TikTok and Adult Education: Just for Kids?

I will be honest: TikTok has never appealed to me. I have always associated it with dance challenges, comedy skits, and teenagers lip-syncing to trending audio. As an adult, educator, and researcher, I never saw myself as the target audience. That is why, when this week’s topic brought up TikTok as a platform for adult learning, I paused to reflect: Am I missing something?

The hashtag #LearnOnTikTok has amassed billions of views. In fact, TikTok officially launched the #LearnOnTikTok initiative in 2020, backed by a $50 million fund to support educational creators (TikTok Newsroom, 2020). However, this led me to wonder: Are adults really using TikTok to learn? A 2024 Pew Research Center study shows that 33% of U.S. adults aged 30 to 49 use TikTok. Among younger adults (ages 18–29), that number jumps to 62%. While it is clear that TikTok still skews young, one-third of adults in their 30s and 40s using the platform is not insignificant (Auxier et al., 2024). However, what does “learning” look like on TikTok? When I explored the #LearnOnTikTok hashtag, I encountered mini-tutorials on Excel, 60-second history lessons, cooking hacks, financial advice, sign language tips, and even academic concepts. The content is bite-sized, visual, and fast—perfectly tailored for short attention spans or busy schedules.

This aligns with what Zgheib and Dabbagh (2020) found in their study on Social Media Learning Activities (SMLA): when thoughtfully integrated, social media tools can support learning and promote a range of cognitive processes. Still, their research also showed that many instructors struggle to design activities that take full advantage of these platforms’ interactive affordances. I would say that the danger lies in using social media superficially or simply as a place to post content without fostering authentic engagement. Because of this, I have my skepticism. As someone raised in more structured learning environments, I find it hard to imagine that real, meaningful adult education can happen through 30-second videos. That may be why I have never been drawn to the app. I worry that the fast-scrolling nature of TikTok may simulate learning more than it supports, delivering information without reflection or critical thinking.

I also recognize that Bruns’ (2008) concept of produsage—where users are both producers and consumers of knowledge—might thrive in a platform like TikTok. Adults who engage with content consume knowledge and remix it, respond to it, and share their experiences. This creates a dynamic form of informal learning that is personal and networked.

So maybe TikTok is not just for kids. Nevertheless, for it to truly serve adult learners, content creators, and educators must design experiences that go beyond entertainment, tapping into deeper cognitive engagement and inviting reflection. Otherwise, TikTok may remain what it feels like to many adults: just noise in the scroll.

See you soon!

The Great Gatsby


References

Auxier, B., Perrin, A., & Rainie, L. (2024). Social Media Use in 2024. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org

Bruns, A. (2008). Blogs, Wikipedia, Second Life, and beyond: From production to produsage. Peter Lang.

TikTok Newsroom. (2020). Introducing the TikTok Creative Learning Fund. https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Zgheib, G. E., & Dabbagh, N. (2020). Social media learning activities (SMLA): Implications for design. Online Learning, 24(1), 50–66. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i1.1967

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