Young Children and Digital “Symbols”: A Socio-contextual Lens

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

Many school districts are relying on digital media to provide remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite decades of research demonstrating that young children typically learn less from screens than from real-life situations (Anderson & Pempek, 2005; Strouse & Samson, 2020). Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence highlights the critical role of the social context, including associations between family environment and children’s media use (Anand & Krosnick, 2005) and between parental involvement and children’s learning from screen media (for review see Barr, 2019). How the social context contributes to processes involved in early learning from screen media is however, poorly understood. Understanding the underlying mechanisms that support cognitive processing of media through a socio-contextual lens will not only contribute to the literature on socio-cognitive development in the digital age, but will also inform family media policy.

Therefore, the symposium includes three studies that investigate socio-contextual influences on children’s perception of, moment-to-moment interactions with, and transfer of learning from screen media. The first presentation examines preschoolers’ perceived utilities of different symbolic media and how their beliefs about these devices differ by socioeconomic status. The second presentation assesses how children’s video chat interactions are shaped as parents learn to use optimal playful co-viewing strategies. The third presentation investigate how the type and amount of scaffolding influences toddlers’ word learning from video to shed light on the symbolic mechanism underlying scaffolding. The discussant will integrate the findings and lead a discussion on the implications for early learning from media during the COVID pandemic.

Sub Unit

• Technology, Media & Child Development

Chair

• Mengguo Jing, Boston College

Discussant

• Rachel F Barr, Georgetown University

Individual Presentations

• Preschoolers’ beliefs about different symbolic media: The role of socioeconomic backgrounds - Presenting Author: Carla Macias, Rutgers University - Newark; Non-Presenting Author: Koeun Choi, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Run away or play? Parents need evidence-based recommendations to create playful and engaging video chat interactions with their children - Presenting Author: Lauren J. Myers, Lafayette College; Non-Presenting Author: Erin McKenney, Lafayette College

• Learning to learn words from video: 2.5-year-olds benefit from continued use of supportive scaffolding - Presenting Author: Gabrielle A. Strouse, University of South Dakota; Non-Presenting Author: Salima Hackeek, University of Toronto; Non-Presenting Author: Patricia A Ganea, University of Toronto