YouTube and TikTok Videos as Emerging Digital Literacies in Online Teaching: A Must Already in the Wake of COVID-19?

Abstract

This quantitative study examines the use of YouTube and TikTok videos as short-form digital resources in online foreign language instruction. While the global shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of accessible and engaging digital resources, the specific pedagogical value of social media platforms still remains obscure. As a contribution to the gap in the literature, a 27-item Likert-type scale, refined from an initial 39-item pool, was administered to 257 undergraduates (162 female, 95 male) enrolled in the Department of English Language and Literature at a state university. The instrument assessed dimensions including motivation, comprehension, intercultural competence, collaborative learning, distraction, anxiety, and practicality. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed, including frequency distributions and reliability testing (Cronbach’s α = .71). The findings indicated that 61.4% of participants valued the platforms for enhancing engagement, while more than half reported improvements in comprehension and peer interaction. In contrast, relatively few students identified drawbacks: 26–27% cited distraction or impracticality, and 19% reported anxiety. These results demonstrate that although reservations exist, positive evaluations of YouTube and TikTok outweigh negative experiences in the context investigated. The study highlights the dual nature of short-form video integration in online education: strong potential for motivation and comprehension, balanced against limited but noteworthy concerns related to focus and sustainability. The distribution of responses suggests a consistent pattern, with advantages dominating the data while criticisms remain in the minority.