The Focus on Students’ Attention! Does TikTok’s EduTok Initiative Propose an Alternative Perspective to the Design of Institutional Learning Environments?

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a literature-based review of the current state of knowledge with regards to digital media and technology applications in learning environments. A systematic literature review of 27 sources was conducted to capture the current state of research and implementation of digital media and digital technology in learning environments. Findings exposed that scholars and learning practitioners alike apply a constructivist approach to shaping learning environments, yet almost all fall short to consider students’ natural attention bias while assuming an exclusive focus on the learning environment. This paper follows to contrast the rapid growth of EduTok, TikTok’s learning initiative to the digital media application of established learning institutions. The later provides a new perspective to re-evaluate the current state of digital media application in learning environments to propose an alternate framework for the application of digital media in learning environments by considering the so far neglected factor of attention arbitrage.