What do you think of when I say "TikTok"? If you are over 25, probably something like "That's not for me". Today I want to invite you to look beyond the horizon together: What can we learn from TikTok in the area of Learning and Development?
What do you think of TikTok?
You might already be puzzled by the question or the topic: What on earth does TikTok have to do with further education?! In fact, I don't even have an account with the most downloaded app at all. And we definitely have to critically examine some aspects of the provider, especially regarding data protection and youth protection. However, recently I caught myself saying to a friend, "That's not for me" – and it probably sounded like clear rejection in my voice. In the conversation, I then realized: I actually have no idea. Or, as Bob Dylan would put it:
"Don't criticize what you can't understand." –Bob Dylan
When was the last time you judged something without really knowing it? Especially in the realm of (further) education, this is a danger that stifles innovation and success in its infancy. We advocate lifelong learning and simultaneously judge trends without having engaged with them. Therefore, I want to show you today, through the example of TikTok, that we can learn something from everything for our own goals - if we are just open to it.
That is TikTok: …"a video portal for lip-synchronizing music videos and other short video clips, which also offers the functions of a social network (…)" - Wikipedia
If you want to learn more about TikTok, I recommend this video from the Süddeutsche Zeitung – it explains objectively how TikTok looks and works:
5 things that trainers can learn from TikTok
Tip No. 1: Be brief!
A characteristic and probably also a major success factor is the extreme limitation in the duration of the content: Videos may be a maximum of 60 seconds, usually more like 15 seconds long. This challenges users to compress their "message" significantly. The videos come across, among other things, as very accessible and "snackable", meaning they are quick to consume.
Experts have been recommending this approach for educational content for quite some time. Microlearning is the buzzword here – or specifically referring to moving images, micro-videos.
The concept of microlearning works particularly well in e-learning: With short meaningful segments, you make it easier for your participants to follow the trainer's thoughts. Greater understanding leads to higher motivation, which in turn leads to greater understanding, and so on. After all, participants in e-learning consume content in short bites – so it is practically a service from you to provide as many small meaningful segments as possible and thus allow breaks at any time.
By the way: For videos in e-learning, we recommend a maximum length of 3 minutes.
Tip No. 2: Use videos!
The most obvious tip when it comes to TikTok – because TikTok is primarily a video platform. And therefore very successful. The fact that videos are not only extremely popular with the youngest generation is shown by the ARD/ZDF online study 2021, which Marie-Christine Schindler has summarized very nicely here. The main statements:
55% of all respondents use media online daily
36% of all respondents use videos online daily
On average, all respondents use online videos for 64 minutes per day – with 14-29 year-olds using a whopping 142 minutes and 30-49 year-olds 85 minutes. The trend is increasing, as studies from previous years show. So what are you waiting for?
Info page
How to: Create videos for online courses
That videos are a brilliant medium is agreed upon by most trainers and coaches. But: How do you create a good video? How do I speak in front of the camera? We have collected many concrete tips for you on an info page:
Tip No. 3: Allow fun!
TikTok is a great example of how humor in the form of short videos can leave an impression. Especially for the target group of students and apprentices, there is also increasingly serious content on TikTok – for example, the channel "behind the science". In it, physicist and podcaster Dr. Reinhard Remfort demonstrates and explains simple experiments using everyday objects.
Whether adults can also have fun while learning is something we have already discussed elsewhere on the blog. The principle of "showing funny and practical examples to convey content" also works for people beyond the age of 25. You don't have to shoot completely absurd dance videos that often shape the image of TikTok. However, occasionally not taking yourself too seriously is usually well received.
A good role model here is, for example, office coach Jörg Reimann. He not only shoots his videos with a lot of humor and charm but also complements his online course with "funny outtakes" – that is, footage where something went funny wrong. This brings a lot of sympathy points, which is extremely valuable in e-learning due to the distance to the participants. But it is also clear: Forcing jokes does not help – the fun approach has to fit your character somehow.
Tip No. 4: Encourage active action!
With TikTok, you have the feeling of being part of a large community, even though you're sitting at home alone. Socalled "challenges" are very popular, where users invite others to imitate something. Sometimes (as mentioned in the video above) silly ideas like "scaring cows", but also sporting challenges. And through the technical possibility of embedding other videos into your own video, an interaction is created that looks less one-sided than it actually is.
What can we learn from this for workplace training? Give your participants the feeling that they are not alone! This tip also applies especially to e-learning, where the spatial and temporal distance is often a sticking point for trainers and coaches. Therefore, always think of good calls to action that are easy to implement. And maybe one or another "challenge" fits into your online course.
Tip No. 5: Keep participants engaged!
The last point is concerning from a youth protection perspective in the case of TikTok: the app is designed in such a way that you are automatically redirected from video to video. And since the videos are so short, you as a viewer quickly think "Oh, that sounds funny, I'll finish watching that". A vicious circle that can lead to addiction.
However, despite all the criticism, the psychology behind the technology is fascinating. For online courses or e-learning, we can learn from TikTok to create good connections between content and to continuously guide participants through the course. And here the circle of tips closes again: This works best with short videos that are self-contained and build on each other.
What do you learn from TikTok – and from this article?
"The world consists of those who set something in motion, those who watch something happen, and those who ask what happened." – Norman R. Augustine (Manager and Engineer in the Aerospace Industry)
My extra tip and the reason for this article is: Be open to the unknown, even if it seems bad/absurd or outside your world at first glance. Besides TikTok, there are other trends that evidently excite people. And as a further educator, it is always worth digging into what excites people.
Info page
Create videos for online courses
Now it's your turn! If you're looking for tips and tricks for easy video shoots (via smartphone!), check out our info page, which is filled to the brim. And take the first step now for more interaction and motivation in e-learning!
To the info page "Create videos for online courses"
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