The academic TikTok: Academics’ perceptions and uses of Microsoft Flip as a vlogging platform

Abstract

Vlogs, asynchronous video blogs where individuals film themselves to share personal experiences, have been widely used in educational settings. This study explores the integration of Microsoft Flip (Flip), a vlogging platform, in higher education, focusing on its use by academics during a 3-year pilot preceding institution-wide adoption. Grounded in Driscoll and Burner’s (2005) constructivist theory, this research involved interviews with 10 academics from an Australian university, examining their experiences, challenges and recommendations for using Flip. The findings reveal that Flip facilitates innovative activity design, promoting user-friendliness, interaction and self-directed learning. However, privacy concerns, technical difficulties and engagement shortfalls were identified consistent with broader educational technology adoption issues. To minimise these challenges, academics suggested setting clear guidelines on how to use Flip to enhance learning and offered suggestions on how to organise the activities effectively. This research offers insights for academics and learning designers considering Flip in the tertiary educational context, highlighting its potential as a tool for enhancing learning experiences. Implications for practice or policy: Implement scaffolded teaching in higher education, emphasising peer interaction, sequential assessments, and clear instructions to boost student learning outcomes. Provide academics with targeted resources and training to effectively integrate vlogs in teaching, addressing technological barriers. Use vlogging for summative assessments to ensure authentic uptake which also mitigates challenges within identity verification and artificial intelligence misuse in higher education.