Transforming Early Childhood Education With Transmedia: Findings From the Ready To Learn Initiative (2010–2015)

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Ready To Learn (RTL) initiative has arguably produced the largest portfolio of research on young children’s learning with media and technology. This session will discuss the significant research that has emerged over five years from three federally funded RTL projects on the implementation and impact of transmedia resources designed to promote the early literacy and numeracy skills of underserved children ages 2 – 8. The session includes a presentation by an ED Program Manager that focuses on RTL’s original intent and the projects’ actual instantiation of that intent as well as four presentations by the projects’ evaluators on what has been learned about transmedia young children’s learning over the course of the initiative.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Early Education and Child Development

Chair

• Barbara E. Lovitts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Papers

• The Ready To Learn Transmedia Experiment: A Five-Year Journey From Vision to Reality - Brian Lekander, U.S. Department of Education

• Five Years of Research on Young Children's Learning Experiences Using Touch Screens and Transmedia Materials - Carmina Marcial, Michael Cohen Group LLC

• Findings and Insights From Five Years of Research on UMIGO, a Transmedia Mathematics Product/Project - Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen Group LLC

• Research and Evaluation Supports Successful Ready To Learn Transmedia Digital Resource Production - Elizabeth M. McCarthy, WestEd

• Ready To Learn PBS KIDS Transmedia Supports Math Learning for Underserved Children Across Settings - Shelley Pasnik, Education Development Center, Inc.

Discussant

• Christopher J. Dede, Harvard University