The Gender Gap Among EduTubers and the Factors Significantly Influencing It

Abstract

An increased use of YouTube in education has resulted in the emergence of a large number of audiovisual educational content creators known as EduTubers. Our research considers gender as a relevant variable within this group by analysing the 204 most successful channels in Spain so as to identify the existence of models and reference points throughout the area of informal education. The study methodology is based on a qualitative analysis instrument that provides descriptive statistics and contingency tables. The results provide original evidence on the topic. We reflect on the possible existence of a gender gap among EduTubers, concluding that there is actually one. After identifying the significant factors regarding to this inequality, they were grouped together into four categories: media exposure level; women’s participation in the educational stages that are most in demand on YouTube; elements and factors determining the success of videos; and time spent on the channel as a content creator. A suggestion is made of possible steps to reduce this gender gap through emotional support and training aimed at women who wish to become EduTubers, as well as via social change that facilitates the presence of women as influential figures in informal education.

Measuring the impact and reach of informal educational videos on YouTube: The case of Scientific Animations Without Borders

“…The use of informal Internet-based ICT education videos on YouTube is not only providing a powerful means for transmitting information, education, and entertainment (M. Park, Naaman, & Berger, 2016b;Platt, Bhargava, & Zuckerman, 2015), especially through the phenomenon of "Edutubers" (educational YouTubers) (López, Maza-Córdova, & Tusa, 2020;Pattier, 2021aPattier, , 2021bPattier, , 2021c, but is also becoming more popular than conventional, studioproduced content (McRoberts, Bonsignore, Peyton, & Yarosh, 2016;Tadbier & Shoufan, 2021).…”

YouTube y el aprendizaje formal de matemáticas. Percepciones de los estudiantes en tiempos de COVID-19

“…Además, la valoración de la relevancia social otorgada por las chicas a la ciencia y a los científicos y a las científicas (dimensión utilidad) también disminuye con la edad al igual que la autoeficacia. En el caso de las VC, existe una brecha de género entre los creadores de contenido educativo en YouTube, teniendo en cuenta que en el ámbito profesional de la docencia las mujeres representan el 66.6 %, los resultados de Pattier (2021), demuestran que 3 de cada 4 EduTubers son hombres.…”

Influencers de ciencia en Twitch. Divulgación científica a través de vídeo-streaming en tiempos de COVID-19

“…A su vez, se podría y se debería añadir va-riables no incluidas en este estudio como la edad, el tipo de formación o el género de la persona creadora de contenido. Factor este último que sí ha sido estudiado en los estudios sobre edutubers (Pattier, 2021b) y que debería contemplarse asimismo en esta nueva vía de divulgación digital que representa Twitch.…”