InteractiveTechnology of 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
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

at Sesame Workshop

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

at Sesame WorkshopJoan Ganz Cooney Center
at Sesame Workshop

Acknowledgments

Michael Levine, Ph.D.
Ellen Wartella, Ph.D.
Alexis Lauricella, Ph.D.
Northwestern University
SAGE Handbook on Early
Childhood Research (in 2015)
at Sesame Workshop

The
Scary
Issues

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

“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)

at Sesame Workshop

Video deficit
•  Young infants have
developing eyesight
and immature visual
abilities.
•  Babies need close
viewing distance to
learn
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

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.
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  Infants may view characters on a screen differently
than they view people in live interactions.
Richert et al., 2010
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  “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.
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

‘‘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).
Early
Learning
(ages
0
–
2)

at Sesame Workshop

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%
at Sesame Workshop

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

at Sesame Workshop

Physical Health and Interactive Technologies
•  Obesity and nutrition
•  Musculoskeletal development
•  Vision
•  Sleep
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

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

Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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!
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  In response to the obesity crisis, developers have
promoted new children’s technologies for motion
and movement.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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).
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

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
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

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

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
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

So what’s the positive
outcomes for early
childhood with
regards to interactive
technologies?
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.

Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  Research largely supports that interactive media,
primarily computers, can have positive impacts on
learning.
Jackson, von Eye, Biocca, Barbatsis, Zhao, & Fitzgerald, 2006
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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;
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  Co-viewing is defined as the presence and behavior
of competent others (e.g., parents, siblings,
caregivers) with children while viewing screen
media.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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.

Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

•  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)
Preschoolers
(ages
3
–
5)

at Sesame Workshop

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

at Sesame Workshop
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

at Sesame Workshop

•  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

at Sesame Workshop

•  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

at Sesame Workshop

•  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

at Sesame Workshop

•  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
at Sesame Workshop

•  Question for discussion:
•  How does the multidimensional
complexity of technology usage in
early childhood affect us in our design
of children’s technologies
@jasoncyip

InteractiveTechnology of early Childhood: Harmful or Helpful?

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