Tiktok as a Digital Classroom Resource

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Here is the tutorial you have all been waiting for: Tiktok! I had so much fun making my Tiktok for our class activity last week, and it seemed like many others enjoyed it, so I thought I would share some of what I know about the app, how to make a video and some ideas for how it can be used in the classroom.

(This is my Tiktok from class, give me a follow @abbyjeri!)

What is Tiktok? 

Tiktok is an app and website where users can watch or create short videos. Videos can either be 15 seconds or 1 minute long and soon all users will be able to make 3 minute long videos as well. What sets Tiktok apart from other video-posting apps is its use of “sounds,” which can be anything from songs to movie or TV quotes or just quotes from other Tiktokts. You can copy and paste a sound from other videos on the app, which makes it very easy for trends and dances associated with specific songs or lines to go viral.

Where should I start?

If you don’t have a Tiktok account, I highly recommend downloading it and watching some videos to get a feel for it. When you first download the app, you get to choose some categories of videos for you to watch first. The more videos you watch and like, the more tailored towards your taste your videos become over time. These videos show up on your “For You Page,” and will come from a random assortment of creators, but you can also follow specific accounts you like and watch those on your “Following” feed.

How can I use Tiktok as an educator? 

There is a very large group of educators creating videos on Tiktok, also known as “Teacher Tiktok.” Some accounts are from teachers who are making videos about their day-to-day lives as teachers, discussing best practices, and giving advice to each other. Some of my favorite Teacher Tiktokers that I follow who fall into this category are @thejaysalazar and @mandi.jung . There are also teachers (and non-teachers!) who make specific videos to teach viewers about their content. Some of my favorite content-specific creators are @hankgreen1 for (mostly) science, @planetmoney for economics (from the NPR podcast of the same name), and @washingtonpost (yes, that Washington Post!) for current events. 

@thejaysalazaar

@hankgreen1

I have learned a lot from watching other educators on Tiktok. Sometimes I just find new practices for me to try in my own class, or sometimes I see a new activity or topic to bring up and try on my own. I have made a few of my own Tiktoks, and you may want to try making your own Tiktoks to also share your own experiences as a teacher or more information about your subject! 

Another way to utilize Tiktok in the classroom is to have your students create their own. From my personal experience, most of my 7th-grade students are active on Tiktok and are familiar with many of the trends and songs. Even if they do not have their own account, many have seen Tiktok videos reposted to other websites, or are at least generally familiar with the format of a Tiktok. It can be a great platform to have students try to summarize a concept in a short format that is visually appealing. It is also a great way for students to collaborate with each other and have fun engaging with a platform they are already familiar with in a new way! For an example of an account that creates the types of videos, I think students would do well with, check out @sparknotes_  , which is an account by the website of the same name that gives summaries and analysis of literature. Many of the videos on the account follow current Tiktok video trends and apply them to literature. I love this account because it requires the students to have an understanding of a text in order to make fun of it or use it with a trend.

 
@sparknotes_

How do I make a Tiktok? 

I made a 10-minute video going over some of the basics of creating a Tiktok on your own! This is not meant to be all-encompassing, and I encourage you to play around with it yourself but feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Good luck!

(Raw link to video tutorial on my Google Drive, please reach out if you cannot access the video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VOkTzefo2pDSUutJIvfS1TjQ6dF8_t39/view?usp=sharing) 

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