Abstract

The role of technology in the early education of children has gained prominence recently, with special reference to YouTube as a key platform for informal learning. Kids YouTube channels, designed specifically for children, offer a wide range of educational content through numerous channels. Lecture videos, tutorials, informational videos, and Vlogs contribute to children's learning experiences. Nonetheless, YouTube also serves as a valuable tool for children, enabling them to learn diverse subjects on a daily basis, including language skills, social norms, behavioral patterns, and religious and psychological understanding.This study kept a questionnaire as a data collection tool & conducted a survey among the working women of Hazara University. The findings revealed that children preferred to watch cartoons via the Kids YouTube channel for 3-6 hours using their mobile phones. They also use kids' YouTube channels for a number of informal learning including social learning, behavioral learning, academic learning, and Language learning.

Key Words

Informal Learning, Social Media, Kids YouTube Channels, Social and Behavioral learning, Academic learning

Introduction

The rise of digital media and the internet have drastically changed the way children consume information and entertainment. YouTube, in particular, has become a widely used platform for children of all ages to access to a wide variety of content, including educational videos and games, which can serve as a valuable resource for informal learning. Among this content, many popular YouTube channels are created specifically for kids and are designed to teach them new skills, expose them to new ideas, and entertain them. However, despite the potential benefits of such channels, there is a lack of research on how parents perceive the use of these channels by their children.

The digital media use of children for the last couple of years has increased due to the increasing opportunities in technology and social media applications (Rideout, 2010). They use these platforms to communicate with friends, share personal information and access information. 

A video-sharing website called YouTube has gained popularity all around the world since it was founded in 2005 (Wikipedia, 2018). Users of YouTube may submit and watch videos, as well as review, share, and comment on them. They can also subscribe to the channels of other users (Wikipedia, 2018). It was ranked as the second-most popular website in the world as of July 2018. YouTube is basically a video sharing site, but Boyed and Ellison (2007) included it in the list of social networking media. YouTube according to Lange’s (2018) has been widely used to privately share videos on the issues of public concern mainly for attracting people and getting popularity among the users.

Children may view a variety of stuff on YouTube, whether they are doing their homework or school work or using it for fun and pleasure. YouTube got dozens of channels that post kid-friendly videos like Unboxing, Challenge Videos and Game Videos in addition to informative ones. The most popular types of these videos favored by 3--7 years old children have been identified as cartoons, animations, amusing videos, music videos, gaming lessons (Knorr, 2020).  According to a recent study on marketing, YouTube is the brand that American youngsters in general are most familiar with (Eickhoff & de Vries, 2010). They added that more than 80% of the youngsters aged 6 - 12 who responded to a survey on YouTube usage said that they were familiar with it and that they used it frequently. Around 65 percent of the kids who took part in the study accessed YouTube often (Eickhoff & de Vries, 2010).

The YouTube Kids platform, an application that is comparable to YouTube but targeted towards young children, seems to be preferred by young children and their families. As a result, YouTube Kids has "a comprehensive suite of parental controls, so one can adapt the experience to own family's requirements," as stated by its creators. YouTube Kids was developed "to make it safer and simpler for kids to discover the world through online video" (YouTube Kids, 2018).




Informal Learning 

Children's informal learning through YouTube channels refers to the ways in which children can learn and acquire new knowledge, skills, and attitudes through watching videos on YouTube that are created specifically for a child audience. These videos can be educational in nature, such as videos that teach children how to count, spell, or perform basic mathematical operations, or they can be more entertainment-focused, such as videos that feature popular children's characters or toys.

Livingstone (2006) added that Informal learning is the one referred to the type of learning which occurs outside of a regular formal classroom. This type of education can be gained in the forms of watching videos, studying independently & reading articles etc. Students in such a situation set and creates their own objectives. People always learn something in a variety of situations and places. Even, if someone spends their whole day watching television, they are still learning (Boileau, 2019).

