Vocabulary Learning via Social Media: A Descriptive Qualitative Study of University Students’ Experiences with TikTok

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge underpins English proficiency, yet vocabulary learning in Indonesian universities is often treated as conscious memorization, while students are exposed to abundant English through social media. This study explores how undergraduate EFL students experience incidental vocabulary acquisition through TikTok and how the platform’s multimodal affordances (short-form video, audio, captions, subtitles, visual context, repetition, and algorithmic recommendations) shape their vocabulary understanding, retention, and autonomous learning. Using a descriptive qualitative design, the study involves eight students of Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, purposively selected for their active TikTok use and regular exposure to English content. Data are collected through a screening questionnaire and semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. Trustworthiness is supported by member checking, peer debriefing, thick description, and an audit trail. Six themes are anticipated: authentic contextualized exposure, multimodal support for form-meaning links, algorithmic repetition and retention, enjoyment and motivation, learner-initiated strategies, and challenges of distraction, unreliable content, fast speech, and excessive screen time. Rather than a substitute for formal instruction, TikTok is viewed as an informal mobile-assisted learning environment whose benefits depend on learners’ motivation, attention, self-regulation, and critical digital literacy. The study offers context-specific evidence and pedagogical implications for integrating students’ everyday digital practices into vocabulary instruction