Lack of Screen-Based Media Strengthens Teens’ Nonverbal Emotional Cues

A field experiment examined whether increasing opportunities for face-to-face interaction while eliminating the use of screen-based media and communication tools improved nonverbal emotion–cue recognition in preteens. After five days interacting face-to-face without the use of any screen-based media, preteens’ recognition of nonverbal emotion cues improved significantly more than that of the control group for both facial expressions and videotaped scenes. Implications are that the short-term effects of increased opportunities for social interaction, combined with time away from screen-based media and digital communication tools, improves a preteen’s understanding of nonverbal emotional cues.

Uhls, Y. T., Michikyan, M., Morris, J., Garcia, D., Small, G. W., Zgourou, E., & Greenfield, P. E. (2014). Five days at outdoor education camp without screens improves preteen skills with nonverbal emotion cues. Computers in Human Behavior, 39, 387-392. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.05.036

Collaboration and Computers in Learning

According to a new study, using such strategies and technologies in conjunction had a more positive impact than having individual students use computers, or having students collaborate without using computers.

Key findings include:

-       First, the collaboration had significant positive effects on knowledge gain, skill acquisition, and student perceptions in computer-based learning conditions.

-       Second, computer use led to positive effects on knowledge gain, skill acquisition, student perceptions, group task performance, and social interaction in collaborative learning contexts.

-       Third, the use of extra learning environments or tools produced a medium effect for knowledge gain, and supporting strategies resulted in a positive effects on knowledge gain.

Chen, J., Wang, M., Kirschner, P. A., & Tsai, C. (2018). The role of collaboration, computer use, learning environments, and supporting strategies in CSCL: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 88(6), 799-843. https://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0034654318791584