Abstract

Social networks are digital media platforms that are frequently used by most of the population. This popularity has facilitated their use in many areas such as learning. This is the case of YouTube, one of the social networks that is most widely used for this purpose. The aim of this study is to enable an evaluation of YouTube’s characteristics as a means of informal learning according to the variables of gender, education, and age. This quantitative study includes descriptive and inferential analyses. Data collection was carried out by means of an ad hoc questionnaire that includes instrumental and pedagogical dimensions. The data were obtained through Google Forms. The sample is made up of 504 people aged 14–60 years from Andalusia (Spain). The results reveal a high evaluation of YouTube as an informal educational resource by the study population in both dimensions observed. Various aspects of both dimensions were shown to be relevant, in particular instrumental aspects such as rapid learning and the adaptation of learning to desired times and spaces, as well as pedagogical aspects such as the use of mobile devices as learning mediators (mlearning) and the personalization of learning through the choice of instructor and the exploration of different ways to learn. The inferential analysis reveals statistically significant differences according to gender in the evaluation of existing thematic channels on YouTube, and in the training items linked to the practicality of learning. Age was the variable with the greatest influence, showing differences in many of the items evaluated..