WestEd News
Digital Media + Family Engagement = Gains in Early Math Learning
Can digital media materials help preschoolers become better prepared for kindergarten?
A recent R&D Alert Online article describes the results of a WestEd study that followed low-income parents and their preschoolers to evaluate whether using a suite of digital and hands-on learning materials from PBS KIDS could increase children’s math skills.
The learning materials, which included digital games, short videos, and downloadable hands-on materials, were developed by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), through funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
Building on earlier pilot studies with similar results, WestEd researchers found that:
- Children using these learning materials with their families significantly improved their math knowledge and skills
- Parents’ level of math awareness and engagement with their children’s learning also significantly increased
“The outcomes have the potential to have a profound impact on kindergarten readiness for children in low-income communities,” says Sara DeWitt, Vice President of PBS KIDS Digital.
Read the R&D Alert Online article to learn more about this study.
Posted on December 23, 2015