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A few are locked into what we are talking about. I have caught their attention and kept it.
A few were with me for 12-15 seconds, but now they are gone. Their thoughts are somewhere else. I’m not too upset, give it another 12-15 seconds and they will be back.
A few checked out 2 seconds into the topic. Again, I might get them back in a matter of a few seconds.
1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…Next.
1…Next.
1…2…3…4…Next.
1…2…Next.
Next.
I watch students drop in and out of focus on our topic. But why?
I believe that students have conditioned their brains to do two things:
First, they only consume content that they want to consume. If something shows up on their screen (TikTok, Instagram, Netflix, YouTube, etc.) that they don’t like, they do not watch it. They scroll up. Next.
Second, they refresh their attention every 15-60 seconds. TikTok videos average 21-34 seconds and Instagram Reels average 15-60 seconds with bloggers and influencers stating (limited sources) that on both platforms the “best” length for video engagement is 7-15 seconds. They will watch it until the end, building up the algorithm better than if they scroll off a 30-second video when they are only 15 seconds in.
In a very small sample size (about 140) in a very unscientific piece of research (I asked my 8th-grade classes to raise their hand to various questions) about 90% of my students used a variety of social media platforms daily with the most popular being TikTok and Instagram. Based on the hand-raising method of research, a vast majority of my students watched between 1-4 hours of videos per day, more on the weekends and when the weather is bad.
Using some pretty bold estimates: a large number of students sitting in my classroom have consumed between 1000-4000 hours worth of videos that are most likely between 7 and 60 seconds each. That’s how their brains expect to consume content.Wow.
Most of these videos are on auto-play, so as soon as they hit the screen they start playing.
1…2…3…Next.
1…Next.
1…2…3…4…5…Next.
If they don’t like it…Next.
It was cool for the first 9 seconds…Next.
This applies to not only Social media but television shows…music…games…what else?
As adults who grew up without social media, Netflix, and Spotify, this is new to our brains. Personally, I had about 30 years of brain development prior to my first swipe.
When I was a teenager I would turn on the TV and pick one of the 25 programs on. Whether I liked it or not, I would watch what was on or I would find something else to do. I would turn on the radio and either listen to what was on, try to dial in one of the other 12 stations, or turn it off. I had very little choice. I would make do with what was on. I didn’t have the option to choose what was next.
Fast forward to today. On Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime I choose exactly what I want to watch and when. I can choose to pause, restart, fast forward, and basically do anything I want to keep things that are entertaining to me in front of my eyes. If it’s not entertaining…Next.
When it comes to music, I have curated playlists to play only songs that I like or songs that are similar to those I like. If I don’t like a song…Next. If I’m trying to get a new personal record in the weight room and I need the right motivation…Next…Next…Next…here we go! Spotify, Pandora, and iTunes have come a long way from trying to guess how long to press fast forward on my first Walkman!
My brain was developed when there wasn’t much choice, and those choices came slowly. Think of the 14-year-old born in 2008 or my 12-year-old son born in 2010. They have never known a world where they couldn’t watch, listen, or play what they wanted to when they wanted to. They never will. If it’s not what they want at the point in time…Next.
With the video media, after 7-15 seconds…Next.
With a new hit song, after their favorite part…Next.
With a game where they are losing or losing interest…Next.
As I look out at my classroom, I can almost see their brains scrolling. That was a pretty cool sentence we read about the Declaration of Independence…Next.
“Thomas Jefferson said…” Next.
“What do you think about the third amendment?” Next.
As I was having a social media conversation with my 8th graders, I asked a question of the class. As my student gave their opinion, I watched the rest of the class and watched as they started listening to the response before their brain started scrolling.
Next.
My 8th grader gave a response that lasted about 10 seconds, and in that time 10 of my 27 students started scrolling. In that 10 seconds, 37% of the class didn’t find the answer entertaining and didn’t want to listen anymore. Next.
Wow.
How do I teach in that mental environment?
I have no idea.
My state-mandated content can’t entertain like the videos on TikTok and Instagram. Next.
My energy and passion can’t hook their attention in the first 1.5 seconds then maintain or keep it for the first 15 seconds, then the next 15…then the next 15.
In a 55-minute class period, there are 220, 15-second periods. I can’t compete with that.
Next.
The mental environment that my students are in isn’t going away. As a matter of fact, it could be becoming curated more for entertainment with less time to between.
It’s my job to figure out how to teach in that space.
I don’t know how…yet.
If you’re still reading, share your thoughts.
Next!
