Effect of Interactive Media on the People - Essay Example

Interactive media is a method of communication, whereby the user’s input determines the output of the program (Besag 2010, 127). Users of interactive media are engaged in the media that they are using. This paper shall investigate the effect of interactive media on people.

Methodology.

The study used a random sampling method to select ten respondents for the purpose of understanding the influence of interactive media on cognitive development and the learning process. A questionnaire the data collection sought answers to the following questions:

1. What are the common forms of interactive media that you use?
2. How has interactive media influenced your social relations?
3. How has interactive media affected your learning process?
4. What is the effect of interactive media on your cognitive development?

The open-ended questionnaire provides room for the respondents to widen the scope of their answers and provide insights into the question. Due to time constraints in interviewing the respondents separately, the questionnaire provided timely data from all the respondents.

Findings

The response rate was 100%. Most of the respondents (9 out of 10) attested to the use of the internet and digital television as their main interactive media forums. These are the most understood and commonly shared by all the respondents.

Four respondents affirmed that interactive media has positive effects on their social ties. They said that interactive media has enabled fast communication and connection with other people, thus building their social ties. Interactive media also helps them to keep in touch with their friends. The remaining six respondents attributed their social problems to interactive media. The engaging nature of these media denied them the time to go out and socialize. The impersonality nature of interactive media extends to their social relationships.

The majority of the respondents (80%) agreed that interactive media improves and facilitates the learning process. They said that interactive media provides platforms for them to get more knowledge and provides simplified versions and illustrations for understanding. The other two respondents were unsure of the influence interactive media had on their learning process.

Eight respondents were confident that interactive media played a great role in their cognitive development. They asserted that interactive media contributed to a better understanding of issues with graphics and illustrations that simplified concepts. This enhanced their cognitive development, especially in science. Two respondents were not sure of the effect on their cognitive development.

Analysis and discussion

The majority of the respondents attested to the fact that interactive media has negative effects on the way they related to others. This is similar to other studies that showed the negative effects of interactive media on social ties. The loneliness that comes with the use of interactive media is a social disaster. Most people think that by using these media, they are able to ward off the desire of being in social ties. The internet provides a great platform for learning, although other people are concerned with the content of some sites. Other studies have indicated low cognitive development and learning among children. These interactive forums make children inactive and more focused on being around these digital platforms.

Conclusion

Based on the findings of these findings, interactive forums enhance cognitive development and the learning process.