Exploring Informal Learning Opportunities via YouTube Kids among Children During COVID-19

Magdeline M.  Temban; Tan Kim  Hua; Nur Ehsan  Mohd Said

doi:10.36941/ajis-2021-0083

Authors

Magdeline M. Temban Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Tan Kim Hua Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Nur Ehsan Mohd Said Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2021-0083

Keywords:

Children, COVID-19, Informal Learning, technology, YouTube Kids

Abstract

Education has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Children are becoming restless and stressed upon adjusting to emergent learning. An online platform that can regulate informal learning opportunities and entertainment for children during the worldwide crisis is needed. This need points towards the potential use of YouTube Kids (YTK); the app is age-appropriate and it offers popular videos with diverse contents. Studies have focused on the safety of YTK, but none has explored how young users could navigate their informal learning through the app. Fifty respondents aged 11 to 12 from a rural school in Sarawak, Malaysia participated in this study. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study incorporated an online questionnaire and semi-structured group interviews as research instruments. Findings indicated distinctive features concerning the safety and multimodality of YTK. These features make YTK a great informal learning tool for children during present worldwide pandemic.

Received: 25 January 2021 / Accepted: 24 March 2021 / Published: 10 May 2021