‘Always Online’: Investigating how the continuous digital connectivity influences academic discipline among postgraduate students at a South African university

The widespread presence of smartphones, computers, social media platforms (such as Facebook and Snapchat), and algorithm-driven content streams (such as TikTok), along with the availability of Artificial Intelligence AI tools, has transformed the daily learning environment of university students around the world. This study investigates how continuous digital connectivity influenced postgraduate students' academic discipline at a South African university. Academic discipline is conceptualised as a lived, socially embedded practice encompassing self-regulated learning, time management, goal commitment, and resistance to distractions in digital learning spaces. An interpretive qualitative approach and a case study design were employed. The study utilised semi-structured interviews and reflections to collect data. Four postgraduate honours students were selected using convenience sampling from the Curriculum Studies Department at a South African university. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns in students' narratives about studying, self-discipline, concentration, and digital media engagement. Findings revealed that constant connectivity and the hybridity of contemporary learning environments have affected students' identities and conceptions of academic discipline, shifting from an internally regulated attribute to one increasingly co-produced through continuous interaction with digitally mediated environments. Digitally mediated learning spaces made it difficult for students to navigate competing demands for attention and productivity while balancing academic and non-academic digital engagements. The study recommends introducing institutional, pedagogical, and digital design curriculum interventions to support sustained academic engagement in an always-online world.