Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education 32 (2023) 100415

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of Hospitality, Leisure,

Sport & Tourism Education
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhlste

TikTok for developing learning motivation and oral proficiency in

MICE learners
Sun-Yu Gao a, Yi-Ying Tsai b, *, Jian-Hao Huang a, Yan-Xia Ma a, Tai-liang Wu c
a
Dhurakij Pundit University, 110/1-4 Pracha Chuen Rd, Thung Song Hong, Lak Si, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
b
Department of International Business, Tamkang University, No. 151, Yingzhuan Rd, Tamsui District, New Taipei, City 251301, Taiwan, ROC
c
Department of Applied English at the Tourism College of Tainan University of Technology, No.529, Zhongzheng Rd., Yongkang District, Tainan City,
710302, Taiwan, ROC

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Handling Editor: Harris John This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of TikTok as a video aid on MICE (Meetings, Incentive
Travel, Conferences and Exhibitions) learners’ learning motivation and oral proficiency. The
Keywords: study sample include 60 MICE learners. Participants were equally divided into control and
TikTok experimental groups, with 30 MICE learners in each group. The experimental group was taught
MICE
with TikTok, while the control group was instructed by traditional teaching methods. Pre-test and
Learning motivation
post-test were performed for both groups. The survey results showed that MICE learners who
Oral proficiency
Quasi-experimental design underwent the TikTok experiment had significantly improved learning motivation and oral
proficiency compared to their counterparts who used only the traditional teaching method. This
study proposed to embed TikTok as a video aid in the classroom for MICE education to improve
learning motivation and oral proficiency among MICE learners.

1. Introduction

In recent years, global technology has developed rapidly, and teaching methods have become diversified, to keep up with
developing trends, researchers have discussed the technology of online teaching platforms (Literat, 2021; Siegle, 2009; Smith &
González-Lloret, 2021). Social media (SM) has become increasingly integrated into every aspect of modern life and is influencing and
changing the way we communicate with others (Feito & Brown, 2018; Lambton-Howard et al., 2021). These social media continue to
impact the lives of young people and provide new social platforms (Zachos et al., 2018). Alimemaj (2010) argued that the prevalence of
social media in traditional classroom settings and advances in technology might indicate that teachers could use a variety of innovative
tools in the classroom to improve student learning outcomes. Numerous studies at different stages of learning, from pre-school to
higher education, have shown the great advantages of social media in the classroom (Brown et al., 2011; Martin-Willett et al., 2019;
Sigala, 2012; Xie et al., 2011). For learners, social media can provide innovative content and can be effective in engaging learners and
improving learning outcomes through online platforms such as Viki, blogs, social networking sites, forums, Facebook, and YouTube
(Sharma et al., 2016).
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a worldwide shift towards online learning (Almahasees, Mohsen, & Amin,
2021). Although YouTube has also received a lot of attention in terms of teaching and learning (Spearman, 2022; Tolkach & Pratt,

Abbreviations: MICE, Meeting, Incentive Travel, Conference, Exhibition.

* Corresponding author. Department of International Business, Tamkang University, Taiwan, ROC.
E-mail address: yytsai@mail.tku.edu.tw (Y.-Y. Tsai).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2022.100415
Received 26 May 2022; Received in revised form 11 November 2022; Accepted 20 December 2022
Available online 6 January 2023
1473-8376/© 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
S.-Y. Gao et al. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education 32 (2023) 100415

2021), some other innovative social media have received less attention. Research suggests that the emergence of new social media can
offer more possibilities for exploration in various aspects of teaching and learning. This dynamic aspect elucidates the importance of
new social media in teaching and learning (Escamilla-Fajardo et al., 2021). As an example of new social media, the acceptance of
TikTok for teaching and learning began to increase significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (Su et al., 2020). Literat (2021) also
highlights the role of TikTok in the learning environment. According to Escamilla-Fajardo et al. (2021), the advantage of using TikTok
for teaching is that it has free online resources that help learners to learn and improve their oral proficiency. Furthermore, people can
use TikTok to watch a wide range of speeches and different types of programs (e.g., lecture parodies, political speeches, songs, talk
shows, and debates) and learn a wide range of vocabulary, which also helps to improve their memory. Although some researchers have
discussed the learning effect of using TikTok on learners (for example: learning enthusiasm, learning enthusiasm, learning English
effect) (Aziz & Sabella, 2021; Dewi & Arifani, 2021; Escamilla-Fajardo et al., 2021; Literat, 2021), there have been no studies
examining the effects of TikTok on enhancing learners’ learning motivation and oral proficiency.
MICE Industry is one of the economic sectors with high growth prospects worldwide (Smagina, 2017; Tsai, 2019). The number of
courses related to MICE has grown significantly in recent decades to meet the challenge of this highly competitive and demanding
industry. Some research suggests that for MICE learners, improving learning motivation and oral proficiency can help learners be
well-prepared to address the needs of their future careers (Weiler & Ham, 2002; Kim et al., 2018). Therefore, in order to help MICE
learners effectively escalate their learning motivation and oral proficiency, this study employed TikTok as a learning instrument to
examine whether it could increase MICE learners’ learning motivation and sharpen their oral proficiency.
In summary, this study addressed the following research questions.

