Exploring EFL students’ preferences in self-directed listening with short social media videos
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24036/7wnye386Keywords:
self-directed learning, listening skill, short social media videos, students preferencesAbstract
The widespread use of short social media videos has reshaped how students practice listening independently outside the classroom. In self-directed learning contexts, learners have full control over selecting materials, making their preferences an important factor in understanding how they manage comprehension and engagement. This study aimed to explore students’ preferences in self-directed listening using short social media videos. A descriptive qualitative design was employed, involving five English Education students who regularly used short-form videos for independent listening practice. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative data analysis procedures. The findings show that students demonstrated clear preferences regarding content type, video duration, topic familiarity, visual features, subtitle use, speaker delivery style, and accent. Participants preferred informal and authentic content, short videos lasting one to three minutes, and balanced multimedia features to support clarity and reduce distraction. These results indicate that learners actively regulate multimedia features to enhance comprehension and build confidence in self-directed listening.
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