Education :: PBS Kids Programming Helps Kids in the Classroom

Curious George is a production of Imagine, WGBH and Universal. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H.A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. Television Series: © 2013. Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY.

My husband and I were pretty strict about what shows my daughter could watch when she was very young.  But we were happy to have her watch many of the PBS Kids shows such as Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid, the Dinosaur Train.  We would then go to the PBS Kids website to access their interactive content.  Turns out we were right to let her watch these shows because a recent study has found that use of PBS Kids content in the classroom (isn’t home the first classroom?) improves early math skills in preschool children.  I do believe that these programs helped her learn basic math skills, because to this day, math is one of her strongest subjects – even more so than reading!  She whizzes through her math homework with no problems!  And when I asked her what she wanted from Santa – she replied a Science Kit.  I think Sid the Science Kid definitely rubbed off on her.  She loves to try out science experiments and would pick that over playing with just about anything (maybe not Minecraft), but you get the picture.

This new study conducted by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), and SRI International found that the acquisition of essential early math skills such as counting, recognizing numerals, recognizing shapes, and patterning increased significantly among four- and five-year-old children from economically disadvantaged communities who participated in a 10-week PBS KIDS Transmedia Math Supplement initiative. Transmedia includes the use of familiar characters, settings, and stories across different media formats.

The materials featured videos and interactive content from several of PBS KIDS’ properties such as Sid the Science Kid, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Curious George, and Dinosaur Train, as well as non-digital activities including books and foam shapes, designed to support the growth of math understanding.

Key findings of the 2013 Ready To Learn Study include:

·         Children who used the PBS KIDS math supplement, which incorporated videos, digital games, interactive white boards, laptop computers, teacher support and hands-on math materials, improved significantly in their understanding of the targeted early mathematics skills compared to the control group.

·         Children who used the same technology without the integrated math materials did not experience the same learning gains compared to the control.

·         Teachers who used the math supplement reported significant changes in their confidence and comfort with early mathematics concepts and teaching with technology.

“With this study, we have a better understanding of the contribution transmedia resources can make to early learning settings,” said EDC’s Shelley Pasnik, vice president and director of the Center for Children and Technology. “Children living in traditionally under-resourced communities were able to build foundational math skills when given necessary supports—in this case engaging digital content, opportunities to practice both on and away from screens, and knowledgeable adults—leaving them better prepared for kindergarten.”

“Although early mathematics achievement has been widely recognized as a strong predictor of later school achievement, many preschool teachers have received limited training when it comes to supporting mathematics,” added Carlin Llorente, senior research social scientist in SRI’s Center for Technology in Learning. “This study’s positive findings are the direct result of giving teachers resources that support the vital role they play in orchestrating children’s learning experiences with media.”

The study was commissioned by the CPB-PBS Ready To Learn Initiative to evaluate math learning via interactive media. The initiative creates educational programming and outreach activities for local public television stations and their communities. This study builds on a 2009 Ready To Learn Study conducted by EDC and SRI that showed that young children’s use of digital media led to gains in literacy skills.

The Study:

The study is based on a sample of 92 classrooms (46 in New York City; 46 in the San Francisco Bay Area) from preschool agencies and centers serving three- to five-year-old children primarily from low-income households. A total of 157 teachers (84 in New York and 82 in the San Francisco Bay Area) participated in the study.

The 2013 study was funded by the U.S. Department of Education through a Ready To Learn grant to CPB and PBS. The initiative was developed to enhance the reach of, and access to, innovative early math experiences for U.S. children, especially those from low-income families who often fall behind in mathematics skills at an early age, and have difficulty catching up.

“These findings are particularly significant given the growing recognition of the positive relationship between early math skills and later educational achievement,” said Debra Sanchez, senior vice president for Education and Children’s Content at CPB. “Educational leaders are seeking new ways to level the playing field for disadvantaged preschoolers. The study shows that PBS KIDS content, which reaches millions of children each year, can play an important role in enhancing children’s learning opportunities.”

To access the full study and related materials, go to: https://cct.edc.org/rtl.

Make sure to check out the PBS Kids website for more interactive content to use in the home or classroom: https://pbskids.org/