(1) Is there any significant improvement in the learning motivation of MICE learners who received TikTok compared to their
counterparts who received traditional teaching methods?
(2) Is there a significant improvement in the oral proficiency of MICE learners who received TikTok compared to those who
received traditional teaching methods?

2. Literature review

2.1. TikTok as a means of education

The teaching potential of video technology in the classroom is great, especially in the 21st century (Siegle, 2009). Some researchers
have proposed that TikTok can be used as a teaching aid and regarded as a video teaching resource for classroom teaching (Esca­
milla-Fajardo et al., 2021). TikTok can provide a large number of free video resources, which can be searched directly on TikTok, and
there are tools such as video editing and online subtitles for video creators (Mhalla et al., 2020). Moreover, using TikTok for teaching
can effectively improve the academic performance of learners. By examining the use of TikTok by teenagers in education, some re­
searchers found that TikTok provides a window for teenagers to experience online learning, which is conducive to their learning
(Literat, 2021). And learners’ learning through TikTok has a positive effect on improving learners’ learning outcomes (Goldenberg,
2020). At the same time, TikTok creates a personalized learning environment for learners to meet their learning needs, and as a result,
teenagers have turned to TikTok for learning (Smith & González-Lloret, 2021). It can be seen that TikTok, as a new teaching tool, is of
high relevance and importance.

2.2. Research status of TikTok and learning motivation

Steinmayr and Spinath (2009) suggested that although there were many potential factors that might influence learners’ learning
and development, motivation has been one of the most important factors. As one of the motivations, learning motivation is considered
to be the most important psychological dimension in human learning and development (Choi & Kim, 2013; Roeser & Eccles, 1998;
Scheel et al., 2009). Some researchers have found that there is a relationship between learners’ motivation and their academic per­
formance (Wentzel, 1999). All in all, learners with higher motivation tend to view learning as very valuable, love learning, and enjoy
learning-related activities (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002; Zimmerman, 2008). Based on relevant literature for MICE, some studies suggest
that improving the intrinsic motivation of MICE learners may help them to become better prepared for their future careers (Feng &
Pillai, 2012; Solnet et al., 2007). At the same time, some studies have suggested that improving the learning motivation among MICE
learners can improve their employability and confidence in employment (Busby, 2003; Cole et al., 2006).
Researchers have been interested in research tools for learning motivation. Between 1982 and 1986, they began to use self-report
instruments to assess students’ learning motivation and learning strategies (McKeachie et al., 1985; Pintrich et al., 1987). Pintrich
undertook three data collection and analysis exercises in 1986, 1987 and 1988, and repeatedly revised the data to produce a MSLQ
(Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire). MSLQ is a self-report instrument designed to assess university students’ orientation
towards learning motivation and the learning strategies they use in university courses (Pintrich et al., 1993). In the past, several
researchers have utilized MSLQ which has good reliability and validity (Burić & Kim, 2020; Hayat et al., 2020; Klingenberg et al.,
2020; Capelle et al., 2021). This suggests that the scale is a more authoritative measurement tool. Therefore, this study used MSLQ
developed by Pintrich et al. (1993) to measure learners’ learning motivation.
In a study of 65 learners, Escamilla-Fajardo et al. (2021) found that TikTok created an engaging learning environment for learners,
stimulated learners’ enthusiasm for learning, and promoted the improvement of learning motivation. Zhang et al. (2020) found in their
research that among 36 learners, 20 learners used TikTok for English learning, and 17 learners joined groups of friends and followed

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each other, so teaching based on TikTok, concomitantly improved the learner’s course participation, learning enthusiasm and the like.
Also, TikTok effectively improved the learner’s learning effect. Young learners can share their well-made short videos about online
learning and experiences on TikTok, which is in line with the needs of young people to display themselves, which in turn promotes the
deepening of learners’ learning motivation (Literat, 2021). The results indicate that when users adopt TikTok as a video aid, TikTok
enhances learners’ learning motivation, and teachers can appropriately apply it in the teaching process.

