Parent-Child Interaction and Children's Learning From a Coding App

• In Event: 28.029 - Young Children's STEM Learning From Media: The Important Role of Parent Scaffolds and Confidence

Abstract

Introduction. Recent studies suggest that preschool-aged children can learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) from touchscreen applications (apps) (Aladé, Lauricella, Beaudoin-Ryan, & Wartella, 2016; Huber et al., 2016; Schroeder & Kirkorian, 2016), which can be an important tool for exposing children to foundational science and math concepts before they enter school. Research shows that parents can support children’s learning from other media, including videos (e.g., Fender, Richert, Robb, & Wartella, 2010; Strouse, Troseth, O’Doherty, & Saylor, 2018) and print books (e.g., Lauricella, Barr, & Calvert, 2014; Zevenbergen & Whitehurst, 2003). However, little research has explored how parents and children use STEM apps together for learning, and whether the quality of parent-child interactions in these contexts differ compared to traditional STEM activities, building with magnetic tile blocks.

Method. In this within-subjects, quasi-experimental study, we observed 31 parents and their 4.5- to 5.0-year old children building with magnetic tiles (magnetic-tile condition) and playing a coding app together (tablet condition). Parent-child interactions were coded in both play sessions to measure parent responsiveness. Parent-child interactions during coding play were coded for spatial talk, question-asking, and task-relevant talk. After playing the coding app, children’s learning of game-specific coding skills were measured.

Results. Results show that parents were eager and active partners during both types of play, demonstrating high levels of parent responsiveness across conditions. As a result, there were no differences in parent responsiveness during building play with magnetic-tiles compared to coding app play. However, linear regression analyses suggest that the parent-child dyad’s ability to stay on task during the coding task predicted the child’s learning of coding. In contrast, parent question-asking was a negative predictor of children’s learning.

Conclusion. These results suggest that coding may be a rich context for STEM learning, that parents may play an important role in their children’s learning from STEM apps, and that parents are equally as responsive and engaged when their child is playing an app-based coding game as when playing a non-app based engineering activity.

Authors

• Alexis Lauricella, Erikson Institute

• Kelly J. Sheehan, Age of Learning

• Sarah Pila, Northwestern University

• Ellen Wartella, Northwestern University