Effectiveness of TikTok in Enhancing Students' Communication Skills: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

TikTok has become a popular social media among students. However, its impact on communication skills remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the effectiveness of TikTok in enhancing students' communication skills. The investigation analyzed 30 studies from 2021 to 2025 with 34 valid datasets and a total sample of 2367. Findings revealed that TikTok had a very large and significant effect (g = 1.337, p < .001) on students' communication skills. However, due to substantial heterogeneity and publication bias, the meta-analytic estimates were adjusted with a range of 0.814 to 1.104, still indicating a significant and large effect. Additionally, geographical region, duration, and grade level significantly moderate the effects of TikTok, while class size, blinding of assessment, and communication skills showed no moderation. Subgroup analysis suggested that TikTok was more effective in Southeast Asian settings, with longer duration (2-4 weeks, 5-7 weeks, >8 weeks), class sizes of 1-30 and 31-50, and in the following levels (middle school, high school, and university) for both oral and written communication skills. Content analysis revealed five (5) challenges in TikTok implementation: time constraints, distraction and addiction, technical skills and teacher workload, technical issues and self-management, and content quality and relevance. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for teachers and research scholars to enhance the integration of TikTok in education.