2.3. Research status of TikTok and oral proficiency

Oral proficiency refers to the effectiveness and accuracy of describing and receiving information during communication (Haryanti
et al., 2021). Oral proficiency is improved and generally includes nine criteria: enthusiasm, engagement with the audience, logic,
effectiveness, professionalism, voice delivery, body language, eye contact, and summarizing (De Grez et al., 2009). Boonkit (2010)
pointed out that oral proficiency generally refers to one of the skills that enable correct and effective communication in a second
language learning environment. At the same time, English, as an international language, has become the most important medium for
English speakers to earn a living (Kim et al., 2018). The tourism industry relies on professional tour guides to explain to tourists,
enhance their experience and attract more visitors (Weiler & Ham, 2002). For learners in the hospitality profession, good oral pro­
ficiency can help them to solve customers’ problems in a timely manner when they encounter difficulties in communicating with them,
thus creating a good image for the hotel and thus attracting more customers (Nelson & Dopson, 2001). Al-Tarawneh and Osam (2019)
analyzed interviews with tourism-related practitioners and suggested that educators should improve the language curriculum in order
to optimally prepare students with future careers in tourism.
Oral tests have been commonly used in previous studies to measure learners’ oral proficiency. The oral tests consisted of sentence
construction, oral reading, and reading comprehension of selected textbooks. Participants were first asked to define each of the
selected idioms and construct sentences, then read aloud and answer questions on reading comprehension (Hsieh et al., 2017; Wu
et al., 2017). Therefore, this study used an oral test to measure the oral proficiency of MICE learners.
Existing studies have shown the effectiveness of using TikTok as a video aid in improving learners’ oral proficiency. For example,
Dewi and Arifani (2021) conducted research on the use of TikTok for teaching in improving learners’ oral proficiency, and found that
TikTok as a video aid can improve learners’ oral proficiency. Similarly, Barrot (2021) suggests that social media such as Facebook,
YouTube and TikTok can be used as language learning tools, and compared to other software, TikTok has no geographical restrictions,
allowing learners to understand spoken English around the world, providing learners with authentic oral resources is essential for
improving spoken English. TikTok creates a learning and communication platform for learners to improve their oral proficiency.
Through social interaction and content sharing, it provides learners with more opportunities to practice oral English subtly (John &
Yunus, 2021). Since TikTok can communicate with foreign friends through live broadcasts, with a corresponding increase in the
number of exercises, oral proficiency is improved, and the confidence of learners in English expression is further increased (Schurz &
Hüttner, 2022). It is obvious that the use of TikTok for teaching plays an important role in improving learners’ oral proficiency.

3. Method

3.1. Participants

The participants were all MICE learners recruited from a four-year technical university. A total of 75 MICE learners volunteered to
participate through a recruitment process. Approximately 85% of the participants passed TOEIC (Test of English for International
Communication) at an intermediate level. As a result, 60 participants were identified. According to the overall Spoken Interaction of
CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference), the participants’ oral proficiency level was between B1 and B2. This indicates that
the participants can interact fluently and spontaneously to a certain extent and have good oral proficiency (Hulstijn et al., 2012).
The experimental group consisted of 5 males (16.7%) and 25 females (83.3%), while the control group consisted of 7 males (23.3%)
and 23 females (76.7%), as shown in Table 1. This study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration and with the
voluntary cooperation of all test subjects who signed an informed consent form. The privacy and wishes of the test subjects were fully
considered and they were informed that they could refuse to participate or withdraw from the study at any time (Goodyear et al.,
2007).

