Towards integrated learning experiences on social media: An exploration of #DayInTheLife videos for career exploration

Though social media platforms contain rich information and insights on professional life, encounters with this content are often fleeting and disconnected, raising questions about the extent social media content is valuable for career identity formation. This paper reports on a research through design study that explores the potential of social media for supporting integrated learning experiences, through investigating and prototyping experiences around the use of TikTok #DayInTheLife videos for career exploration. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 10 college students to understand the value of social media content for career exploration and the feasibility of integrating such content towards reflective learning experiences. A qualitative analysis revealed that \#DayInTheLife videos offer firsthand insights into professions that facilitates aspects of career identity formation, and have the potential to prompt and motivate further exploration. However, they are also limited due their short-form, disconnected, entertainment-oriented nature, the distracting context in which they exist, and the potential lack of representation in recommended content. We also had the students participate in an experience prototype in which we used native social media interactions such as comments, mentions, and direct messages to integrate encounters of disparate posts towards holistic and reflective learning experiences. We found that integrating encounters can facilitate more intentional reflection, add interactivity, and provide a sense of agency. We also surfaced contextual risk factors and design factors for designing integrated learning experiences on social media. We build on our findings to introduce and discuss a concept we call SIMPLE apps (Social media Interactions Merged for Purposeful Learning Experiences) and to discuss broader design implications for better harnessing social media content towards purposeful integrated learning.