Let’s be honest—when you think of TikTok, teaching isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But the reality is, TikTok teaching has become a huge trend, with educators all over the world using the platform to engage students in new and creative ways. From bite-sized lessons to clever challenges, TikTok is reshaping how we think about classroom content.
If you’re a teacher who’s curious but unsure where to start, you’re not alone. The idea of TikTok teaching might feel a little outside the box, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s a chance to try something different, keep students on their toes, and maybe even have some fun while you’re at it.
TikTok Teaching: Creative Ways to Bring TikTok into the Classroom
TikTok teaching taps into students’ love for short, visually engaging content. As a teacher, you can leverage this platform to break the monotony of traditional lessons and bring a fresh, interactive element to your classroom. Below are several practical ways to use TikTok in your teaching, paired with examples that show how it can spark engagement.
Research indicates that TikTok can be an effective educational tool. A significant number of students (about 25%) use the platform for educational purposes, with many reporting that it has helped them with homework and learning new concepts
Moreover, TikTok has been found to be particularly useful for language learning, quick math tricks, and other educational tips, allowing teachers to reach students in a format they enjoy and frequently use.
1. Using TikTok Videos as Micro-Lessons
TikTok videos are perfect for addressing short attention spans. Since they go viral by hooking viewers within the first few seconds, they can be great for grabbing and holding students’ attention. You can incorporate existing TikTok videos from educational creators into your lessons to explain concepts quickly or spark discussions. TikTok’s content library covers everything from science experiments to math hacks, so you can find videos that fit almost any subject.
Practical Uses
- Integrate TikTok videos into your lessons to demonstrate concepts, provide real-life examples, or reinforce key topics.
- Use TikTok videos as warm-up activities or to recap previously learned material.
- Encourage students to watch educational TikToks as part of their homework or flipped classroom activities.
Example
- Show a TikTok video explaining how magnets work or how to balance chemical equations during a science lesson.
- Play a viral video explaining the Pythagorean theorem and ask students to break down the process as a class.
Bonus Interactive Tip
- ClassPoint’s Embedded Browser: Use ClassPoint’s embedded browser to play TikTok videos live during presentations without needing to download or save them. This feature keeps your presentations smooth and prevents any lagging caused by heavy video files.
ClassPoint is a direct PowerPoint add-in that sits right on your PowerPoint ribbon as a new tab, packed with interactive features such as quizzes, slide show tools, gamification, and even AI. No more juggling in between different apps.
- ClassPoint Whiteboards and Live Annotation Tools: After watching a TikTok video, use ClassPoint’s whiteboard and live annotation tools to facilitate a classroom discussion. Simply insert a whiteboard on the spot, and use the live inking tools—like pens, text boxes, and shapes—to note down students’ thoughts or reflections. This engages students by visually showing their contributions in real time, making them feel involved in the discussion.
Check out our rundown on the best microlearning apps for modern educators to engage modern learners.
2. TikTok Challenges for Active Learning
TikTok challenges bring an element of competition and creativity to learning. These challenges involve students completing a task or answering a question through TikTok’s video format, transforming passive learners into active participants. Students get a chance to engage with the material in a way that’s both fun and educational.
Practical Uses
- Use challenges to encourage students to engage with lesson topics, encouraging them to research, summarize, or demonstrate a concept in a short video.
- Assign challenges that require students to collaborate, share, and respond to each other’s TikToks, promoting peer learning.
- Encourage creativity by letting students interpret challenges in their own unique ways, fostering deeper connections with the material.
Example
- Launch a “Science in 60 Seconds” challenge where students explain a scientific process or experiment within one minute.
- Set up a “Math Hack” challenge, where students create TikToks showing shortcuts to solving common math problems.
Bonus Interactive Tip
- ClassPoint Quick Poll: To add a competitive element, play the TikTok challenges live and allow the class to vote for the best submission. You can use ClassPoint’s quick poll with various polling options, such as True/False, Yes/No/Unsure, feedback scales, or custom options. In this case, use the custom options to assign up to six contenders and have students vote for their favorite.
Getting Students to Join the Poll:
- Start by launching ClassPoint in slideshow mode.
- Let your students join via classpoint.app using the class code displayed on the top right corner of your screen.