3.2. Design

This study employed a quasi-experimental design. A quasi-experimental study is an empirical study, i.e., a study in which

Table 1
Basic information on research subjects.
Basic Information Group Experimental Group（n = 30） Control Group（n = 30）

Number of People Effective Percentage Number of People Effective Percentage

Sex Male 5 16.7% 7 23.3%

Female 25 83.3% 23 76.7%

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experimental treatments are conducted in a more naturalistic way without randomising the subjects. This allows for the estimation of
the causal impact of interventions on their target population (Miller et al., 2020). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in
this study, and quantitative analysis methods included descriptive statistics and t-test. From a qualitative perspective, the results of
interviews with MICE learners were assessed. In terms of teaching solutions, the traditional teaching method was used in the control
group, while the same content taught with TikTok was used in the experimental group. This study employed International English for
Travel (Dubicka & O’Keeffe, 2003) as a textbook. Learners received 3 h of weekly instruction during the 12-week study period. This
study exerted a quasi-experimental approach to pre-test and post-test the control group (Class 1, 30 students) and the experimental
group (Class 2, 30 students) in an international travel English course. During the 12 weeks of teaching, the experimental group was
taught using TikTok, while the control group was instructed under the traditional teaching method. The teaching process is specified as
follows.

3.2.1. Teaching with TikTok

The teaching of the experimental group was divided into two phases: the first phase was video content learning. Firstly, before the
first lesson, learners were taught how to download TikTok, a social media app, through a video to help them use TikTok for the first
time. Secondly, before each lesson, the teacher would watch the TikTok video to judge the suitability of the content. In addition, the
teacher would assist the learners to review the vocabulary taught in the previous lessons, assign appropriate homework, and explain
the topic of each lesson in order to give the learners some background knowledge.
The second stage involved interactive peer learning. Specifically, the teacher let the learners watch the related TikTok videos from
MICE exhibitions, and then let the learners simulate the real situation during the exhibition, play the role of MICE exhibition staff, and
let the teacher play the role of MICE exhibition visitors. Questions, such as: “What is the price of this product”, “Is there any discount”,
“What is the difference between it and other products or what are the highlights” and so on, which enriched the learners’ practical
experience of organizing an exhibition. In addition, teachers will explain the topics to simulate situations in an exhibition center, so
that learners can solve such problems smoothly in the future. Finally, teachers assign homework and ask learners to identify a MICE
event news or important recent event to share with the rest of the class in the next class.
The TikTok videos mainly contain: communicative English, English phrases, everyday English conversations, business English
usage, and English pronunciation learning. The topics are mostly related to the MICE industry (e.g., Formal vs. Informal English;
Business English; Tourist Visa and Customs Allowances) (see Table 2 for details). All TikTok videos were pronounced in English and
had English subtitles to help learners acquire the important English words and their contextual usage. The teacher then explained the
specific vocabulary and sentence usage in the video and asked questions in class to ensure that the learners could understand the
meanings of the important sentences related to the video.

3.2.2. Description of traditional teaching methods

Traditional teaching methods are implemented by using the content in the prescribed textbooks over a 12-week period. Learners
are required to read and then taught by teachers. Due to the limitation of class time, there are fewer opportunities for discussion in
class, and only some learners have the opportunity to share their views and opinions. In the teaching process, the question-and-answer
method is generally used, and there is only one correct answer.

3.3. Measurement

To elucidate the effect of TikTok as a video auxiliary tool on the learning motivation and oral proficiency of MICE course learners,
this study conducted pre-test and post-test on the experimental group and the control group. Richardson (2004) and Schellings et al.
(2013) proposed that in studies with a quasi-experimental design, research tools can be tailored to specific circumstances and specific
activities can be tailored to specific purposes. Therefore, to meet the purpose of this study, this study uses two measurement tools: the
learning motivation scale and the oral proficiency test.

3.3.1. Learning motivation scale

This study used the learning motivation scale (Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, MSLQ) by Pintrich et al. (1993).
The questionnaire contains 28 questions of seven dimensions, each of which included 4 questions: amotivation (the non-external forces
and thoughts that trigger a person to engage in a behavior), external regulation (the kind of motivation that is induced not by the
activity itself but by an external stimulus or cause that is not intrinsically linked to the activity), introjected regulation (a spontaneous

Table 2
Themes and Links related to TikTok Videos.
Theme Links

How to Download TikTok https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRLX2R3a/?k=1

Formal VS Informal English
Business English
Tourist Visa and Allowance
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRLCK1od/?k=1
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRLXYpc3/?k=1
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSR6mKqak/?k=1
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSR6uLEQd/?k=1
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRLX7thR/?k=1
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRL4RXga/?k=1