Rogers (2014) on the other hand referred informal learning to self-directed, accidental, and inadvertent learning. When a student is aware that learning is happening and has the goal to learn, self-directed learning takes place. Further, highlighting the fact that self-directed learning occurs independently of the assistance of classmates, parents, or teachers. Accidental learning is the second category of informal learning. Although, the learner only becomes aware of this sort of learning after successfully completing the job at hand, it occurs even when the learner has no intention of learning. Inadvertent or unintentional learning is the third type of informal learning (socialization). This method of learning acknowledges that learning continues even when the learner lacks the will or awareness to do so. It may be obvious soon after the learning encounter or years afterwards that inadvertent learning has taken place. Unintentional learning is frequently "unanticipated or unstructured," and the learner seldom acknowledges it (Viberg et al., 2018).

Children are frequently allowed to learn at their own pace and on their own time frame, which is a crucial aspect of their informal learning via YouTube channels. This contrasts with more structured learning settings, like schools, where kids are usually expected to follow an educational programme or study at a pace determined by the teacher. 

Following are few of the key informal learning objectives of this study.




Social Learning 

YouTube videos are the sources of social skills learning for kids when they see children interacting each other in a variety of situation they try to learning through those videos. It is through these videos where they see other children participating & engaging in different social activities they try to learn and create teamwork, collaboration, and other vital social skills. Watching movies of other ethnicities & origins do also help kids to learn more about diverse cultures and norms.




Behavioral Learning

Online videos via YouTube have been observed as the best source of behavioral learning for kids especially videos designed for kids help them acquire critical behavioural skills like self-control and self-regulation. Children watch such video with deep interest and thus they learn about controling impulses and emotions. These videos alos help kids to learn good behaviour. They watch videos that show them their role models where they learn from them the art of responsibility, careness and honesty.




Academic Learning

This type of learning may refer to the kids learning of Academic syllabus or other related stuff through watching videos. Educational videos via Kids YouTube channels help children to learn & develop a variety of academic abilities, including science, math, general knowledge etc. Videos with all that basic knowledge like doing math problem, understanding letter, sounds of alphabets, counting number help might assist kids in building success in school. Likewise, movies on science, plants, animals and nature also foster kid’s curiosity related to all these subjects.




Language Learning

Children can also learn a wide range of language skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure, from watching videos on kids YouTube channels. For example, videos that are specifically designed to teach children new words and phrases, or videos that feature songs or rhymes, can help children to develop their vocabulary and language skills. Additionally, videos that feature children's books or storytelling can help children to develop their listening and comprehension skills, as well as their understanding of the structure of language. 

Children of the modern-day societies, are undergoing a technological revolution, especially, after the arrival of smartphones, tablets, desktops & laptops, and various other gaming tools, (Hassan 2016). They sleep with using different social sites on these gadgets and gets up in the morning repeating the same. They are more likely addicted to using these tools on daily basis. According to Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes (2009), approximately 90% of school-age children use the Internet regularly.

Despite the growing popularity and accessibility of social media applications especially “kids YouTube channels” as a source of informal learning for children, little is known about how parents perceive the educational value and potential risks associated with these platforms. The present study, using the qualitative research technique, aimed to understand the usage pattern of Kids YouTube Channels (screen time) of children & their purpose of using KYC. The study also tried to record the parental perception on preferred contents of children on KYC & the nature of learning (Informal) that a child acquires from watching KYC




Research Question

a. What are the usage patterns of KYC among the children?

b. What are the modes of access of the children to KYC?

c. What is the perception of parents regarding the preferred contents of KYC and the nature of learning (Informal) that a child acquires from watching KYC?

Literature Review

It’s been nearly more than a decade since digital media, especially YouTube, has been playing a vital role in children's education and has become a significantly important topic. Lenhart (2015) & Rideout (2017) investigated that YouTube remains a primary source of informal learning for children. They can easily approach a wide variety of educational content, which also includes videos related to different games, which foster their critical thinking, teach them new skills, and aware them of new ideas.

