Uses of Science Popularization Videos on Social Media and their Effects on Involvement in Science Learning Activities

The purpose of the study was to examine a gratification seeking and audience activity model within an informal learning context described by the connectivism learning theory for the digital age. The study assumed both direct influence of motives and attitudes on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities, and indirect influence through users’ activity before and during exposure to science popularization videos on Facebook and YouTube.
An online survey questionnaire was used to collect data from a purposive sample of 408 Egyptian social media users who watch science popularization videos regularly, and are aged from 13 to less than 43.
As a result of the structural equation modeling of the data, instrumental motives and affinity attitude had a positive direct influence on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities, and a positive indirect influence through higher intentionality before exposure and selectivity before exposure. Ritualized motives had no direct influence on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities, yet it had an indirect negative influence on it through reduced selectivity. Realism attitude had a direct negative influence on it as well as indirect negative influence through reduced selectivity. Cognitive involvement had no significant mediating effect for any of the independent variables on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities.
Overall, the study largely supported the validity of gratification seeking and audience activity model within informal learning context described by the connectivism. Motives and attitudes significantly predicted post-viewing involvement in science learning activities. The proposition that audience activity is an important mediating variable in media uses and effects was confirmed.