Interactive technologies for early childhood: Harmful or helpful

Interactive Technologies for Early Childhood: Harmful or Helpful? Interaction Design and Children 2014 Tutorial – Tuesday, June 17, 2014 Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

Introduc)on

•  Early Learning and Development (ages 0 – 2)

•  Preschool Children’s Well-being and Technology

•  Takeaways and Guides For Development

Outline of today’s tutorial

•  Introduction

Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

•  @jasoncyip

•  Learning sciences, child-computer interaction, and STEM education

•  Postdoctoral fellowship Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

•  Assistant Professor (Jan 2015) University of Washington – Seattle: Information School for Digital Youth

Brief Introduc)on


Sesame Street is the MOST researched show in the history of television when it comes to media and learning. In S. M. Fisch & R.T. Truglio (Eds.), "G" is for "Growing": Thirty Years of Research on Sesame Street (pp. 97-114). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Research and Sesame Street

Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop Joan Ganz Cooney Center

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Acknowledgments

Michael Levine, Ph.D. Joan Ganz Cooney Center

Ellen Wartella, Ph.D. Alexis Lauricella, Ph.D. Northwestern University

SAGE Handbook on Early Childhood Research (in 2015)


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The Scary Issues

Should we be scared of technology for early childhood, especially at below the age of 2?


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“Television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age 2. A child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people, not screens.” American Academy of Pediatrics

We know infants and toddlers have a tough time learning from screen media without frequent repetition and social interaction.

Children below age 2 learn better from real world demonstrations than from screen media. This is called the “video deficit”. Anderson & Pempek, 2005

Early Learning (ages 0 – 2)


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Video deficit

•  Young infants have developing eyesight and immature visual abilities.

•  Babies need close viewing distance to learn



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Video deficit

•  Viewing screen media is not like perceiving a window into a new world. Courage and Howe (2010)

•  Moreover, babies do not notice the subtle cues, transitions, and wipes in television.



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•  Infants from 12- to 30- month-olds learn significantly better from a one- to three-step imitation task when the infant views the demonstration performance live by an adult as compared to screen. Barr & Hayne, 1999; Hayne, Hebert, & Somcock, 2003



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•  Toddlers are better able to find hidden objects when information about their hiding places is provided by a live adult as compared to when it is given on screen. Schmitt & Anderson, 2002; Deocampo & Hudson, 2005; Schmidt, Crawley-Davis, & Anderson, 2007; Troseth & DeLoache, 1998; Troseth, 2003



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•  Infants and toddlers learn language skills better from a live experience than from a video or televised presentation. Richert, Robber, Fender, & Wartella, 2010, Kuhl, Tsao, & Liu, 2003; Nagles & Kako, 1993



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•  Infants may view characters on a screen differently than they view people in live interactions. Richert et al., 2010



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•  Some evidence does exist that the video deficit can be ameliorated or eliminated when repetition is used. Barr, Muentener, Garcia, Fujimoto, & Chavez, 2007; Troseth, 2003;

Zack, Barr, Gerhardstein, Dickerson, & Meltzoff, 2010



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•  Considerable research has examined the positive role of parent-interaction and scaffolding on television program (or screen media). Barr, Zack, Garcia, & Muentener, 2008; Lemish & Rice, 1986



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•  When parents treat on-screen images as something with relevant information for the child and identified this relevant information by asking on-topic questions or labeling, infants were more likely to interact with the video.

Barr, Zack et al., 2008



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•  Word learning from a DVD was improved when parents interacted with their children during the viewing by directing the child’s attention to the DVD and repeating the words from the DVD. Barr & Wyss, 2008



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What about brain development? •  For example, the brain grows to about 70% of its

adult size by age 1 and 80% by age 2. Dekaban, 1978; Knickmeyer et al, 2008

•  During the early life of babies, newborns do not simply experience new stimuli passively, but actively shape their surrounding environments. Kandel et al, 2000



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•  “Television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age 2. A child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people, not screens.” American Academy of Pediatrics

•  However, neuroscience is still an emerging field in the context of early childhood education. Frey & Fisher, 2010

•  An emerging argument is often presented in the literature is that it is not the technology that is influence brain development in young children, but the changing nature of face-to-face positive interactions.



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•  A current review on brain development, screen media, and infancy determined babies have a difficult time processing and learning from visual stimuli from digital media. Wartella, Richert, and Robb (2010)



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•  Children’s brain development may be more affected by how much direct interaction they have with caring adults.

