COMMERCIALIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING IN EXAM-CENTRIC EDUCATION ON YOUTUBE: AN ANALYSIS OF TURKEY'S LEADING EDUCATIONAL CHANNELS

Abstract

The rise of digital platforms has ushered in a new era for educational delivery, with YouTube emerging as a significant player. This study provides a critical analysis of Turkish-language educational channels on YouTube, with a particular focus on their role in subject matter teaching for varying educational levels. We delve into the structure, operational dynamics, and content production approaches of these channels to offer empirical insights into their nature within the Turkish educational landscape. Employing document analysis method, this study scrutinized 17 prominent channels, identified through their high viewer engagement and subject matter teaching focus, to compile the data set. We analyzed these channels through inductive thematic content analysis approach. The findings offer a view of the channels' quantitative metrics, educational levels and subjects, content focus, purpose and organization, accessibility and interaction features, media and material usage, and viewer-directed links. Our discussion synthesizes these findings under four themes: YouTube's emergence as a potential alternative to in-person teaching, the role of community building in digital education, the prevalence of exam-centric educational engagement, and the nuanced implications of commercialization in online educational content.