Postgraduate Student Experiences of Using YouTube as a Research Tool for Learning

Abstract

YouTube has been a useful educational software tool for teaching and learning. However, there is a need to investigate YouTube as a tool for research at postgraduate level. Through a qualitative case study, five master's students' experiences of YouTube as a research tool for learning are explored. Data were generated using reflective journals and semi-structured interviews. Framed by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that students used YouTube to follow step-by-step instructions about research-related processes and to learn how to navigate other digital technologies. Others viewed YouTube as a social platform that was unhelpful and time-consuming. The study recommends that students reflect on their personal learning identities in order to evaluate the usefulness of YouTube in their postgraduate studies.