TikTok as a Cognitive Scaffold: Exploring the Mechanisms of Gen Z's Self-Directed Learning in Algorithm-Driven Informal Spaces

Abstract

This study focuses on an integrated education chain composed of university students, primary and secondary school students affiliated with a university in Shanghai and its education group. It investigates the mechanisms through which the algorithmic architecture of the short video platform TikTok (Douyin) functions as a cognitive scaffold influencing the self-directed learning behaviors of Generation Z. An empirical study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach with a sample of 500 students from primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. The findings reveal that Gen Z primarily engages in self-directed learning in informal settings through three main pathways: micro-skill acquisition, cultural literacy navigation, and algorithmic peer support. Compared to formal e-learning platforms, TikTok demonstrates significantly higher levels of engagement in terms of both frequency and duration. Its core technological features: micro-formatting, reward loops, and the amplification of psychological effects through the PRIME mechanism work together to enhance learning motivation by reinforcing immediate feedback. However, further analysis shows that while TikTok's technological functions can increase motivation, they also tend to narrow the range of information users are exposed to, leading to a cognitive tunnel effect. Prolonged use may negatively affect the development of cognitive resilience. Based on these findings, the study calls for the construction of algorithmic scaffolding frameworks that are grounded in educational responsibility. It advocates for transforming entertainment-oriented short video platforms like TikTok into open, education-oriented ecosystems for self-directed learning, thereby reimagining the ecology of informal learning in the digital age.