According to Rideout (2017), literature related to this study has majorly focused on TV and other related traditional media outlets in the past. However, contemporary research is seriously focusing on understanding the perception of parents about digital media use (Livingstone, 2006; Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, 2016). These researchers found that there exists mixed feelings among parents about YouTube use by their children. However, many of the parents thought that the platform bears a number of potential and positive impacts on the lives of their children. Parents are of the opinion that the platform helps their children with educational videos and videos related to creative arts & self-expression which eventually help them find their ways in academics and support self-esteem. However, they also have concerns about the risks, like exposure to inappropriate content & the effects of excessive screen time on the physical and mental health of their children.

Manca & Ranieri, (2016) explored that parents either mothers or fathers who have enough media knowledge find social/digital media highly beneficial for their children and they can guide their children more responsibly compared to those who are less literate. Additionally, parents with more media literacy awareness are highly interested in engaging their children in those activities which can help improve their children's media literacy skills. 

 A lack of research studies has been observed especially on the subject related to "parental perceptions of children's informal learning through kids' YouTube channels." Therefore, researchers of this study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the ways in which parents perceive the educational value of kids' YouTube content.

Subrahmanyam and Greenfield (2016) found that people especially children use YouTube for different purposes like Entertainment, social relationships, and Informal learning. Studies have found that children use YouTube for a variety of purposes, including entertainment, social connection, and informal learning (Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, 2016; Rideout, 2017). Informal learning via social media applications like YouTube comprises acquiring new skills, like playing some kind of musical instruments learning a new language, or gaining an understanding of science and history, etc. (Manca & Ranieri, 2016; Manca, et al., 2018; Iosifidis & Bonanni, 2020). Additionally, YouTube also has been a primary source to access educational content for children like coding and robotics (Lenhart, 2015).

According to the findings of researchers like Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, (2016) & Rideout, (2017), the use of YouTube for Informal education among children is highly influenced by their age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Because older children use YouTube to obtain information while younger children use it for entertainment only. Additionally, Rideout (2017) explored that children from low socio-economic positions are more likely to use YouTube for learning, as they may not have access to other educational resources.

 Children use social media applications and digital platforms for passing and enjoying time alongside entertainment, they play games and communicate with friends, family, and peers which leads them to various forms of learning (Martin & Dowson, 2009). These researchers identified media literacy, technological literacy, and content knowledge as three major forms of informal learning one can acquire via using digital platforms.

While putting light on the use and purpose of children's use of YouTube Chen, Liang, and Liang (2018) also found that this use is for a variety of reasons, which include entertainment, education, and social connection. They also pointed out content knowledge, media literacy, and digital literacy where children can learn from YouTube. According to these researchers, children can acquire content knowledge by watching a variety of videos on numerous subjects, like science, history, and mathematics. However, these authors also highlighted the potential risks associated with social application use, like exposure to inappropriate content and the negative effects of excessive screen time. 

Related to media literacy they noted that children can develop media literacy skills, like the ability to use software and hardware tools, via YouTube or other digital platforms. Studies have found that informal learning also helps in acquiring new skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity (Cedefop, 2012; OECD, 2013).

YouTube plays a vital role in informal learning, especially in social, behavioral, academic, and language learning. It enables its users to access thousands of videos related to different forms of learning needs and styles. YouTube has been used as a tool for social learning, where individuals can observe and imitate the behavior of others. According to the findings of Celia B., et al. (2012) seeing videos on social applications like YouTube on alcohol and drug abuse leads to a positive effect on the attitudes and behaviors of young adults towards substance abuse. likewise, these videos helped to change their perceptions related to substance abuse and reduce their likelihood of engaging in such behaviors.

In the current digital world acquiring Informal learning through digital platforms like Facebook or YouTube is highly important for personal and community growth. YouTube, in particular, is a valuable resource for developing technical knowledge and skills, as it continues to grow as an educational content platform (Latchem, 2013). Informal learning environments offer open-ended, non-threatening opportunities for exploration while still being educational and enjoyable (Tan, 2013). This makes YouTube appealing for informal learning as it provides freedom of expression in a minimal barrier setting (Burlington, 2016).