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S.-Y. Gao et al. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education 32 (2023) 100415

perception of the activity engaged in), identified regulation (identification of the source of one’s motivation), intrinsic motivation to
know (knowledge of one’s own intrinsic motivation), intrinsic motivation to accomplish (a more stable tendency to strive for success in
tasks that are considered important), and; intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation (the motivation to engage in an activity by
experiencing the stimulation of the activity itself). The Likert’s five-point scale, from very disagree = 1 to very agree = 5, was utilized,
and higher scores indicated higher learning motivation.
In this study the total learning motivation scale and the Cronbach’s α values of each dimension are as follows: α of total learning
motivation scale = 0.930; α of Amotivation = 0.971; α of External regulation = 0.944; α of Introjected regulation = 0.883; α of
Identified regulation = 0.983; α of Intrinsic motivation to know = 0.915; α of Intrinsic motivation to accomplish = .984; α of Intrinsic
motivation to experience stimulation = .971, indicating that the total scale of learning motivation and each dimension have good
reliability.

3.3.2. Oral proficiency test

This study deployed the International English for Tourism textbook by Dubicka and O’Keeffe (2003) and the questions in it to test
MICE learners’ oral proficiency. This is an English conversational textbook designed for “professional travel Learners”. Its contents
cover the most commonly used travel English contents in recent years, including sentence expression styles, and lexical conversion,
which helps MICE learners to improve their oral proficiency. The experimental group and the control group were tested on the same
content, which included: passage reading (phrases and passages related to the reading of the unit topic) and comprehension questions
(participatory guided conversations).

3.4. Qualitative data analysis

By analyzing the results of the interviews with MICE learners, further details of the interview questions can be explored and more
explanations for the main questions can be elucidated (Minichiello et al., 199). Therefore, this study further explored the overall
learning experience of MICE learners and their perceptions of TikTok’s features through semi-structured interviews. The interview
questions were asked for participants to (a) describe their experiences of using TikTok for learning, (b) express their viewpoints on the
use of TikTok as a learning tool to improve learning motivation and oral proficiency, so as to finally (c) make suggestions for future
improvements to TikTok. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed as qualitative data for this study.
The semi-structured interviews could be divided into three sessions. Each session lasted between 15 and 30 min. The first interview
included two MICE learners whose post-test scores were in the top 20% of their class. The second interview was made with two MICE
learners whose post-test scores were in the bottom 20% of their class. The third interview was conducted with four MICE learners
whose post-test scores improved significantly as compared with the pre-test ones. The background information for the interviewees is
shown in Table 3.

4. Results

4.1. Quantitative results

Based on a quasi-experimental design, this study conducted a pre-test between the experimental group and the control group to
determine whether the initial level of learning motivation of the two groups of MICE learners was comparable. The results showed that
there was no significant difference in the pre-test scores of learning motivation between MICE learners in the experimental group (M =
2.727, SD = 0.313) and the control group (M = 2.794, SD = 0.246) (t = 0.917, p > 0.05), as shown in Table 4.
The experimental group and the control group were pre-tested to determine whether the initial level of oral proficiency of the two
groups of MICE learners was comparable. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the pre-test scores of oral
proficiencies between MICE learners in the experimental group (M = 76.367, SD = 8.767) and the control group (M = 78.233, SD =
6.892) (t = 0.941, p > 0.05), as shown in Table 5.
This study conducted t-test to determine if there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group
of MICE learners in terms of their overall post-test scores on learning motivation. Actually, there was a significant difference between
the experimental group and the control group in their overall post-test scores for learning motivation (t = 15.307, p < 0.001). The
experimental group had a higher mean overall post-test score on learning motivation (M = 3.911, SD = 0.285) than the control group

Table 3
Background information of MICE respondents.
Interviewer’s Code Sex Range of Participant Scores

Student 12 Male Students’ post-test scores were in the top 20% of their class.
Student 15 Female
Student 17 Female Students’ post-test scores were in the bottom 20% of their class.
Student 9 Male
Student 2 Male There was a significant increase in students’ post-test scores compared to the pre-test.
Student 6 Male
Student 20 Male
Student 28 Female

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Table 4
Differences in the pre-test scores of learning motivation between the experimental group and the control group.
Group M SD t

learning motivation Experimental Group 2.794 .246 .917

Control Group 2.727 .313

Table 5
Differences in the pre-test scores of the oral proficiency between the experimental group and the control group.
Group M SD t

