Abstract—This study aims to determine the extent to which the effectiveness of using YouTube as a source of independent learning in improving students' algebraic thinking skills. The method used in this study is a qualitative method, with data presented descriptively. This study was conducted on junior high school students who had studied algebraic forms of material and were assumed to have adequate algebraic thinking skills, and were not active users of the YouTube platform as a learning resource. The data in this study were obtained by comparing the results of students' algebraic thinking ability tests, before and after independent learning assisted by YouTube. The results of this study found that the use of the YouTube platform as a source of independent learning helps students understand problems, which then plays a role in increasing generational activity. However, more in-depth research is needed, also on broader subjects, to see to what extent the increase in generational activity and other activities in algebraic thinking can be maximized. It is necessary to design a learning approach that utilizes YouTube media as a tool for students to understand the material, while also involving teachers to create learning experiences that train students' abilities in applying the material learned from YouTube. Further research by adding learning style variables is also needed to compare whether there are significant differences in results for different learning styles. 

Keywords—algebraic thinking, self-study resources, YouTube platform

Cite: Monica Winardi, Al Jupri, and Siti Nafiah, "The Effectiveness of YouTube as a Resource for Independent Learning to Improve Students' Algebraic Thinking Skills," International Journal of Learning and Teaching, Vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 354-359, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).