TikTok, Learning, and Spirituality: The Ambivalence of Social Media toward the Learning Effectiveness of Christian Religious Education Students

Abstract

This study is motivated by the increasing use of TikTok among adolescents, where the platform no longer functions merely as entertainment but also as a social, educational, and spiritual space. In the educational context, this condition raises an important question about how TikTok influences students’ learning effectiveness, particularly in Christian Religious Education. This study aims to analyze the intensity of TikTok use, its impact on learning effectiveness, and the factors that encourage its use among Grade XI-12 students at SMA Negeri 1 Palangka Raya. This study employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design. The research subjects consisted of one Christian Religious Education teacher and thirteen students selected purposively. Data were collected through interviews, observation, and documentation, and were analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal three main results: (1) TikTok has become part of students’ digital routines, with a relatively high intensity of use; (2) TikTok has an ambivalent impact on learning effectiveness because it can support students’ understanding of learning materials while also reducing concentration and learning discipline; and (3) students’ use of TikTok is driven by complex motives, including entertainment, social interaction, self-expression, education, e-commerce, and spirituality. The finding on spirituality as one of the motives for TikTok use represents an important novelty of this study. This study concludes that TikTok needs to be understood as a multidimensional digital space that can serve as both an opportunity and a challenge in learning. Future research is recommended to expand the range of participants, employ a mixed-methods approach, and develop a more contextual digital literacy model.