A plethora of novel teaching models that integrate technology in multifaceted ways are being introduced in contemporary educational landscapes. These models encompass a diverse spectrum, ranging from those that seamlessly blend face-to-face and virtual interactions to those that facilitate the creation of innovative remote learning environments and share a common overarching goal: to foster student success in the classroom, streamline the execution of specific formative activities, and promote networked learning with an emphasis on knowledge exchange.
In this sense, nano lessons might be one of the tools teachers may use to help the new generations learn through learning pills focused on only one topic. According to Serra (2024), a nano lesson is a short class that focuses on a single specific topic or concept. It typically lasts 1 to 2 minutes and utilizes multimedia resources that engage and capture the student’s attention, facilitating learning through concentrated information. Nano-teaching, as defined by Serra (2024), is a pedagogical approach that utilizes nano-learning, a short learning unit focused on a single concept or skill.
Nano-teaching pertains to the teacher’s pedagogical practice, responsible for the delivery of nano-lessons. It has a broader scope, potentially incorporating hands-on and interactive activities beyond the mere transmission of information. Nano-learning then represents a novel digital genre characterized by the delivery of educational content in small segments, typically lasting just a few minutes.
This approach aligns with the information consumption needs and behaviors of new generations, who demand agile learning methods integrated into their digital routines. In our doctoral research we claim that a nano lesson on the social media TikTok, is a multimodal transmuted genre of the traditional face-to-face lessons.
In the context of genre transmutation, Bakhtin’s use of the term “transmute” refers to the transformation undergone by primary genres when they are incorporated into secondary genres (Bakhtin 2016).
Our thesis does not advocate against face-to-face education or the diverse teaching and learning methods offered by the variety of educational methods and institutions. We believe that the introduction of a flexible educational system that caters to the individual needs of each student is a pressing need of our time.
By delving deeper into the TikTok Nano Lessons Genre, we believe it will be possible to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this transmuted genre, not only from the perspective of its structure, platform requirements, and technological advancements, but also within the context of the broader tradition to which it belongs. This deeper understanding will undoubtedly reveal much more about the individuals who use and are shaped by these classrooms, about contemporary society, and its ways of navigating life.
