Module 7 Discussion: Second Screens

Module 7 Discussion:

Hello Class,

Interesting topic for sure this week and one that I think has just become a way of life for most people nowadays.  I think my answer for the first 2 questions this week really depend on the application.  I think multitasking in general can be very beneficial.  Especially as a parent, if you don’t multitask throughout the day you might not get everything done that you need to.  In fact, I think multitasking skills are an important skill all parents need to master.  Teachers as well need to be able to multitask while working.  You are often wearing multiple “hats” at the same time and need to be able to multitask to do all well.  Students, at least at the high school level, think they are master multitaskers.  They will multitask during class whenever possible, but most of the time their multitasking means doing both tasks at a lesser level than if they focused on one or the other. 

This brings us to the second question this week which is whether 2^nd screens are multitasking or immersion in an experience.  My answer to this question is both… just not usually at the same time.   I think the application of the 2^nd screen determines which of the two the viewer is engaged in at the time.  For example, with the little mermaid 2^nd screen movie, by the way I really was sad there weren’t any shows in Illinois, the viewer is definitely immersing themselves in the experience.  They are interacting with the content using the tablet but still engaged with the movie.  There still might be some consequences though because you might not be fully engaged in the movie if you are playing games on the laptop.

The second example given is with sports.  I partake in this type of second screen activity every Sunday during football season.  In fact, I typically have a 4 screen approach.  On the main tv, I watch my favorite team, the Miami dolphins.  This is where all of my attention should be but it isn’t enough anymore because of fantasy football.  On the second tv, I will have the red zone channel going which is a highlight show much like what was outlined in the golf example.   My tablet and phone are dedicated to my multiple fantasy leagues for checking stats, scores, and injury updates.  This immersion in the experience makes Sunday more exciting for sure, but again I don’t pay as much attention to my beloved Miami Dolphins because I am spread so thin with all the screens.  Sometimes I do miss just having one screen, but doubt I would ever go back.

I also use my tablet to immerse myself in an experience when watching documentaries.  I watch a lot of nature and environmental documentaries.  While watching them, as a science teacher I am constantly “fact checking” what is being said in the film.  My second screen also helps me find images or graphs related to the film that I can share in class the next day.  I should pause the film because sometimes I get more immersed in my second screen and forget to watch the movie while looking for information.

On the other side of the coin, a second screen can obviously be multitasking as well.  If the second screen is unrelated to the main event then I would classify it as multitasking.  My wife uses her phone to look for recipes or complete a shopping list while watching a movie at night.  Students using their phone for social media during class is also multitasking and takes away from the immersion in the first experience.  Both students, and my wife, often miss important details and need to ask questions or are confused later in the activity because they missed critical information.   This is when often times the second screen demands more of our attention than the main experience.  When that happens I think it is safe to say that the second screen has now become the main experience.

Applications of a second screen in the classroom are very interesting, especially with our school moving to 1:1 instruction next year.  I would love it if my students utilized their second screen similar to how I use it during documentaries.  During a lecture activity, lab, or even a documentary in class students could “fact check” the main event or even immerse themselves further by exploring questions they had about the topic.  Of course, this is best case scenario and in order to create a culture for this in your classroom a lot of instruction time must be set aside to teach students how to use their device as a means of immersing themselves in the activity.  In a blended classroom, I could see using guided webquests on their second screen as a way of enhancing the content.  Again, the key would be finding the right formula so that the second screen enhances the main content, not distracting the student or creating more confusion with the material.

The last question in our discussion is the toughest question this week.  With an online classroom, you don’t have a lot of “real time” interaction with your students.  You have no idea when and how they are completing their assignments.  You also don’t know if they are multitasking or immersing themselves in the material while working on class work.  That is why I think it is critical to make sure your material is not only engaging but also authentic.  The students have to want to learn the material for some personal benefit.  If they don’t, the class will quickly become just busy-work to complete as quick as possible for a grade.  The material is quickly devalued by the student if they don’t find it important or necessary for understanding the class.  That is why we have worked a lot this year in this course making sure that our activities are engaging and connected to the overall mastery of the curriculum.

Thank you,

Jim