Happy Monday! Last week, we explored the research about whether or not kids can learn from educational screen media. The bottom line is YES, but it depends on a number of factors. One of the things it depends on is whether the media is receptive (e.g., watching shows and movies) or interactive (e.g., playing interactive apps on a tablet), based on the unique characteristics of these two media types. This week, we’ll dive deeper into receptive media to help you understand, choose, and use screens in an informed way. 

Receptive media is the most common type of media use for young children. This involves watching shows, movies, or short videos. Educational receptive media typically consists of two main features: the narrative content, which is the storyline, and the educational content, which is the lesson. Narrative content refers to the surface level story and its complexity, including the setting, events, goals of the characters, and resolution. The educational content is the deeper intended lesson from the show or movie, which typically is embedded in the narrative.

The Capacity Model & Content Distance

A popular framework for media and learning called The Capacity Model suggests that a third important feature of receptive media is the distance between the narrative content and educational content. The distance refers to how well embedded or integrated the educational lesson is with the storyline of the show or movie. 

The same cognitive resources are used to process, understand, and remember narrative and educational content. When there is low distance between the story (narrative content) and the lesson (educational content), children are more likely to learn. This is because low distance allows the child to process both types of content simultaneously. When there is high distance and the educational content is not integrated into the story, children are less likely to learn. This is because it overextends children’s cognitive resources to process both the story and the lesson if they are not well connected. Therefore, the smaller the distance between the narrative and educational content, the more likely your child is to learn from educational receptive media! 

Think of it like this: if the educational lesson is necessary to move the storyline along, your child is more likely to learn! If the lesson is secondary or unrelated to the story, they are less likely to learn and may need extra help understanding the lesson. 

Here are two examples and questions you can consider when evaluating distance in children’s receptive media content:

LOW DISTANCE – educational lesson central to storyline, more likely to learn

What is the story? There is supposed to be a party in the park, but it is full of trash and recycling. The characters need to clean up before the party can happen.
What is the target educational lesson? Estimation and counting.
How closely related is the educational lesson to the storyline? The characters pick up pieces of trash and count by ones, twos, and tens as they go. While counting, they also estimate how many pieces of trash will fit into the trash bins. The educational content is necessary to the storyline. 

HIGH DISTANCE – educational lesson tangential to storyline, less likely to learn

What is the story? The characters are going to a birthday party, and when they get there they add the presents they brought to a pile on the table.They go outside and count flowers in the yard then come back in to open presents. 
What is the target educational lesson? Estimation and counting.
How closely related is the educational lesson to the storyline? Counting flowers was completely unrelated to the party or the presents and did not move the storyline along.