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About this paper symposium
| Panel information |
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| Panel 24. Technology, Media & Child Development |
| Paper #1 | |
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| Leveraging Digital Tools to Support Parent-Child Math Interactions: Insights from a SES-Diverse Sample | |
| Author information | Role |
| Linxi Lu, M.Ed., Ph.D., The University of Chicago, United States | Presenting author |
| Ariel Kalil, The University of Chicago, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Susan E. Mayer, The University of Chicago, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Haoxuan Liu, The University of Chicago, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Parent-child interactions are essential to early math development (Elliot & Bachman, 2018). Socioeconomic disparities in children's math skills are evident even before formal schooling begins, highlighting the need for targeted home interventions (Duncan & Magnuson, 2011; Larson et al., 2015). In response, researchers have developed various programs, some utilizing analog toys (Hanner et al., 2019; Shivaram et al., 2021; Vandermaas-Peeler et al., 2012), while others leverage digital apps to support learning at home (Berkowitz et al., 2015; Kosko & Ferdig, 2016; Mayer et al., 2023; Silander et al., 2016). However, the underlying mechanisms driving the effectiveness of these interventions remain under examined, and the potentially differential impacts of digital versus non-digital interaction contexts are still largely unexplored. This study addresses these gaps by investigating: (1) the similarities and differences in parent-child interactions across digital and analog contexts, (2) the extent to which socioeconomic status (SES) predicts parental behaviors in both contexts, and (3) whether the relationship between SES and parental behaviors is moderated by the interaction context. We focus on two critical aspects of parent-child interactions: the quantity and diversity of math talk (Gibson et al., 2020; Purpura et al., 2021) and interaction dynamics, including autonomy, control, feedback, and sentiment (Gunderson et al., 2018; Lehrl et al., 2020). Guided by Cognitive Load Theory (Plass et al., 2010), we hypothesize that digital apps providing detailed instructions and scaffolding will reduce the dyads’ extraneous cognitive load, thereby promoting more positive parent-child interactions. Additionally, based on the Cognitive Alignment Framework (Laski & Siegler, 2014), we expect that the higher affordances of digital app materials will increase the overall amount of math talk, particularly among low-SES families. Our sample comprised 234 parent-child dyads (M_age = 47 months, SD = 7 months) from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in the greater Chicago area. Among the participating families, 35% self-identified as Hispanic or Latino, 17% as Black or African American, and 35% as White. Approximately 20% of the parents reported having less than a college-level education. Families were randomly assigned to either an Analog Toy or Digital App condition, both designed to focus on the early math concept, subitizing. Parent-child interactions were video-recorded and systematically coded. Preliminary findings (Table 1.) reveal that children in the digital app condition experienced more math talk, received more effort-based positive feedback, and displayed a more positive overall sentiment compared to the analog condition (all p’s < .001), driven mostly by the structured input from the digital app. Notably, we found significant interactions between context and parental SES (p < .05) in both parental math talk and autonomy support, indicating that the differences between high- and low-SES families in the two domains were less pronounced in the digital condition than in the analog condition. These results suggest that digital apps may offer particular advantages for low-SES families by fostering more math-rich and positive parent-child interactions, potentially mitigating early disparities in math learning experiences. |
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| Paper #2 | |
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| Seeing Math Within Family Routines: Parent Child Interactions During Preschool Affordance for Math Instruction | |
| Author information | Role |
| Daniela Alvarez-Vargas, University of Denver, United States | Presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Home math environment supports children's math development prior to formalized schooling (Daucourt et al., 2021). When teacher-ethnographers are afforded the time to learn about students and their communities, they reflexively learn about how cultural knowledge can be a valuable resource to academic instruction (González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005). This practice is supported by home-visitation routines built into the Head Start early service providers programming. Head Start is an agency funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Administration for Children and Families (2010) to support low-income parents with early childhood services that focus on children’s health and development and families' well-being. Within this structure, preschool teachers conduct home visits with parents and provide free classroom-based care and educational instruction for at least six hours a day. This is an essential service during a developmental period when children face transitions into pre-school and subsequently kindergarten. Moreover, teachers serving