Students' Perception of Tiktok as an Educational Learning Tool

Abstract. The rapid expansion of social media platforms has created new opportunities for integrating digital technologies into educational environments. Among these platforms, TikTok has gained significant popularity among adolescents due to its short-form video format and interactive features. This study examined junior high school students’ perceptions of TikTok as an educational learning tool at Buenavista Integrated School in Zamboanga City, Philippines, during the academic year 2025–2026. Specifically, it investigated students’ positive and negative perceptions and determined whether these perceptions differed according to demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and grade level. A descriptive–quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected from 120 junior high school students (Grades 7–10) using a structured questionnaire consisting of demographic items and perception scales measured through a four-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were used to determine perception levels, while independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to examine differences across demographic groups. The findings revealed that students held a moderate perception of TikTok as an educational tool (M = 2.64). Positive perceptions (M = 2.51) highlighted TikTok’s capacity to enhance engagement, support visual learning, and improve accessibility to educational content. However, negative perceptions (M = 2.77) indicated concerns regarding distraction, excessive screen time, unreliable content, and difficulties related to internet connectivity. Inferential analyses demonstrated no statistically significant differences in students’ perceptions when grouped according to age, gender, or grade level (p > .05), suggesting that attitudes toward TikTok as a learning tool are generally consistent across demographic categories. The study concludes that TikTok can serve as a supplementary educational resource that promotes engagement and informal learning when integrated strategically into instructional practices. Nevertheless, its effectiveness depends on guided use, digital literacy, and pedagogical alignment with curriculum objectives. The findings contribute to the growing body of research on social media–supported learning and highlight the need for responsible integration of emerging digital platforms in secondary education.

Keywords: TikTok in education, social media learning, digital learning tools, student perception, educational technology, secondary education.