Pre-service CEIT teachers’ preferred YouTube use motives, engagements, video categories, and differences by gender

ABSTRACT

Present study investigates the motives that pre-service computer education and instructional technologies (CEIT) teachers employ while deciding on the level, type, way of engagement with and the length of YouTube videos that they watch. The investigation is based on the various demographic variables such as gender and content creation status. Non-experimental comparative and descriptive designs are utilized for the purposes of the study. 253 pre-service CEIT teachers took part in the study after being selected purposively depending on their YouTube experience Results of the study revealed that the dominant motive of pre-service CEIT teachers in deciding on which YouTube video to watch is “information seeking” and that they show passive engagement in watching existing content on YouTube and reading related comments. While both YouTube use motives differ by gender, YouTube engagement and content creation status appeared not to vary as much. The most striking finding of the study is about the duration of watching instructive videos, as these videos with different features were found to be viewed by participants for 5–10, 10–20, or 30+ minutes. Present study also recommends some implications about how to develop instructive video content and the appropriate YouTube video length.

KEYWORDS:

• YouTube use motive
• YouTube engagement
• instructive video
• video length
• teacher education

Highlights

• The main YouTube use motives is information seeking

• Pre-service CEIT teachers show passive engagement in YouTube

• YouTube use motives differs by gender

• Gender makes no difference in viewing durations of instructive videos in YouTube

• Gender makes difference in viewing duration of entertaining videos in YouTube

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participating pre-service teachers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Özlem Baydaş Önlü

Ozlem Baydas Onlu is currently an associate professor at the Department of Computer Education & Instructional Technology at Giresun University, in Turkey. She has completed her Ph.D. degree in Department of Computer Education from Ataturk University in Turkey. Her research interests are in the computer-based instruction, ICT integration (PhD. thesis subject), Structural Equational Models, educational statistics, 3D virtual worlds, instructional design and research methods.

Sevda Küçük

Sevda Kucukis an associate professor doctor at the Department of Computer Education & Instructional Technology at Ataturk University. Her research interests are in the augmented reality technology, mobile learning, technology integration, educational robotics, teacher education, distance education, instructional design, instructional strategies, and research methods.

Canan Çolak Yakar

Canan Çolak Yakar is an assistant professor doctor at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in Educational Sciences at Giresun University. She earned her PhD degree from the Department of Computer Education & Instructional Technology at Anadolu University in Turkey. Her research interests are online risks, digital safety, digital competencies, teacher education, ICT integration, instructional design, and qualitative data analysis.