TIKTOK AS AN EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM TO ENHANCE ESL LEARNERS’ AUTONOMY AND MOTIVATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.829058Keywords:
TikTok in ESL Education, Learner Autonomy, Self-Determination Theory, Motivation, Qualitative StudyAbstract
The integration of social media into English as a Second Language (ESL) education has received growing scholarly attention due to its potential to promote learner-centered and autonomy-supportive learning environments. Among emerging platforms, TikTok has gained prominence; however, limited qualitative research has examined learners lived experiences of TikTok integration in higher education ESL contexts. Grounded in Learner Autonomy Theory and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this exploratory qualitative study investigates ESL learners’ perceptions of TikTok-based activities in fostering autonomy and intrinsic motivation. The study was conducted over a 14-week semester in a Malaysian higher education institution, where structured TikTok-based speaking and content-creation tasks were systematically integrated into classroom instruction. Data were collected through written reflective responses to four open-ended questions and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis. Findings indicate that TikTok-based content creation provided a supportive and low-anxiety learning environment, enhanced speaking fluency through iterative practice and self-reflection, and strengthened learners’ sense of autonomy through content choice and ownership. The study contributes qualitative insights into technology-mediated language learning and provides pedagogical implications for fostering autonomous and intrinsically motivated ESL learners.
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