ECDI 335 Blog Post 4

Showing the video titled “How Anxiety Affects Teenagers” by Child Mind Institute to a class can offer an engaging visual and auditory experience to introduce the topic of mental health and anxiety, helping students connect with real-world issues that may impact their lives or those of their peers. To promote interaction and reflection, I would guide students through several steps designed to encourage them to respond thoughtfully and personally to the video.

First, during the video, the instructor can use designed interactivity by pausing key moments and asking students to jot down notes or thoughts on these concepts: reasons teenagers might experience anxiety, signs someone might be struggling, and ways to offer support. This note-taking process (learner-generated) would help them actively engage with the content, laying the groundwork for a deeper understanding of anxiety and its impact on teenagers.

After watching, I would suggest a reflective journaling activity where students could write about one aspect they found surprising or personally relevant, and how they might use the information to support a friend or manage their own anxiety. This activity promotes empathy and self-awareness, essential social-emotional skills that contribute to mental health literacy. Additionally, students could share their reflections anonymously via an online platform like Padlet, where they could read and respond to peers’ insights. This technology provides a safe and inclusive space for sharing while maintaining anonymity as some students might feel vulnerable discussing personal topics. By using an online platform for these reflections, students’ interactions can be tracked, assessed, or used as a springboard for further discussion.

To ensure students receive feedback and to foster student-teacher interaction, the instructor could guide a class discussion providing general comments on recurring themes or responses emerging from their reflections, reinforcing effective strategies and clarifying any misconceptions. Using an online feedback tool like Google Classroom, the instructor could offer personalized feedback where needed, especially for students with additional questions or insights.

This activity is manageable because it encourages students to think independently and doesn’t require a lot of work for the instructor. Padlet and Google Classroom make it easy to give feedback and see common themes in student responses. Since the instructor does not need to give detailed feedback to each student, it works well even for larger classes.

Finally, to address potential barriers, I would provide written instructions and subtitles for the video, ensuring that students with different learning needs or language proficiencies have equal access to the information. By creating an open and supportive environment, I aim to make this activity inclusive, allowing all students to engage meaningfully with the topic of adolescent anxiety.