Oral Proficiency Experimental Group 78.233 6.892 .946

Control Group 76.367 8.767

(M = 2.727, SD = 0.313). Thus, MICE learners who received TikTok as a medium of instruction had higher overall scores on learning
motivation than MICE learners who received traditional teaching methods.
Second, there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in their post-test scores on the
seven subscales of learning motivation: See Table 6 for details about the motivation (t = 24.318, p < 0.001); External regulation (t =
10.267, p < 0.001); Introjected regulation (t = 10.077, p < 0.001); Identified regulation (t = 25.437, p < 0.001); Intrinsic motivation
to know (t = 14.097, p < 0.001); Intrinsic motivation to accomplish (t = 15.398, p < 0.001); and Intrinsic motivation to experience
stimulation (t = 10.685, p < 0.001).
To determine whether there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group of MICE learners on
the post-test scores of oral proficiency, this study conducted an independent t-test. Table 7 shows that there was a significant difference
between the experimental group and the control group on post-test scores of oral proficiency (t = 9.371, p < 0.001). The mean post-test
score for the experimental group’s oral proficiency (M = 89.467, SD = 10.753) was higher than the control group’s mean post-test
score for oral proficiency (M = 56.200, SD = 16.200). Therefore, MICE learners who received the TikTok teaching method had
better oral proficiency than those who received the traditional teaching method.

4.2. Qualitative results

4.2.1. The impact of TikTok on learners’ motivation

Most MICE learners suggested that teaching with TikTok is one of the important factors to improve their learning motivation. Most
MICE learners thought that the traditional teaching method was boring and unchangeable compared to the assisted teaching of TikTok,
and it was not as lively and interesting as TikTok. And assisted teaching through TikTok helps MICE learners understand the real
connotation that the teacher wants to convey. Anecdotal remarks included.

● I think using TikTok in English learning really helps to improve my motivation to learn English. (S12)
● In the past few weeks, I wanted to watch TikTok every day, and I would also follow the audio and video to imitate the dialogues of
the characters in the play and learn the content of the video. (S28)
● I wish the video could slow down a little bit. Because every time I watch TikTok, I always feel that the speed of speech is too fast,
which makes me unable to understand the content. (S9)
● I hope the video playback time can be adjusted flexibly. Because when I have a question while watching TikTok, I can’t ask
questions right away, which makes me feel a little anxious. (S17)

In general, MICE learners’ preference for TikTok is consistent, and most MICE learners prefer TikTok as a video aid. In addition,

Table 6
Differences in post-test scores between the Experimental Group and the Control Group on Learning Motivation.
Subscales Experimental Group Control Group t Difference comparison

Post-test

M SD M SD

Amotivation 14.033 1.497 4.767 1.455 24.318*** 1>0

External regulation 15.800 1.937 10.667 1.936 10.267*** 1>0
Introjected regulation 15.567 2.161 10.300 1.879 10.077*** 1>0
Identified regulation 19.833 0.747 10.033 1.974 25.437*** 1>0
Intrinsic motivation to know 17.500 2.255 10.400 1.589 14.097*** 1>0
Intrinsic motivation to accomplish 18.767 1.794 10.567 2.299 15.398*** 1>0
Intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation 17.267 2.778 10.367 2.189 10.685*** 1>0
Total learning motivation 3.911 0.285 2.727 0.313 15.307*** 1>0

Note: Experimental Group = 1, Control Group = 0.

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Table 7
Differences in the post-test scores of the oral proficiency between the experimental group and the control group.
Group M SD t p

Oral Proficiency Experimental Group 89.467 10.753 9.371 .000

Control Group 56.200 16.200

some MICE learners said that TikTok is very interesting and can increase their concentration, and some MICE learners think that this
way of teaching helps them understand the teaching content better. However, with the help of TikTok, some MICE learners report that
the dialogue speed of the video content is too fast, unlike teachers who can adjust the speed of speech immediately. When you
encounter a problem, you cannot ask questions immediately, and you will feel anxious inside.

4.2.2. The influence of TikTok on MICE learners’ oral proficiency

Most MICE learners feel that using TikTok to learn English in class can really improve their oral proficiency. Watching TikTok is a
great way for MICE learners who want to improve their listening and speaking skills. Learning through TikTok, they can imitate the
dialogue in the video, and the presentation of subtitles can help MICE learners know the pronunciation of vocabulary and the correct
use of grammatical structures.

