“Teachers Act Like We’re Robots”: TikTok as a Window Into Youth Experiences of Online Learning During COVID-19

Abstract

Social media, and especially popular youth-focused platforms like TikTok, can offer a valuable window into youth experiences, including their perceptions of online learning. Building on a large-scale thematic analysis of 1,930 TikTok videos posted in March-June 2020, this study examines how young people shared their experiences of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that youth portrayed online coursework as overwhelming and relentless against the traumatic background of the pandemic. They sought support, empathy, and authenticity from teachers, and both received and provided emotional and educational support to peers on the platform. Students’ home contexts emerged as particularly salient, making visible the intersections between young people’s home, school and social lives. By facilitating a grounded, bottom-up understanding of students’ experiences and perceptions—shared in their preferred spaces and modes of expression—this research stresses the need to attend to youth perspectives to craft more equitable and empowering educational futures.

A meta-analysis and bibliographic review of the effect of nine factors on online learning outcomes across the world

“…During the pandemic time, students began to accept the online learning approach and their major concerns were network availability, comfort, network connectivity, online learning outcomes, online learning contents, and student-instructor online interactions (Kamble et al, 2021 ). Social media such as TikTok could improve learners’ perceptions of online learning during the pandemic (Literat, 2021 ).…”

Studi Literatur Penggunaan Media Sosial Tiktok Sebagai Sarana Literasi Digital Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19

“…Mereka belajar banyak hal yang belum didapatkan sebelumnya di kehidupan nyata. Dimana mereka akan mampu melihat berbagai sisi di dunia dan juga akan melatih bagaimana mereka memilih untuk menyimpan apa yang mereka lihat atau hanya mengabaikannya sebagai apa yang tidak penting (Literat, 2021).…”

When school bells last rung: New Jersey schools and the reaction to COVID-19

“…By deeply looking at the damage of the shutdown and the struggles and successes of the response, this research can provide insights and a roadmap for practitioners and policy makers going forward. Although we recognize the significance of the student experiences and perspectives and value studies completed by researchers such as Literat ( 2021 ), we focused this study on adult educational personnel.…”