Popular media as a conduit for fluidity of home and school learning for preschoolers: A phenomenological analysis of parents and teachers stories.

• In Event: Digital Media’s Support of Early Science Learning: Three Research Perspectives on a Popular Kids Program

Abstract

According to the American Institutes for Research report titled STEM 2026: A Vision for Innovation in STEM Education (2016) early STEM learning that is play-based and accessible can provide academic, economic, and social opportunities to promote a more equitable society. Preschool is an opportune time to build interest and knowledge in science and engineering through playful learning experiences (PLE) (Hirsh-Pasek, Berk, & Singer, 2009). Technology and media can enhance STEM PLE learning experiences by widening educational opportunities, facilitating more student-centered learning, adapting instruction for student need, and strengthening connections between school and home (Keengwe and Onchwari, 2009; Kermani and Aldemir, 2015; McClure, et al, 2017). Using PBS kids (2018) playful learning framework (figure 1), the third paper describes a separate study and dataset that explores how young children and their teachers and families experience these media resources across home and school contexts.

The data analyzed in this paper was extracted from teacher and parent weekly media logs and post survey responses gathered during a larger random control trial intervention study, completed in the spring of 2018. The larger study examined whether exposure (2-8 weeks) to The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!TM multi-platform media materials (video stories, digital games, teacher lesson plans, and family activities) at home and at school, affected children’s understanding of the nature of science and engineering and their perceptions of science. All families and teachers of the 137 preschool participants, ages four to six (M= 60.42 months) were invited to complete pre- and post-surveys and weekly media logs. Deductive qualitative analysis was applied to the open-ended response items from the weekly logs in which teachers and parents were prompted to ‘Share a story about how your child and/ or others interacted with Cat in the Hat this week.’ Thirteen teachers and 81 families completed the optional prompt for a total of 181 responses. Additionally, quantitative data from post survey questions were analyzed descriptively and presented visually to support the qualitative findings.

The results show that both parents and teachers ‘told stories’ about how learning transferred between home and school. They identified that the transfer of learning led to child-initiated play, the ability to articulate conceptual understanding of the science concepts, and increased communication within and across settings (Figure 2). The survey data showed that parents recognized the video stories and even more so, digital games supported the connections between school and home.
Science experiences, facilitated by media-based materials, can broaden participation and increase children’s knowledge about science needed for success in schools. Home/school connections are also known to support academic success, although often inequitable for families who have been marginalized (Garcia & Weiss, 2017). The multimedia resources can play an important role in providing equitable and accessible science content to children by offering playful learning experiences that transcend environments, ensuring that learning doesn’t stop when children leave the classroom and bringing children’s everyday home activities into their formal learning experiences.

Authors

• Sara Sweetman, University of Rhode Island
  Presenting Author

• Kelly J Houle, University of Rhode Island
  Non-Presenting Author