Children's Learning from Media
PSYC 311
Spring 2021
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01
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Children are surrounded by media that aim to teach them, from television shows that introduce Spanish, to books that promote kindness, to apps that explain the biological world. How do children learn from the wide range of educational media they encounter? In what ways do media set the stage for children's expectations about the world? And does our modern, digital era suggest a shift in children's education? In this course, we will explore theoretical questions and empirical research to better understand how children learn from media and how different forms of media affect cognition and behavior. We will focus primarily on infancy and early childhood as periods of tremendous growth and increasing exposure to media, but will also discuss media use during middle childhood and adolescence. We will consider topics that have been well-studied and important questions that remain unanswered in the field. We will also turn a critical eye to the historical lack of representation (i.e., race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, family structure, etc.) in children's media and discuss necessary changes. Throughout the course, we will engage critically with empirical research, develop ideas for testing unanswered questions, and practice communicating about research to the public. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
NSM PSYC |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (EDST-MN)(EDST)(PSYC) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
For this seminar, students will be reading 1-2 peer reviewed articles or book chapters per day of instruction. Below are a few examples of readings that will be included.
Barr, R. (2013). Memory constraints on infant learning from picture books, television, and touchscreens. Child Development Perspectives, 7(4), 205-210.
Hopkins, E. J., & Weisberg, D. S. (2017). The youngest readers¿ dilemma: A review of children's learning from fictional sources. Developmental Review, 43, 48-70.
Berkowitz, T., Schaeffer, M. W., Maloney, E. A., Peterson, L., Gregor, C., Levine, S. C., & Beilock, S. L. (2015). Math at home adds up to achievement in school. Science, 350(6257), 196-198.
Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J. M., Golinkoff, R. M., Gray, J. H., Robb, M. B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in ¿educational¿ apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3-34.
Mares, M. L. & Acosta, E. E. (2008). Be kind to three-legged dogs: Children's literal interpretations of TV's moral lessons. Media Psychology, 11(3), 377-399.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Students will receive grades based on attendance and participation, class discussions and activities, homework assignments, and a final project. No exams will be given. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Students will email me with a paragraph explaining their interest in the course, their learning goals for the course, and one relevant question they would like to discuss in the course. Priority will be given to psychology majors. |
| Instructor(s): Eisen,Sierra Times: .M.W... 01:00PM-02:20PM; Location: ONLINE; |
Permission of Instructor Required
Enrollment capacity: 15 | Permission of instructor approval will be granted by the instructor during pre-registration through the Electronic Portfolio. Click "Add to My Courses" and "To request a POI electronically, click here" to submit your request. |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 11 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 2 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 2 | Unranked: 6 |
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