Splash and Bubbles for Parents App: Field Study Report

Abstract

This report prepared for The Jim Henson Company shares findings of a field study examining the promise of the Splash and Bubbles for Parents app, a second-screen digital resource designed for parents and caregivers to support young children’s learning of ocean science. The study conducted in 2020 involved a two-group, quasi-experimental design in which family participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition (who watched the show and used the app) or the comparison condition (who watched the show but did not have access to the app). Findings from this study provided information about how the app supported families to talk about science together; what science concepts and practices children learned through engaging with the app and related science activities; and how families shifted their attitudes, beliefs, or practices around science and media. Another finding highlighted parents and caregivers’ need for support around ways to engage with and use the app given that this represents a new type of digital tool.

Description

Keywords

early STEM, learning sciences, joint media engagement, design-based research, emerging technologies

Citation

DOI