● I think it is useful and helpful for the teacher to ask us to use TikTok to improve our English speaking and listening skills. (S15)
● Help me practice speaking and listening through TikTok, and gradually improve my oral proficiency. It has also improved my
English listening ability a lot. (S6)
● I think watching TikTok lets me know how to use the right words in the right situation. (S2)
● I learned a lot of language expressions from TikTok, which also let me know that the same sentence can use different expressions in
different situations. (S20)

To sum up, using TikTok for teaching can help to enhance the oral proficiency of MICE learners. In addition, some MICE learners
say that watching TikTok continuously increases their confidence in speaking English. There are also MICE learners who said that by
integrating TikTok into teaching, they can make up for the parts not mentioned in the course and make MICE learners more aware of
the knowledge in the course. Furthermore, some MICE learners said that using TikTok not only enhances their ability to express and
memorize words, but also makes learning English grammar structures become more interesting and not boring.

5. Discussion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teaching with TikTok on the learning motivation and oral proficiency of
MICE learners. Quantitative research results showed that, firstly, the learning motivation of MICE learners in the experimental group is
significantly higher than that of MICE learners in the control group, which is consistent with the findings of Escamilla-Fajardo et al.
(2021) and Zhang et al. (2020). That is, TikTok as a video aid has a positive impact on learning motivation, affirming the important
value of using TikTok for teaching in MICE education. Teachers provide learners with a quality learning experience during teaching
with TikTok, which has a positive impact on learners (Zhang et al., 2020). The findings of this study also echo the findings of Literat
(2021) that the use of TikTok as an instructional medium was crucial in promoting student motivation and performance. Studies had
also shown that the learning materials of traditional teaching were relatively limited and rigid, which was not conducive to the
cultivation and practice of learning interest. In comparison, TikTok provided a large number of free video resources, which let learners
search learning resources directly. The content of TikTok was various, which improved their interest and motivation in English
learning (Mhalla et al., 2020; Yang, 2020). Furthermore, Canani and Zulli (2022) pointed out that TikTok, as a video auxiliary tool,
mainly watches related videos through TikTok, and adds animation and sound in the teaching process, combining vision and hearing,
replacing the fixed content in traditional teaching. Traditional teaching materials and PPT were replace by TikTok video, which
stimulated the learning motivation of learners. In addition, a recent study by Literat (2021) showed that young learners were willing to
share some well-made short videos of their views and experiences on online learning on TikTok, which was in line with the needs of
young people to display themselves, and this promoted the deepening of the learner’s learning motivation.
Secondly, the oral proficiency of MICE learners in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of MICE learners in the
control group. Teaching with TikTok improved the learners’ oral proficiency and encouraged them to communicate in English, and the
findings of researchers in the field is consistent (Barrot, 2021; Dewi & Arifani., 2021; John & Yunus, 2021; Smith & González-Lloret,
2021). Empirical research by Escamilla-Fajardo et al. (2021) further proved that videos provided greater help for learners in their
listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing abilities as the content of videos was more interesting and vivid compared with
textbooks. Students demonstrated more willingness to learn and more motivation to learn, which led to an improvement in the
learner’s oral proficiency. Empirical studies had also found when learners watch videos, they usually repeated dialogues afterwards,
which were more like reviewing their lessons. These repetitions improved learners’ oral proficiency (Muslem et al., 2022). At the same
time, TikTok created a learning and communication platform for learners to improve their oral proficiency. Through social interaction
and content sharing, it provided learners with more opportunities to practice speaking, which not only improved learners’ oral
proficiency, but also further increased learners’ confidence in English expression (John & Yunus, 2021; Schurz & Hüttner, 2022).
Judging from the qualitative results of student feedback, using TikTok for teaching had brought about certain learner changes

