discriminant validity was checked using the Fornell-Larcker criterion and the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). The study also evaluated the model fit using indices such as SRMR and d_ULS.

The study involved 369 undergraduate students from Saudi Arabian public universities (208 male, 162 female). PLS-SEM analysis revealed that performance and self-efficacy significantly and positively predicted students' intention to use SMPs for learning (H3 and H4 accepted), while communication functionality and effort did not (H1 and H2 rejected). The R² value indicated that 40.4% of the variance in students' intentions was explained by the model, with self-efficacy explaining 88% of the variance. The model fit indices (SRMR=0.04) met acceptable thresholds. Convergent validity was confirmed through AVE values exceeding 0.5 for all constructs, and discriminant validity was supported by both the Fornell-Larcker criterion and HTMT values below 0.90.

The findings suggest that Saudi Arabian undergraduate students' intentions to adopt SMPs for learning are primarily driven by their perceived performance benefits and self-efficacy beliefs. The lack of significant influence from communication functionality and effort highlights the importance of focusing on enhancing students' perceived usefulness and ease of use. The relatively high explanatory power of self-efficacy underscores the need for interventions that build students' confidence in using SMPs effectively for education. These results differ from some previous studies in other contexts, possibly due to the unique characteristics of the Saudi Arabian educational landscape and the specific SMPs used by students.

This study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing social media adoption for educational purposes among Saudi Arabian undergraduate students. The significant impact of performance and self-efficacy emphasizes the need to focus on designing engaging and user-friendly educational platforms on SMPs and building students' confidence in their ability to utilize them effectively. Future research could explore the specific SMPs preferred by students and the influence of cultural factors on social media usage in education.

The study's reliance on self-reported data from a sample of undergraduate students at public universities in Saudi Arabia limits the generalizability of the findings to other populations or contexts. Future studies could benefit from employing diverse sampling techniques and incorporating qualitative data to gather richer insights. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of the study restricts the ability to establish causal relationships.