Early Learning from Educational Media: Researchers Examine Ways Learning in Youngsters Can Be Fostered

Early mental and intellectual stimulation is important for subsequent learning. What role do electronic media play in this process? New studies are providing rigorous examinations of whether educational medial with certain features promote early learning.

The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) will host a symposium during its Biennial Meeting that brings together researchers to consider educational media and early learning in global contexts. Among the questions that will be addressed:

• Can interactive media characters affect 18-month-olds’ early learning of science and math concepts?
• Can 2- to 3-year-olds learn words using touchscreens?
• What does a new meta-analysis of data from 10,000 children in 15 countries indicate about whether and how children learn from watching Sesame Street? What is the evidence that 3- to 7-year-olds in China learn science from such programming?

The symposium will take place in the Washington Convention Center, Room 3A, on Thursday, April 18, 2013, from 4:10 to 5:40 p.m.

Researchers: Marie-Louise Mares, Heather Kirkorian, Koeun Choi, Zhongdang Pan, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Sandra L. Calvert, Melissa N. Richards, Courtney Kent, Georgetown University; Tiffany A. Pempek, Hollins University; Yeh Hsueh, The University of Memphis; June Lee, Sesame Workshop; Zong-Kui Zhou, Yuan Tian, Xiaojun Sun, Cuiying Fan, The Central China Normal University; Giumin Su, The Southwest University