Increasing Interest in Science Concepts among Primary School Students through Tiktok

Abstract

This study examined the increase in interest in science concepts among primary school students through TikTok. In an era of rapid development of educational technology, there is a need to improve science teaching approaches that can attract students' attention. The main objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of TikTok as a learning tool in increasing students' interest in science. This study used a quantitative approach involving 321 randomly selected primary school students in Malaysia. Descriptive statistical analysis showed that the average interest in science increased slightly after using TikTok, from 3.50 to 3.55. Factors contributing to the increase in interest included preference and excitement for content (r = .676), attractive visual effects (r = .570), social interaction (r = .578), and scientific activities and professional interests (r = .463). Regression showed preference and excitement for TikTok as the most significant predictor of science interest (β = .526), ​​followed by visual effects (β = .241), social interaction (β = .215), and scientific activities (β = .083). Although the increase in interest was statistically significant (p = .018), the effect was small (Cohen’s d = -0.132). The study concluded that TikTok has the potential to be an innovative and fun learning platform, but its effectiveness in increasing scientific interest requires a more strategic content approach.