Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Mass Communication - Department of Radio and Television Department

The purpose of the study was to examine a gratification seeking and audience activity model within an informal learning context described by the connectivism learning theory for the digital age. The study assumed both direct influence of motives and attitudes on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities, and indirect influence through users{u2019} activity before and during exposure to science popularization videos on Facebook and YouTube. The study also aimed to analyze how users significantly differ in their media use orientations, viewing level of science popularization videos, and digital literacy skills based on their demographics (age- generation- gender- educational level). An online survey questionnaire was used to collect data from a purposive sample of 408 Egyptian social media users who watch science popularization videos regularly, and are aged from 13 to less than 43. As a result of the structural equation modeling of the data, instrumental motives and affinity attitude had a positive direct influence on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities, and a positive indirect influence through higher intentionality before exposure and selectivity before exposure. Ritualized motives had no direct influence on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities, yet it had an indirect negative influence on it through reduced selectivity. Realism attitude had a direct negative influence on it as well as indirect negative influence through reduced selectivity. Cognitive involvement had no significant mediating effect for any of the independent variables on post-viewing involvement in science learning activities. The results showed that users significantly differed in their mean scores of ritualized motives, realism attitude, intentionality, selectivity, viewing level, and digital literacy skills based on some of their demographic variables

Issued also as CD