TikTok in Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities
Abstract
TikTok has increasingly influenced educational contexts as a global social media phenomenon. However, limited systematic analysis exists regarding its academic applications and research trends, necessitating a comprehensive examination of existing literature to understand current developments and identify research gaps. This study aims to explore TikTok’s emerging role in education by revealing trends, challenges, and thematic directions. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 225 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2024, extracted from the Web of Science database. Data visualization and network analysis were performed using VOSviewer software and the bibliometrix R package to identify publication patterns, citation networks, and thematic clusters. The findings reveal growing academic interest across disciplines, with TikTok playing a significant role in micro-learning, health education, and informal pedagogy. The platform fosters participatory and learner-centred practices while raising concerns about misinformation and algorithmic bias. Therefore, while TikTok holds transformative potential for education, these issues must be critically addressed. Future research could incorporate regional databases, broader keyword strategies, and mixed-method approaches to gain deeper qualitative insights and enhance understanding of TikTok’s educational impact.
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