TIKTOK FOR SCIENCE LEARNING: THE INTERPLAY OF TIKTOK AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL, USABILITY, SATISFACTION, SKILLS, AND FUTURE IMPACT

Abstract

The growing incorporation of social media into the field of science education encourages the current study to investigate the relationships and interactions of TikTok as an Educational Tool (ET), Pedagogical and Scientific Skills (PSS), TikTok's Ease of Use (EU), its Educational and Future Impact (EFI), and Participant Satisfaction (PS). The study sample consisted of 174 students, including Physics, Chemistry, and Biology majors from the Faculty of Science, and Elementary Education majors from the Faculty of Education who are trained to teach science at the elementary level. Among them, 58 students received training to create educational TikTok videos. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4 in two main stages. Findings indicate that both ET and EU significantly enhance PSS and EFI, with PS serving as a key mediator in improving the learning experience. EU had the greatest impact, highlighting the importance of the pedagogical value of intuitive and engaging design. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study found that users were more likely to adopt TikTok as an educational tool when they perceived it as both beneficial and user-friendly, which in turn contributed to the development of PSS. These findings suggest that TikTok can be an efficient ET, particularly in science education, when designed to enhance engagement and accessibility.