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Stuffing the Student: Digital Entertainment Content and the Paradox of Passive Learning in the Age of Popular Media

The contemporary student inhabits a sensory environment saturated with digital entertainment content. From algorithmically curated short-form videos (TikTok, Reels) to binge-watched serialized dramas (Netflix, Hulu) and gamified learning platforms, popular media has shifted from an extracurricular distraction to an omnipresent cognitive ecosystem. This paper argues that this saturation creates a paradox: while students consume more educational-adjacent content than any previous generation, the mode of consumption—passive, rapid, and emotionally driven—may be "stuffing" the student with information without fostering critical retention or deep analytical skills. Drawing on media ecology theory (Postman), cognitive load theory (Sweller), and recent empirical studies on digital attention spans, this paper analyzes how streaming algorithms, edutainment, and social media narratives reshape student expectations of learning. The paper concludes with pedagogical recommendations for "un-stuffing" the student through critical media literacy and slow learning practices. Stuffing The Student 2 -Digital Playground- XXX...

[Generated for Academic Review] Publication: Journal of Contemporary Media & Education , Volume 14, Issue 2 Stuffing the Student: Digital Entertainment Content and the