Digital Promise researchers in early STEM learning are investigating ways that media-based activities can be designed to foster science learning interactions between young children and other members of their families.
Rather than displacing meaningful social interactions and learning, media can be a tool for enhancing them if designed to do so. This project is developing digital media tools to enhance joint parent-child viewing and discussion of episodes in the Splash and Bubbles television show. A parent app elicits family conversations about the marine biology phenomena and concepts in the Splash and Bubbles episodes.
The app being developed in this project helps families learn and talk about science together. The app includes three features: a Watch feature that provides parents with real-time information that supports conversations about the Splash and Bubbles episodes as they watch them with their children; an Ocean Guide that lets families access interactive media to learn more about the ocean and marine organisms that they encounter in the videos; and an Explore feature that lets families access ideas and materials for hands-on learning activities they can do at home to help children connect the key concepts explored in Splash and Bubbles with their families’ own experiences. Conducted in collaboration with the Jim Henson Company and developers from Curious Media, this project is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Learning Sciences Research