•  It may be the case that digital media disturbs the interaction between parents and child interactions that are beneficial to young children’s growth. Plowman & McPake, 2013



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•  What about brain development and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

•  Currently, there is no reliable evidence to demonstrate that viewing video causes attention problems. Courage & Setliff, 2010; Schmidt, Rich, Rifas-Shiman, Oken, & Taveras, 2009



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•  Instead, it may be that children exhibiting hyperactivity and problematic attention tend to either gravitate towards digital media or parents use digital media as a way to calm hyperactive children down. Wartella, Richert, and Robb (2010)



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•  Television viewing during infancy (ages 0 – 3) does not appear to be linked to language or visual motor skills. Schmidt et al. (2009)

•  More than likely, babies (12 – 18 months) learn very little from infant media. DeLoache et al. (2010)



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•  Screen media effects on learning are more dependent on content that resembles infants and toddlers’ real life experience, repeated exposure, and a competent co-viewer that supports conversation and language learning. Linebarger & Vaala (2010)



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‘‘What are the mechanisms through which media interact with physical maturation, cognitive constraints, and environment (both physical and social) to influence cognitive development?” (p. 125).


Wartella, Richert, and Robb (2010)


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Preschoolers (ages 3 – 5)

Kids are everywhere…

are using TV/TV accessories 78% are using

Mobile/Tablet devices 56% are using

Computers 44% are using

Gaming Devices 42%


What are the possible harmful effects of media and interactive technologies for children ages 3 – 5?



Physical Health and Interactive Technologies

•  Obesity and nutrition •  Musculoskeletal development

•  Vision

•  Sleep



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•  Obesity is on the rise, not just in the Western world, but the entire world. Children are not immune. World Health Organization (2014)



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•  Interactive technologies are only part of problem Byun, Dowda, and Pate (2011)

–  Exposure to food advertisements and poor diet Institutes of Medicine (2006)

–  Changing school cultures Fernandes & Strum (2010)

–  Globalization Phillips (2006)

–  Children’s sleep patterns Cappuccio et al. (2008)

–  And many others!



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•  In response to the obesity crisis, developers have promoted new children’s technologies for motion and movement.



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Musculoskeletal Development

•  Straker, Abbott, Collins, and Campbell (2014) conducted a review of the literature on digital games and children’s health.

•  They concluded that new digital games have more innovative controllers such as body motion (e.g., Kinect), gestures (e.g., WiiMote controller), and repetitive motions which may impact young children’s musculoskeletal health.



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•  Awkward and sustained postures during e-game play can contribute to the risk of developing musculoskeletal injury.

•  Sustained repetitive activity has been associated with injury to children.



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•  High acceleration and high-force (e.g., motion sports games, dance games) can increase the risk of injury, especially to those who are not used to such movements.

•  Mobility is now changing children’s issues with pain. For example, laptops and poor sitting positions contributes to pain in children. Harris and Straker, 2000; Sommerich et al. 2007



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•  Coupled with young children’s dynamic body development (e.g., growth spurts), understanding the impact of newer ICT and children’s musculoskeletal development becomes difficult to assess.



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•  Although much research has examined ergonomic and musculoskeletal issues in children with desktops and laptops, little research has examined newer mobile technologies (e.g., smartphones, tablet) with respect to younger children (ages 3 – 8).



Vision problems •  Vision is also dependent on a numerous array of

factors that make is hard to isolate if screen media is a problem: –  Genetics

–  Diet

–  Environmental factors (e.g., amount of light present)

–  Exposure time indoors and outdoors

–  Types of activities


e.g., Kerr and Tappin (2002); Tan et al. (2000) Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop Joan Ganz Cooney Center

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Sleep problems •  We know that media and technologies can disturb

sleep in young children.

•  Vandewater et al. (2007) found that one-fifth of children ages 0 – 2 and more than one-third of 3- to 6-year-olds have a television in their bedroom, which may increase problems with sleep. Anderson & Evans, 2001; Owens et al., 1999



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•  A study of 19,299 Chinese children (5 – 11) found that the presence of a computer in the bedroom predicted bedtime resistance and sleep anxiety. Li et al. (2007)

•  Grandisar and Short’s (2013) extensive reviews note many studies in adolescents and sleep disturbance through ICT, but not as many with young children.



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•  Smartphones and cell phones are quite commonplace now, but it is actually difficult to assess how these mobile devices affect young children’s sleep patterns.



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•  Video games have actually predicted difficulty in sleep for young children.

•  Adam, Snell, and Pendry (2007) found in a study of 2,454 children between the ages of 5 – 19 years that each hour spent playing video games resulted in 10 minutes loss of sleep in children ages 5 – 12, mainly due to later bedtimes.




•  Digital media content and when digital media is accessed may play a role in the disruption of sleep.

•  Garrison, Liekweg, and Christakis (2011) showed in a randomized control trial of children ages 3 – 5 that violent content on media and evening use of technology was associated with poorer sleep patterns.



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So what’s the positive outcomes for early childhood with regards to interactive technologies?