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S.-Y. Gao et al. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education 32 (2023) 100415

compared to traditionally taught courses, and learners had produced positive feedback and higher engagement. Specifically, this result
was similar to the evidence from Kim and Corcoran (2017) and Zhang et al. (2020) that video aids boosted learner motivation. Smith
and González-Lloret (2021) further revealed that TikTok as a video aided tool, compared with traditional teaching, this teaching
method pays more attention to learners’ autonomous learning and peer interactive learning. There was joy and positive challenge from
discussions and sharing of information, which in turn fosters enthusiasm for learning. At the same time, TikTok created an engaging
learning environment for learners, which stimulates learners’ enthusiasm for learning and promotes the improvement of learning
motivation (Zhang et al., 2020). In addition, TikTok had a significant impact on MICE learners’ oral proficiency, which is similar to
past research findings that video aids improved learners’ oral proficiency (Barrot, 2021; Dewi & Arifani, 2021). TikTok provides
learners with the opportunity to interact, and their oral proficiency was subtly improved, and further strengthens the learner’s courage
to communicate in English (John & Yunus, 2021; Schurz & Hüttner, 2022).
Based on the above, TikTok as a video aid effectively improved the learning motivation and oral proficiency of MICE learners,
which showed that the use of TikTok for teaching had played an important role in MICE education. All in all, the contribution of this
research is that it proposes a training model of using TikTok for MICE learners’ learning motivation and oral proficiency, which
provides a new perspective for colleges and MICE training institutions. Based on the results, this study suggests that colleges and MICE
training institutions can embed TikTok as a teaching tool in their teaching plans, which can help educators better achieve teaching
goals and effectively to promote the improvement of learning motivation and oral proficiency of MICE learners. COVID-19 has
revolutionized and reshaped the global teaching paradigm (Al-Salman & Haider, 2021; Haider & Al-Salman, 2020). The findings of this
study are also in line with the burgeoning trend of integrating educational technology into the classroom as the call for transition to
blended and fully online learning occurs (Saed et al., 2021). To this end, we further propose TikTok as an integral part of the new MICE
curriculum and syllabi based on educational technology innovations and their academic applications.

6. Limitations and future research directions

The results of this study illustrate the importance of TikTok as an educational tool, however there are some limitations. This study
puts forward the following suggestions: first, the sample size of this study is 60 people, and only 12 weeks of teaching experiments are
carried out. It is recommended that future researchers may add sample sizes and longitudinally extend the experimental period ac­
cording to the actual situation to obtain more stable research results; second, the participants in this study are MICE learners, so there
are certain limitations in inference. In the future, researchers can select learners in different professional fields for evaluation, so as to
expand the effectiveness of TikTok in teaching; third, it was suggested that future researchers can use TikTok as a video aid to conduct
related research in combination with other different teaching methods to enrich the research results of TikTok; fourth, caution should
be exercised in promoting the findings of this study. As this study did not take into account external factors (e.g., Hawthorne effect,
Strong Henry effect) that might have influenced the findings, this study recommends that future researchers could conduct new tests
after the TikTok instruction has ended for a period of time in order to assess the persistence of this study’s findings in the develop­
mental process of learners.

Author statement

Four authors of this study have reviewed the final version of the manuscript and approved the submission. This study is guaranteed
to be an original work, it did not publish yet, and we did not consider to publish this work on other journals.

Appendix A. Supplementary data

Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2022.100415.

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Sun-Yu Gao is a Ph.D. student in Education Management at Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand. His research interests focus mainly on Entrepreneurial intention. His
papers haven been published in Frontiers in Psychology (SSCI). Sun-Yu Gao can be reached at: 1098171980@qq.com or https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3191-584X

Yi Ying Tsai contributed to the conception of the study. She is an even organizer and researcher in Department of International Business at Tamkang University. Her
research interests include International Marketing, In-Service Training and Business English. Her paper haven been published in Frontier Psychology (SSCI)Journal of
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education (SSCI), Emerging Technologies for Education (EI). Yi Ying Tsai can be reached at: tsaiyiying0126@gmail.com or
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7875-6735

Jian-Hao Huang is an assistant professor in the Department of Education Management, Chinese International College, Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand.
His research interests include educational psychology, organizational behavior, and entrepreneurial intentions. His papers haven been published in Frontiers in Psy­
chology (SSCI), International Journal of Educational Methodology (ERIC), International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research (SCOPUS). Jian-Hao
Huang can be reached at: rollancekimo@gmail.com or https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8059-7657

Yan-Xia Ma is a PhD student in Education Management at Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand. His research interests focus mainly on family education. Dr. Chang can
be contacted at: shmq_work@163.com or https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8655-5300.

Tai-liang Wu collected and organized the data. He is an associate professor in the Department of Applied English at the Tourism College of Tainan University of
Technology, Taiwan. He has served on several academic journals and conferences as a reviewer and is also a consultant to some educational enterprises. Dr. Wu can be
contacted at: wtlfd620521@gmail.com

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