- Click on the Quick Poll icon from your slideshow toolbar, select custom options, and input the number of contenders you want in the poll.
- The poll will be sent to students’ devices, and their responses will be collected and displayed in real time, allowing for an immediate winner announcement.
3. Student-Led TikTok Projects
While TikTok challenges are more guided and competitive, student-led projects allow for more freedom and creativity. In this format, students take the reins in creating TikTok videos that reflect their understanding of a topic. This could be a long-term project or a one-time assignment where students have full control over the content, style, and presentation.
Practical Uses:
- Assign a project where students independently create a TikTok video explaining a concept or presenting their research.
- Use TikTok as a platform for students to showcase their final projects, encouraging them to creatively express their knowledge.
- Have students work in groups to create a TikTok series on a topic, with each student contributing their own video.
Example:
- A group of students creates a TikTok mini-series explaining the solar system, with each video focusing on a different planet.
- A student records a video summarizing a historical event using music, visuals, and narration to bring the lesson to life.
Bonus Interactive Tip:
- ClassPoint’s Video Upload Feature: Let students upload their TikTok projects directly into your PowerPoint using ClassPoint’s Video Upload feature.
How to run a ClassPoint Video Upload activity
- Create a question slide with a prompt for students to upload their video projects.
- From the Inknoe ClassPoint tab on your PowerPoint ribbon, add the Video Upload button.
- Run the slideshow and invite students to join your class using ClassPoint.
- Click the Video Upload button you inserted, which sends the activity to your students’ devices.
- Receive the videos back in real-time and review them directly within PowerPoint. You can even download the videos for future reference.
- ClassPoint’s Gamification Tools: Reward students for their submissions using ClassPoint’s gamification features. You can award stars to students based on their video submissions, allowing them to level up and earn badges that display on their devices. Track their performance using the leaderboard, where you can visualize and celebrate top-performing students.
Top TikTok Teaching Hashtags for Educators
To make the most out of TikTok’s vast content library, teachers can explore popular hashtags that are tailored to educational purposes. These hashtags help you discover trends, teaching hacks, and creative approaches that can easily be adapted to your classroom. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, tips, or just a community of like-minded educators, these hashtags will be your gateway:
- #TeachTok: The go-to hashtag for teaching tips, creative lesson ideas, and inspiration for educators.
- #EduTok: Focused on educational content, this hashtag is perfect for discovering short-form learning videos, teacher experiences, and tech in the classroom.
- #StudyTok: More student-focused, but teachers can still use it to see how students are learning and organizing their study habits.
- #TeachersOfTikTok: A community-driven hashtag where teachers share relatable content, challenges, and their day-to-day classroom moments.
- #EdTech: Stay updated on educational technology trends and how teachers are integrating tech tools in their teaching.
- #LearnOnTikTok: A broad hashtag that showcases both students and educators sharing knowledge on various subjects in bite-sized videos.
- #TeacherLife: A fun hashtag to connect with other teachers, with posts highlighting the ups and downs of the teaching profession.
- #TeacherHack: Discover classroom hacks and tips for streamlining tasks, managing students, and organizing your classroom more efficiently.
- #ClassroomManagement: Posts under this hashtag provide useful strategies and tips to handle different classroom scenarios.
- #TeacherHumor: For a laugh, this hashtag is filled with relatable and lighthearted teacher content to help you decompress after a long day.
- #TeacherMotivation: A motivational hashtag that provides encouragement, self-care tips, and reminders for teachers to stay energized.
Food for Thought
As TikTok continues to grow, its potential as a learning platform is only beginning to be tapped. The app’s ability to blend creativity, engagement, and education makes it a powerful tool for teachers to explore new teaching methods, connect with students on a more relatable level, and share their insights with a global community of educators. With features like viral trends, easy video creation, and a highly interactive format, TikTok could soon play an even bigger role in shaping the future of digital learning.
By integrating TikTok with engagement tools like ClassPoint, teachers can take it a step further. Incorporating live polls, video uploads, and interactive features within your presentations can deepen student involvement and transform these TikTok ideas into fully engaging classroom experiences. So why not give it a try and see how it can enrich your teaching experience and student engagement!