•  Plowman, McPake, Stephen, Suggate, and Reese (2012) observed that before children even begin schooling, they could acquire four areas of learning from exposure to digital media.



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•  First, young children can gain knowledge of the world through information seeking behaviors.

•  Second, children develop operational skills and competence of how to use the digital media and technologies, such as the motor skills necessary to use a mouse.



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•  Third, children develop dispositions to learn through exploring, sustaining attention, following instructions, and problem-solving.

•  Finally, in the home, children begin to understand the role of technology in everyday life, including social and cultural purposes.



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•  Decades of research with preschool-aged children have demonstrated that watching educational media at home is positively associated with preschoolers’ development of literacy, mathematics, science, and prosocial behavior. Comstock & Scharrer, 2007; Fisch, 2004; Friedrich & Stein, 1973; Anderson et al., 2000



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•  Empirical evidence indicates that preschoolers actively watch television and that television viewing in the preschool years can be positively associated with academic and cognitive outcomes. Anderson et al. (2000); Anderson & Lorch (1983); Ball & Bogatz (1970); Zill, Davies, & Daly, (1994)



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•  Parents and teachers have generally viewed computers more positively in terms of educational potential, largely because they feel that computers are something their children will have to learn to use as working adults. Rideout & Hamel (2006)



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•  Research largely supports that interactive media, primarily computers, can have positive impacts on learning. Jackson, von Eye, Biocca, Barbatsis, Zhao, & Fitzgerald, 2006



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•  Studies of preschoolers’ learning from computers found positive impacts on multiple learning skills including:

–  social and emotional development, language; –  literacy skills; and

–  cognition and general knowledge See review from Children Now (2007)



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•  As with television programs, the content is essential.

•  Computers are most effective when preschoolers use age-appropriate software.

•  Conversely, Haugland (1992) demonstrated when content is not developmentally appropriate for the audience; creativity can be diminished with use.



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•  Evidence suggests that carefully designed media may encourage the development of positive emotional and social skills such as kindness, sharing, helping, cooperation, and tolerance. Bogatz & Ball, 1971; Calvert & Kotler, 2003; Cole et al., 2003; Friedrich & Stein, 1975; Sprafkin, Liebert, & Poulos, 1975;



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•  In particular, co-viewing and joint media engagement which parents indicate as being one of the most important ways children learn from parents with digital media.

Takeuchi & Stevens, 2011



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•  Co-viewing is defined as the presence and behavior of competent others (e.g., parents, siblings, caregivers) with children while viewing screen media.



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•  Co-viewing is no longer situated in just television, but impacts many aspects of digital practice.

•  Kucirkova, Messer, Sheehy, and Flewitt (2013) observed in a case study of a mother-daughter (33 months) interaction the role that personal iPad™ stories play.



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•  The child shared her personal story with her mother.

•  They communicated through combina)ons of embodied modes all while the iPad™ mediated and shaped the interac)on.



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•  However, co-viewing without active engagement and scaffolding is not helpful. Ostrov, Gentile, & Mullins, 2012; Warren, 2003

•  The quality of co-viewing is not only shaped by the factors of the home (e.g., parents, technology, child), but other external factors.

•  For instance, family conflict is negatively related to educational media usage Vandewater & Bickham (2004)



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So is technology helpful or harmful for early children’s learning and development?

Take aways


It depends.!

•  In the same way that there is no single effect of “eating food”, there is no single effect with “engaging in technology”.

•  Dichotomous classifications such as “helpful” or “harmful” ignore the multidimensional complexity of human interaction with technology.

•  Much of the research on technology for younger children is correlational in nature, but we cannot infer causation.

Take aways


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•  For babies and toddlers, they can learn through screen media, but only when there is very close personal co-viewing, repetition, and age appropriate and engaging content.

•  However, screen media for babies could also cause unintentional disruptions to necessary and vital social interactions.

Take aways


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•  For preschoolers, they can learn from screen media. –  Some learning can be direct, other learning will

be unanticipated.

•  Build and design with the following in mind.

–  Peer and intergenerational social co-viewing that includes talking, reading, and multiple roles

–  Age-appropriate content and scaffolding

Take aways


•  The Workshop’s guide for designing touch and tablet experiences

•  Helps developers to think about what works and what hasn’t for touch experiences.

•  www.sesameworkshop.org

Resources for Design


•  Design guidelines for promoting coviewing and joint media engagement.

•  Analysis of interactions and how to design for learning for joint media engagement.

Resources for Design

www.joanganzcooneycenter.org


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•  Question for discussion:

•  How does the multidimensional complexity of technology usage in early childhood affect us in our design of children’s technologies

@jasoncyip

Interactive technologies for early childhood: Harmful or helpful

Education

sesame street

video deficit young

entertainment media

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young children

early childhood research

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