Parents agree that children are drawn to cartoons, as per the theory of multiple intelligences (Prot & Anderson, 2013; Schlembach & Johnson, 2014; Gupta, Bindal, & Dubey, 2018). YouTube is considered by parents as a source of entertainment for their kids, with 10% of YouTube views coming from kids' content (Mulligan, 2016). However, parents must be cautious of the content their kids are accessing on YouTube (Buzzi, 2012).

Research Methodology

The present study aimed to investigate the "Parental perception of children's Informal learning through kids' YouTube channels. “The study used a quantitative approach which is characterized by a systematic process of collecting data, which is essential for obtaining valid and reliable results. To achieve this goal, a survey of 123 Mothers (Faculty members having child/Children of 3-8 years) of Hazara University Mansehra Pakistan is conducted using a structured questionnaire made on 5 5-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was divided into different sections including demographic details, information about usage patterns of KYC among children, and details about informal learning like social, behavioral, academic, and language learning. 

To ensure the accuracy and relevancy of the questionnaire used for data collection, a pilot study is conducted prior to administering the final questionnaire to the targeted population. The researcher prepared a questionnaire with open-ended questions and distributed it among 20 female faculty members of HU having children between 3-8 years. The collected data was analyzed thoroughly, and suitable and accurate categories were identified. A final questionnaire was composed of numerous questions majorly based on research questions which are as follows. 

Regarding the Usage Pattern, the Researchers:

a. asked about the mode of access to KYC.

b. asked questions about the children’s preferred contents on KYC.

c. asked about the Frequency of KYC use.

Regarding Informal Learning, the Researchers First Asked Questions About Social Learning Like:

d. Do you think your child/children is/are learning from KYC, how to meet and greet people?

e. Do you think your child/children/are learning from KYC the skills of making relationships/Friends?

f. Do you think your child/children is/are learning from KYC the social norms like thank you, sorry, speaking quietly and politely, offering help to people in trouble, etc.?

g. Do you feel your child/children is/are familiar with things around them such as house/home, room, kitchen, bathroom, neighbors, foods, games, animals, etc.?

Regarding Informal Learning, the Researchers First Asked Questions About Behavioral Learning Like:

h. Do you feel your child/children is/are learning the language(s) from using KYC?

i. Did you notice that your child is speaking any other language instead of Urdu or your mother tongue?

j. Do you feel that your child/children have improved certain language skills in terms of reading, writing speaking, etc.?

The researcher for data collection approached the target population and distributed questionnaires among them in person. After the data collection, various statistical tools such as MS Office and SPSS were used for the analysis process. The software was used to generate frequency tables which allowed for accurate and precise results.

Data Tabulation

Table 1

Frequency distribution of usage pattern of KYC among children

S. No	Questions related to the usage pattern of KYC	Reply	Frequency	Percentage
1.	How many times do you think your child/children make use of YouTube daily?	Four times a day	30	28
2.	How much time do you think your child/children spend online (On YouTube) daily?	3-6 hrs	68	63.6
3.	What is the mode of access of your child/children to Kids YouTube channels?	Mobile Phone	42	40.1
4.	What do your child/children prefer the most while using Kids YouTube channels?	Cartoon	66	61.7

 




Explanation

The above data shows the frequency distribution of questions related to usage patterns of YouTube among children (Only the majority). The Statistics show that the majority of mothers (28%) were of the view that their children use YouTube almost four times a day spending 3-6 hours (63.6%). Their preferred to watch cartoons (61.7%) more than any other content on kids YouTube channels using their mobile phones (40.1%).




