The Impact of Intensity Watching Short Videos on Students Reading Achievements

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of watching short-video on students’ reading comprehension. A qualitative and quantitative was employed in this research, analyzing data collected through three reading test comprehension and interview. The findings revealed variations in students’ reading comprehension performance. Based on the test results illustrated in graphic, the highest score in the first and third texts was six while the second text reached eight with an average of three to four correct answers per text. Screentime data were also collected over two consecutive days, 6th and 7th May 2025, to observe students’ daily usage patterns of watching short-video platforms. On TikTok, 23.8% of students spent less than one hour, another 23.8% about one hour, and 33.3% more than one hour on 6 May, while 52.4% spent more than one hour the following day. On YouTube Shorts, 66.7% of students spent less than one hour on 6 May and 61.9% on 7 May, while only 4.8% exceeded two hours each day. On Instagram Reels, 28.6% watched less than one hour, 23.8% about one hour, and 38.1% more than one hour on 6 May; on 7 May, 28.6% watched less than one hour, 19% about one hour, and 42.9% more than one hour.These findings indicate that the majority of students spent significant amounts of time on short-video platforms, particularly TikTok and Instagram Reels. Such frequent exposure tends to reduce students’ focus and consistency in reading comprehension, though moderate viewing occasionally helps them feel more relaxed before studying. In conclusion, short videos have a dual impact: excessive exposure disrupts concentration, whereas balanced use can serve as brief entertainment without significantly harming comprehension.