Abstract:
Short videos have gradually replaced traditional book learning in language learning because of
the emergence of modern self-media. TikTok/YouTube Shorts is a rapidly expanding digital
platform that has evolved into an educational tool for students creating online microlearning
environments. This study aims to investigate how Sri Lankan undergraduates engage these platforms
for independent Chinese language learning, emphasizing their motivation, engagement
levels, and attitudes. The research is grounded in Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and Mayer’s Cognitive
Theory of Multimedia Learning, which together frame how short-video content supports
foreign language input, interaction, and multimedia processing. A mixed-methods design was
employed. Participants (n = 40) were selected through random sampling from undergraduates
aged 20–25 years, studying Chinese language at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. According
to the results, 88% of students in the target group spend more than 3 hours per day on
their mobile phones, while only 44% regularly attend physical language classes. The majority
of these students primarily use mobile platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts,
indicating a strong preference for short-form and visually engaging content. This indicates a
valuable opportunity to repurpose students’ screen time for effective language self-learning,
by integrating pedagogically sound materials into the digital environments they frequent. The
study addresses four key questions: specifically, how do students utilize short-video content to
facilitate Chinese language learning? What motivates their use of these platforms? What are
their attitudes toward short-video-based learning? What benefits and challenges do they perceive
in using such tools independently? Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using
structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and the data were analyzed through
descriptive and thematic analysis. The data collection focused on usage frequency, content
preferences, self-reported improvements in language skills, motivational factors, and perceived
barriers. Additionally, secondary sources such as relevant journal articles and prior research
were reviewed to contextualize the findings. The study offers valuable insights for language
educators, curriculum developers, and educational technology stakeholders by identifying effective
strategies for integrating short-video content into Chinese language instruction. It contributes
to the design of learner-centered pedagogical approaches, informs policy discussions on
informal digital learning trends, and empowers students to make more purposeful and strategic
use of short-video platforms to support their language development.
