Measuring the Impact and Reach of Informal Educational Videos on YouTube: The Case of Scientific Animations Without Borders

Abstract

Given the popularity, reach, and variable accessibility of online platforms as channels for informal education by higher-education institutions (HEIs), it becomes practically and theoretically important to better understand the factors that affect the impact and reach of any such Internet-delivered ICT informal learning. Accordingly, this study analysed viewer data from one informal, science animation educational channel on the currently the most-watched online platform, YouTube, to measure characteristics affecting the videos’ impact and reach. Results from the study identified the most watched videos on the channel—including survival gardening using drip irrigation, charcoal water filtration, and tuberculosis prevention—and characteristic demand, time, location, and volume of video access. While the basic findings reaffirm prior research measuring statistically significant correlations between user-activity and YouTube engagement metrics (including watch time, view counts, likes, and subscribes), they also disclose critical inferential gaps around such data (especially for demographics). Offering some measure of insights for boosting HEI participation in informal educational science animation and ICT learning practices using platforms like YouTube—especially around the topics of water, agriculture, food security, and improved health outcomes—the findings also point to where improved methods for reaching the intended recipients of informal education online are needed to best leverage the potential of such platforms.