Self- Directed Learning Through Youtube: Challenges, Opportunities, and Trends in the United Arab Emirates

Self-directed learning has dramatically altered the landscape of education through digital disruption of social media sites. The growing need for self-directed learning led to the rise of YouTube as a global platform for learning and knowledge sharing. The study focuses on high lighting challenges, trends, and exploring the opportunities of YouTube as a tool to facilitate self-directed learning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The prime reason to choose UAE is that the country is a hub of numerous nationalities providing a diverse perspective and is currently in the process of developing self-directed learning methods for students. The data was gathered through qualitative methodology using a focus group approach. A total of 1525 higher education students participated in the focus group sessions. The findings of the study revealed that YouTube plays a vital role in encouraging self-directed learning among the learners in UAE. The study also provides a knowledge base for further research on customized learning processing.