With my Interactive Learning Design subject being how social media affects kids, I found this video to give a strong insight on multiple perspectives:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=najiOPaR37I&t=173s: Social Media and Kids: Using Video for Interaction

In the video we hear from teenagers and their feelings around social media, bringing up bad habits and what went into building a better relationship with their phones. Then we have adults having a discussion where they are answering parents’ questions about how to deal with technology related situations.

Throughout the video we get clear insights of how social media can negatively affect someone’s mental health, sometimes to very serious levels. The speakers then break down how phones need to be introduced with support and boundaries. One comparison made is to driving a car as a child, where someone is not capable of doing it right away. In the same way, kids need support and boundaries when learning to navigate social media because they may not yet be able to create healthy habits on their own. Parents can help with this by being open and having honest discussions about how social media makes them feel. Leading by example can help teach kids how to use social media as a tool rather than letting it control their habits.

Interaction with the Video

The video itself does not force students to respond in the moment, but it still creates interaction with the content. As Wagner (1994) explains, interaction can occur when learners engage with ideas and later respond to them, even if the exchange is not happening at the same time. In this case, the interaction would happen when students reflect on what they watched and apply those ideas in activities afterwards.

Students would likely respond to the video by thinking about their own experiences with social media. They might recognize habits discussed in the video or think about how social media has affected people around them. This type of engagement supports what Anderson (2003) describes as learner–content interaction, where learners build understanding through engaging with the material.

Follow-Up Activity

Using this video, I would have students create a question of their own while watching the video, similar to the questions asked by parents in the discussion. Once the question is created based on the video, they would write a short answer explaining what they think the best approach would be in that situation.

After writing their answer, students would research their question to see what information comes up. They could compare their original thoughts to what they find through research and see if their thinking changes or if they learn something new. This activity helps develop critical thinking and research skills.

Finally, I would want them to put one thing they learned into action. This could come from the video itself or from what they found in their research. For example, they might have a small conversation with someone in their life about how they view social media. Afterwards, they would write a short reflection explaining what they asked, how the conversation went, and whether they would do it again or change anything.

Feedback

Students could post their reflections on a blog or discussion space where classmates and the instructor can comment. This allows students to see different perspectives while also receiving feedback that may help deepen their understanding of the topic. According to the Community of Inquiry framework (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000), this type of exchange helps support social presence and teaching presence within an online learning environment.

Prompts

  • What kind of interaction would the video require from your students? Does it force them to respond in some way (inherent)?
  • In what way are they likely to respond to the video on their own (learner-generated)?
  • If you selected a video, what activity could you suggest that they do after they have watched the video? What type of knowledge or skill would that activity help develop?
  • What medium or technology would students use to do the activity?
  • How would students get feedback on the activity you set? What medium or technology would be used for giving and receiving feedback?

References

Anderson, T. (2003). Getting the mix right again: An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 4(2), 1–14.

Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105.

Wagner, E. D. (1994). In support of a functional definition of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 8(2), 6–26.