2-3 Digital Media
Michael Robb - PhD, Director of Education Research Fred Rogers
Alison Bryant - PhD, President and Founder Play Science
Alice Wilder - EdD, CoCreator and Head of Research and Education, SuperWHY
I wanted to attend this session because someone from Fred Rogers Institute and Play Science were speaking. I was curious about what role play would have with digital media. Turns out it was a great program (despite the camera man filming us AGAIN!).
We explored the difficulties of trying to define quality media. Michael Robb from Fred Rogers gave a lot of food for thought about how Fred Rogers has come up with their framework for quality. Two things that really stood out to me that I had not thought of -
1) affordances - what is the device, how is it used, what is it used for, child's developmental age
2) evidence base - reviews, research
Alison Bryant from Play Science was also really well spoken with interesting info. She talked about the development process they used in developing apps and games and how the quality framework was applied. It made me think of our process with the Play and Learn Island development.
The basic points fro her section were - play lights up the brain, it's about the children - ask them - they should be engaged, learning, play is a safe place for failure, keep children's abilities in mind, and make it interactive.
She had lots of interesting examples including a website where children could design, write, animate, and narrate their own story. Definitely seemed like something we could incorporate into a Discovery Club.
They also mentioned Wonderopolis - a free website that is being heavily advertised here. It's got a station in the exhibit area, an entire program dedicated to it, and it was plugged at this program as well as the big speaker session at the end of the day (they crowed about it being on TIME magazine's list of top websites). Think it could be worthwhile.
This session did make me think about our use of digital technology (clearly this interactive technology is very important - NFCL revised it's statements to now include) - perhaps we could explore recommended websites and games for children from our webpage? Look into it's use (when necessary to supplement our programs).
The final speaker did highlight that we are lacking research about this new interactive technology with babies and toddlers. I know there is a lot of research against passive screen time for young children.
It will be interesting to see what new information will be coming out for the younger ages.
Copied and pasted notes from session -
Framework for quality – Fred Rogers Center
Guidance for media creators, parents, teachers
What makes something quality?
Example shows:
- Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
- Caillou
- Angelina Ballerina
Example game:
- Eye Spy
What makes them quality:
- Educational
o Teach alphabet / numbers
o Society – feelings, what is right
- Multi-cultural (MH)
- Fun engaging – want to
- Not harmful
o Bad messages
o Violence
o Sponge bob – messes up brain
- production quality (MH)
o good professional images
o professional actors
Rogers – thinks about
-device (touch screen),
-affordances (what this thing allows you to do), how interactive / structured, use keyboard or mouse, how much print literacy will this require
- context of use
- child’s age / stage
- Just be entertained?
- content genre
Developing this framework with physicians, early childhood experts
Commonsense media
Lens to help guide decisions about quality.
IPAD – what can it do, usage (most important – not just what the piece of media), have to know how it is being used (age), with parent or without, language, what is it used for
Framework of quality – rough draft
Health, well-being, overall development for young children
The child, content, context of use
Evidence Base
- Early childhood development needs to b an anchor (little research on media technology, impact on children)
- Safe (not violence, inappropriateness, physically harmful (eyestrain, cell phones)
- What are interests, abilities of that child, how old – combine all info.
- Evidence – why something is good (user reviews) (usability testing) (gold standard – experimental studies, children definitely learned something vs. comparative group of children who do not use this thing.) – this is gold standard for researcher
Quality – Describing the Indescribable
60 hrs video uploaded every minute
300--- Apps
Where’s my water vs. angry birds
Ask the kids. Kids might say (we are engaged, challenged, learning). Kids are not passive consumers of media. Taking something away from this experience – but what.
Video of kids – pointing gesturing talking to screen, helping, laughing, singing
What teachers might consider quality (when the product provides standard / or enriching material)
- The makeshop show – maker culture, in museum you get to do this, let’s expand who gets to do this.Art teacher has to stick to the basics. Exactly what we need in the classroom – we can show the basics and it would enrich my team to show the videos.
- Superwhy? – kids love program write up curriculum to meet both kids and teachers needs, same content –ex. Video preschool teachers using – teachers invested in program, saw development in children. Teacher uses media to extend learning already doing in the classroom. Create characters (I want to be superwhy with the power to read).
What do librarians consider quality?
- (interact digital books, to inspire a love of reading
What do parents consider quality cut the rope, Casey’s contraptions (10 year old – I like that these make me think)
End user is considered / consulted throughout the process
- what they like, etc. (they do this while constructing program / game)
- kids are focus of product
; learning contextualized meaningful situations
Scaffolding to meet needs of learner
Interactivity as a way to practice skills
Producer needs to meet formal features
- sfx
- cuts
- zooms
- pans
- dissolves
Kids don’t understand film language – children may not understand a cut to a playground and will loose comprehension.
