TikTokAs well as being a space for creativity and joy, the TikTok community has also become a place where creators share educational content in fun formats.
West Cork native Tadgh O’Donovan is a science teacher who uses his TikTok pages (@twtscience and @teachwithtadgh) to help students learn about science in informative but casual ways.
Whether it’s through the medium of rap, or using the Kardashians to explain the Periodic Table of Elements, Tadgh opts for humour when helping students learn science facts about things like atoms or vector diagrams.
#LearnOnTikTok has become a valuable part of our community, particularly during the pandemic when access to real life classrooms has been restricted for many.
And #LearnOnTikTok is something Tadgh has embraced as every week he invites students from our community to his virtual TikTok classroom where does a live free science lesson or on ‘Student Sundays’ when he takes time to answer some of their questions.
He also likes to keep it ‘light and breezy’ with comedy in his content as he documents life in lockdown, and last summer he virtually brought a group of educators from all around the world together to participate in the ‘Teacher Olympics’!
Tadgh has just moved home to Ireland after spending a number of years in the UK, so we caught up with one of Ireland’s favourite TikTok creators to find out why he loves TikTok….
What do you love most about TikTok?
It's given me a new creative way to teach Science, particularly to teenagers, while also being able to make jokes that help people laugh about School life, during what is an incredibly tough time.
Why is TikTok right for your content?
The short, snappy approach to giving information is something I think really benefits the younger users in particular. Being able to relay a small nugget of useful and usable Science in less than 60 seconds is something I think is helping to fill some gaps in their learning during this pandemic.
What is your favourite effect?
The different green screen effects are probably the ones I use most frequently, but I'd be lying if I didn't say the "I'm lost" green screen wasn't my favourite of all of them.
What is your goal on TikTok?
I'd really love to become known as "that Tiktok Science Teacher" in the UK & Ireland. Every time I've done a lesson on the app, having a couple hundred people watching and wanting to learn Science from me is just an incredible feeling. And getting messages in my comments from students telling me how much the lessons help and the impact it's having on how they're doing in school makes it all worthwhile.
Who do you follow on TikTok – and why? / What is on your TikTok feed?
My feed is mostly Teachers (I ran a Teacher Olympics in the summer, where we had over 24 teams and 200 teachers taking part)! It's helped me make connections with teachers from all over the world, and there's an amazing community of educators on the app.
What is your favourite TikTok you have made to date and why?
My RNA vs. DNA Tiktok that was seen by over 4 million people is probably my new favourite. Only because of the sheer joy you can see people have got from it, from reading the comments.
What is the inspiration behind your hilarious skits?
Normally when I hear a sound on tiktok, my thinking process is "Can I relate this to Science in some way, and how can I make it funny?" I'm a big believer that if someone is laughing or smiling because of something they see while learning, they're more likely to remember it, or at the minimum feel better about the idea of learning. I think that's why I try and use humour in my own lessons as much as possible as well.
New to TikTok and want to see more amazing educational content? Getting involved is simple. Just download the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon!
