Seeking a Sense of Meaning and Companionship in Life: Informal Learning on Douyin Among Chinese Older Adults

This study examines how Chinese older adults leverage Douyin, a short video platform, for informal learning purposes, analyzing their usage patterns, motivations, and encountered challenges. Although Douyin was not explicitly designed with educational features, it has emerged as a significant informal learning platform for this demographic. Through a qualitative investigation comprising participant observations and semi-structured interviews with 17 participants, we reveal the distinctive learning experience that Douyin facilitates. The platform's unique combination of short-form videos, live streaming capabilities, and interactive community features creates an engaging learning environment that particularly resonates with older adults. Our findings demonstrate that participants derive substantial social-emotional benefits beyond knowledge acquisition, including strengthened social connections, enhanced companionship, and a reinforced sense of purpose through their Douyin engagement. These social-emotional aspects emerge as crucial factors driving older adults' selection of Douyin as their preferred learning platform. By providing comprehensive insights into older adults' engagement with digital platforms for lifelong learning, this research offers valuable implications for HCI, particularly in understanding how technology can be optimized to support the learning needs of older populations.