 

Table 2

Level of agreement of parents regarding Social Learning of their children via Kids' YouTube channels

S.No	Questions related to Social Learning	Reply	Frequency	Percentage
5.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children in developing social relationships.	Disagree	40	37.4
6.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children how to meet and greet people	Agree	50	46.7
7.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children  to learn social norms like thank you, sorry, speaking quietly and politely, offering help to people in trouble, etc	Agree	54	50.5
8.	Watching KYC has familiarized my child/children with things around them. House/home, room, kitchen, bathroom, neighbors, foods, games, animals etc	Agree	67	62.6
9.	Watching KYC has developed the playing together habit in my child/children	Agree	52	48.6
10.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn about cooperation & teamwork	Neutral	59	55.1
11.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn about different cultures, customs, and norms	Neutral	29	27.1

 




Explanation

Above is the frequency distribution of questions asked (From working mothers) related to the social learning of their children through Kids YouTube channels. The data discloses that the majority of mothers (37.4%) disagreed with the question i.e. Watching KYC has helped their child/children in developing social relationships however, 46.7%, 50.5%, 62.6%, & 48.6% of the mothers agreed that Watching KYC has helped their child/children to understand how to meet and greet people, how to say thank you & sorry, has made familiar with things around them like the difference between house & home, neighbors, food, etc. and has also developed the playing together habit in their child/children respectively. The data further reveals that 55.1% and 27.1% being the majority neither agreed nor disagreed but rather remained neutral on the questions asked like "Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn about cooperation & teamwork" & "Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn about different cultures, customs, and norms”.




 

Table 3

Level of agreement of parents regarding behavioral learning of their children via Kids YouTube channels

S. No	Questions related to Behavioral Learning	Reply	Frequency	Percentage
12.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn about self-regulation (managing their emotions) and self-control	Disagree	68	63.6
13.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn about kind, honest, and responsible behavior	Agree	39	36.4
14.	Watching KYC has helped my child/children to learn hard and aggressive behavior.	Strongly Agree	53	49.5

 




Explanation

This table explains the level of agreement of working mothers regarding the behavioral learning of their child/children through kids' YouTube channels. The majority of mothers (63.6%) disagreed that watching KYC has helped their child to get self-regulated however, they agreed (36.4%) that yes these YouTube channels have compelled their child/children to learn kindness, honesty, and behaving responsibly. The majority of these mothers strongly agreed (49.5%) that these channels have also increased aggression and aggressive behavior in their child/children and thus they are behaving aggressively.




 

Table 4

Level of agreement of parents regarding Academic Learning of their children via Kids' YouTube channels

S.No	Questions Related to Academic Learning	Reply	Frequency	Percentage
15.	Watching KYC helped my Child/children to learn counting (1,2,3,4,5……..)	Strongly Agree	73	68.2
16.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to recognize letters and the Alphabet.	Strongly Agree	73	68.2
17.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to explore science discoveries and innovations, animals, plants, vegetables, color & the natural world	Strongly Agree	59	55.1
18.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to learn new words (vocabulary) & Phrases	Strongly Agree	73	68.2

 




Explanation

The above table reveals that the academic informal learning of children is far more satisfying than any other learning for mothers. The data shows that mothers who participated in the survey strongly agreed that their child/children learn counting (68.2%), recognize letters and alphabets (68.2%), learn & explore scientific discoveries and innovations, animals, plants, vegetables, colors & the natural world (55.1%) all through using kids YouTube channels.




 

Table 5

Level of agreement of parents regarding Language Learning of their children via Kids' YouTube channels

S. No	Questions related to Language Learning	Reply	Frequency	Percentage
19.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to learn new words (vocabulary) & Phrases	Strongly Agree	73	68.2
20.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to learn a new language(s).	Strongly Agree	85	79.4
21.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to learn a language(s) other than Urdu or their mother tongue.	Strongly Agree	57	53.3
22.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to develop listening & Comprehension skills.	Strongly Agree	64	59.8
23.	Watching KYC helped my child/children to learn & improve the English language	Agree	49	45.8

 




Explanation

Data from the above table reveals the level of agreement of mothers of children regarding the informal learning of language through using KYC. The percentages show that mothers strongly agree that their child/children learn new words (vocabulary) & Phrases (68.2%), and learn new languages (79.4%) other than Urdu/mother tongue (53.3%). They also agreed strongly that watching KYC has developed the listening & Comprehension skills of their child/children. A strong inclination towards learning and improving the English language has been seen as the majority of mothers agreed that their child/children do learn & improve English (45.8%) through using KYC.

