YouTube has become a complement learning platform which fosters learning on demand with educational videos. Educational videos are understood as a fruitful strategy to enhance the user’s knowledge and are applied in schools, as well as in science communication, e.g., to inform about climate change. This paper discusses two perspectives which become visible in the current research literature on educational videos on YouTube. First, studies assume that watching educational videos changes the attitude or behavior of the recipients. Second, studies question whether educational videos have a higher impact than other information materials such as texts. We frame both perspectives with regard to theories from media effect studies and learning concepts from education science and discuss their conclusions for educational videos on YouTube. We will first focus on students as a target group for educational videos, but in the further course, we will discuss the results for the public as targeted group of science communication as well. In the final section we will summarize which potentials and limitations educational videos have for educational purposes in science communication.

YouTube has become an alternative learning platform which fosters learning on demand with educational videos. Educational videos are understood as a fruitful strategy to enhance the user’s knowledge and are applied in media education, e.g. in schools, as well as in science communication, e.g. to inform about climate change. Previous research has analyzed the quality of educational videos especially on medical and scientific topics or which artistic or creative aspects within the videos help to spread information. Yet, theoretical considerations whether educational videos can be used similarly for the heterogeneous group of users are missing. Deriving from both research perspectives, media education and communication science, this paper investigates which potentials and limitations both perspectives provide for educational videos and their users and discusses whether educational videos can be understood as science communication.