Through PBS – had to create a show up to standards of no child left behind
Indescribable visions (Angelo Santomero Mr. Rogers neighborhood sequel) – degree child development, big picture thinker, blues clues, super WHY,
Technology / media is a means to an end
dralice@rcn.com
Alison Bryant from Play Science
PHd education, worked at Nickelodeon
Worked on Blues Clues as a masters student
Team – Play in all forms
Educational, social content, health and wellness, how engage
What is interactivity – how does this fit into quality
Why play is important
- light sup our brain (neuroscience on play), fosters creativity, explore what I can be, attune to others – parent child relationships – safe space to learn how to negotiate, teaches rules, safe failure, play is learning by doing, way we show how we can do things,
interactivity can bring play in quality media,
Has intuitive interface, keeps kids abilities in mined, allows for explorations and creativity
Intuitive interface (IPAD – simple- no mouse – ouch screen), green button to move page in lower right, menu is star in center – only poops up when on star, Iphone test of 3 year old coloring (kept looking at finger looking for color – felt like magic – extension of them), for games have to strip down to what need – what will improve experience
- Keeps kids abilities in mind (physical / cognitive abilities) 4 and 5 year o.k. playing wii tennis, wii sensors were too high – not helping the kids, muppet covers for the wii mote (too many buttons preschools couldn’t use – limited buttons that just the kids would use and put on plastic grips
Adds experience without complexity
- multitasking does not need good for kids – can take away from learning and interactivity experience
Consider parents, siblings, and teachers
- dora diego in parents – parents were engaged in wiii and wanted parents to play with them
- need to be able to play by self has mastery, but built coplay game inside- play better with parent and sibling
- parents are a key piece of valuing education and wanting it
- parents uncomfortable with math topics, didn’t encourage kids to play
- play is safe failure (allows flexibility, allows child to be the teacher)
- multicultural families – spanish speaking frustrated that e books were not working for them and child using English at school (tablet can change based on tablet movement changing english and spanish.
- RAZZ kids – interactive website, books, reading – partner with teachers (teachers can set goals), teacher sees what child has done (informal learning / education) kids read and win prizes, ages 7 – 10
Scaffold, support kids learning
- leap frog automatically scaffolds for the child
- scaffold curriculum
- assess without making feel like question
Allows for exploration and creativity
- interactive, explore, creative (21st century skills)
- create along with product or interactive media
- makego – using legos (make a vehicle) STEM skills, iphone, ipad can make an icecream truck or racecar, get to see it come to life
Incorporate Learning by Doing
- Just because Ipad doesn’t mean
- Want to show mastery of skills
- Toontastic – let’s kids animate their own stories (understanding structure to stories) letting kids create own (can add music and narrate)
- Todami (camera on tablet- green screen) can play games, create greeting cards, can see yourself interacting in media – autism spectrum helpful to see self – all children respond to self
Allows for exploration and creativity
NCFL 2012
Technology and interactive Media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8
They have partnered with Fred Rogers to revise their old statement to allow for technology (which was unimaginable at the time). Expanded interactive media and technology has changed (3 to 8 was old) – now birth is included.
Touch screens – 18 month old loved the touch screen. Functionality (toddler goes right for the button.
Jerlean Daniel Feb 2012 – webcast NAEYC – ensure equitable access to same technology for children and families.
We must integrate technology and grant access to children’s skills.
Drew into legacy of Fred Rogers. He hated tv and wanted to do better for children.
Position of statement is the new beginning of a framework for technology.
Media and technology are transformational tools for learning and development. Many possibilities, embrace technology in appropriate ways. Ex. child using a communication device, child using a digital camera
What guidance are we giving teachers, parents, and professionals working with young children. The guidelines for home use are not addressed. Developmentally appropriate practice first. Is this the best way to use it?
DAP – age developmental practice – social, cultural and lingusitical background
Wen used appropriately – enhances children’s social, cognitive abilities, research from age 3 and up, no support on passive media (passive media not a part of the program), more inclusive practices
Technology and interactive media is best when it is a tool pulled out when a teacher needs something done.
The linchpin is the professional, we need to provide the professional judgedment – make good judgment – how to use, evaluate, bring into curriculum
Digital citizenship – early childhood professionals modeling appropriate uses, framework for quality from Fred Rogers will help.
Valid limitations for babies and toddlers (continue to look at)
Still concern over appropriate content (don’t give children access)
Time away from other activities – suggest balance
Support ongoing research
Please think of the children first. If you ever have anything to do with their entertainment, food, day or night care … listen o the children. Learn about them
Wonderopolis – ncfl – media provided on here is scalable, how to integrate into curriculum
Fred Rogers Center – early learning environment 9launching on Wednesday officially) Brochure in bags passed out, books / activities do with children, child development how to use materials (www.yourele.org)
Media can become a conversation –
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