Discussion

This research study intended to investigate "Parental perception of children's informal learning through Kids' YouTube channels". The data analysis revealed that the majority of the mothers viewed that their child/children use YouTube quite a few times daily for 3-6 hours. Parents of the children also viewed that their children most of the time make more use of mobile phones than any other tool to access their preferred and favorite content to watch. The study aimed to understand

1. To explore the usage pattern of Kids YouTube Channels (KYC) among children (3-8 years).

2. To investigate the mode (Mobile, Laptop/PC, etc.) of access of the children to KYC.

3. To investigate the parental perception of:




a. The preferred contents of children on KYC

b. The nature of learning (Informal) that a child acquires from watching KYC.

The researcher has observed that children of working mothers are highly dependent on using Mobile phones or other similar tools for pleasure and fun. They consume YouTube more than any other social site for fun activities and it was therefore, the researcher plan to conduct this research project to record the perception of parents regarding children's usage of Kids YouTube channels for informal learning (Social, Behavioral, Academic and Language learning).

Keeping in mind the main objectives and Research questions of this study the researcher made a concrete discussion which led to the conclusion of the study.




Research Objective (Ro)

1. To find out the usage patterns of KYC among children.

2. To explore the mode of access of the children to KYC.

3. To search out the perception of parents regarding the preferred contents on KYC and the nature of learning (Informal) that a child acquires from watching KYC.




RO 1: What are the usage patterns of KYC among the children?

To understand the first research question in a better way, the researcher asked a series of four different questions from the respondents which include: 

? How many times do you think your child/children make use of YouTube daily?

? How much time do you think your child/children spend online (On YouTube) daily?

? What is the mode of access of your child/children to Kids YouTube channels?

? What do your child/children prefer the most while using Kids YouTube channels?

The data analysis revealed that the majority of the mothers 51 beings (47.7%) reported that their children use YouTube more than 4 times a day whereas 68 63.6% use it 3-6 hours daily. Respondents were also asked about their viewpoint regarding the preferred content and the majority of them 66 i.e. 61.7% said that their children preferred to watch cartoons most often on kids' YouTube channels. The study findings have similar results to that of Martin and Dowson (2009), who found that children's use of digital technologies for leisure and entertainment activities, such as playing games, watching videos, and communicating with others, lead to various forms of learning. They also identified three main areas of informal learning through digital technologies: media literacy, technological literacy, and content knowledge

This study is somehow similar to the findings of Chen, Liang, and Liang. (2018) found that children use YouTube for a variety of reasons, including entertainment, education, and social relationships.




RO 2: What are the modes of access of the children to KYC?

This question was directly investigated with a single question i.e. What is the mode of access of your child/children for using Kids YouTube channels?

The statistics revealed contrary results to the study of Rideout (2017) who found that previously children media's use has largely focused on television and other traditional forms of media however, this research says that children make use of mobile phones in order to watch their preferred contents (42 being 40.1% mothers expressed).




RO 3: What is the perception of parents regarding the preferred contents on KYC and the nature of learning (Informal) that a child acquires from watching KYC?

Researchers for this particular question asked the respondents a series of questions comprising questions related to Social learning, Behavioral learning, Academic learning, and Language learning.

Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, (2016) & Rideout (2017) have found that children use YouTube for a variety of purposes, including entertainment, social connection, and informal learning but besides seeking different forms of informal learning from using KYC this research found some opposite results to the findings of these researchers. This research found 29 i.e. 27.1% mothers disagreed that KYC develops social relationship quality in children. It is because when their children get involved in using mobile phones or any other tool to access their favorite video content they hardly bother to go for friends nor do they learn this habit from these videos. However, the majority of them 50 46.7% agreed that KYC has helped their child/children to learn how to meet and greet people. 54 i.e. 50.5% of mothers agreed that using KYC helps their child/children to learn social norms and terms like thank you & sorry. KYC has been a great source of knowledge for children as 67 i.e. 62.6% of mothers agreed that using KYC helps their child/children to get familiar with things around them, also it developed the playing together habit in their child/children (52 being 48.6%). Using KYC helps children to learn different cultures, customs, and norms, self-regulation (managing their emotions), and self-control along with kind, honest, and responsible behavior. On the other hand, 53 i.e. 49.5% of mothers also strongly agreed that children also learn hard and aggressive behavior from watching KYC.

The majority of the mothers strongly agreed that their child/children have learned counting 1,2,3. . . from watching KYC. It also helps and recognize their letters and Alphabet. Children also explore scientific discoveries and innovations, vegetables, animals, plants, color & the natural world.

Children also learn new words (vocabulary) & Phrases and a new language(s) from using Kids' YouTube Channels as the majority 57 i.e. 53.3% strongly agreed that Watching KYC helped my child/children to learn the language(s) other than Urdu or mother tongue along with listening & Comprehension skills. The majority of mothers 49 i.e. 45.8% strongly agreed that Watching KYC helped their child/children to learn & improve the English language. These results are in line with the findings of Manca & Ranieri, (2016), Manca, et al., (2018) who came up with the notion that Informal learning through YouTube can include learning new skills, such as playing a musical instrument or learning a new language, as well as gaining knowledge about a variety of subjects, such as science and history etc.

The study has also similar results to the research work of J. David Lamb (2011) found that using YouTube videos to supplement classroom instruction had a positive effect on the academic performance of students in science and mathematics. The study found that the videos helped to increase students’ engagement, understanding, and retention of the material. Esra Cuhadar and Emre Bayram (2017) also had similar results that watching YouTube videos in a foreign language had a positive effect on the vocabulary acquisition of young learners. The study found that the videos helped to increase students’ vocabulary knowledge and improve their listening skills.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that the majority of mothers were of the opinion that their child/children use the Kids YouTube channel quite a few times daily for 3-6 hours. The researcher also found mobile phones to be the most used tool for approaching their favorite Kids' channels. The scholar also found that Kids most favorite and preferred channels are cartoons where they learn a number of daily life activities

The study findings also revealed and helped the researcher to conclude that KYC is used among children of 3-8 years for a number of informal learning including Social learning, Behavioral learning, Academic learning, and Language learning.

The researcher found that, unlike other social learning abilities, KYC does not help children develop and improve their social relationship quality. The reason for this has been observed by mothers is that once their child/children start using any of the technological tools to watch their preferred content they do not get social or bother to develop their social circle because this channel takes a lot of their precious time. On the other hand, the researcher despite the lack of social relationship quality, children still learn how to meet and greet people by using KYC. They learn social norms and terms like thank you & sorry etc. KYC also makes the children familiar with the worldly things around them, the different cultures, customs, norms, etc.

The researcher also found that using KYC also affects the behavior of children. It helps the children in self-regulation (managing their emotions) and self-control along with kind, honest, and responsible behavior. However, it has also been observed that children also learn hard and aggressive behavior from watching KYC.

Despite the social and behavioral learning the researcher from the data analysis also concluded that mothers of the children strongly agreed that KYC is one of the main (informal learning) tools that help their children to learn counting 1,2,3. . . along with recognition of letter and Alphabets. Children have also been observed, and exposed to science discoveries and innovations, vegetables, animals, plants, color & the natural world.

The researcher also found that language and related subjects are also some of the major informal learning that children acquire from using KYC. They learn new words (vocabulary) & Phrases along with new language(s). They learn the language(s) other than Urdu or their mother tongue and improve their listening & Comprehension skills. Among the languages, English language is the most frequently learned language seen among these children.

References