military-connected children play a pivotal role in ameliorating the stressors that arise from living with parental deployments and frequent relocation (Ruff, 2014). This paper focuses on a researcher and teacher collaborative social design experiment to improve relationship building and connecting to families funds of knowledge in early education through home-visiting practices. This collaborative sought out to answer the following research questions: How can we design home-visits to improve family participation and strengthen teacher-parent relationships? How do children's and families' funds of knowledge show up in the home visits? A comparative case study draws from an interpretative framework of the funds of knowledge teachers notice during two home-visitation sessions and contrasts to funds of knowledge that a researcher notices in the daily routines of culturally diverse military families during two home routine observations and two family interviews. The mathematical experiences teachers notice are captured across observations, interviews, and a focus group with teachers held for data interpretation and redesign ideation. We conclude with collaboratively developed ideas for a social design experiment to improve the design of home-visitations towards capturing, highlighting, and leveraging families' funds of knowledge considering the time and logistical constraints to teachers learning with the families they serve. Results include vignettes illuminating how funds of knowledge manifest in family routines and practical guiding principles for how these can be leveraged during home-visits to connect families' cultural knowledge, support families’ feeling valued, and spark teachers' ideas for instructional support for children. This work can inform current educators designs of instruction that engages the early mathematical concepts derived from home routines, allowing children to see the relevance of math in their everyday lives. Lastly, we discuss how home visitations form a core component of family engagement strategy, and how we can ensure that they are designed to be reciprocal and focused on shared learning to provide a valuable opportunity to support facing unique challenges. The collaborative social design experiment (Gutiérrez and Jurow, 2016) model demonstrated in this study can serve as a framework for ongoing inquiry, enabling educators to adapt practices in real-time based on the needs and feedback of the families they serve. |
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| Paper #3 | |
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| Engaging Families Through Informal Math Learning: Evaluating the Impact of a Virtual Family Math Program | |
| Author information | Role |
| Susana Beltrán-Grimm, Portland State University, United states | Presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Research has shown that informal learning programs can help children from low-income backgrounds maintain critical reading skills (Kim & Quinn, 2013). Additionally, researchers anticipated that transitioning to distance learning during school closures would lead to greater losses in math achievement compared to reading (Kuhfeld & Tarasawa, 2020), underscoring the importance of providing families with support for at-home math development. This study explores the impact of a virtual math program, which fostered math learning through digital resources for families. Virtual Family Math Program. The program involved five 45-minute virtual sessions over Zoom (Table 1). Providing interactive, hands-on activities to enhance math skills, the sessions addressed disparities in access to educational resources and encouraged at-home family participation. Families were invited to solve math cases and create math gadgets using materials provided via mailed kits. The survey assessed parent demographics, math attitudes and beliefs, development of math skills during virtual sessions, and perceptions of the program and educational value. Methods The evaluation was conducted with a sample of 38 parents and 45 children using a mixed-methods approach, including pre and post surveys and a focus group testimonial. Participants were predominantly Latine (76%), and most parents were mothers (97%). The survey was equally taken in English and Spanish. Regarding the children, 72% attended public schools, 90% were eligible for free/reduced lunch, and 60% were English Language Learners. Results Parent math attitudes and beliefs. After the virtual program, 95% of parents reported their children enjoyed math, up from 50% before. Parents observed children’s enthusiasm for the program’s creative, collaborative activities, which likely made math more engaging. Additionally, 82% felt their children were more comfortable solving math problems (up from 68%), and 95% felt more comfortable helping with math, compared to 56% pre-program. These findings suggest the program positively influenced both parent and child attitudes toward math. Development of math skills during the program. Parents evaluated how well their children understood the emphasized math concepts. Per the results, parents believed their children's understanding of pattern identification and extension (92%), shape identification and composition (92%), and skills in exploration, investigation, and reflection (87%) were most positively influenced. Family testimonials. Many families noted their children enjoyed the interactive, personalized program design. In addition, parents appreciated that activities allowed for at-home collaboration on projects with children. Creating math gadgets where children designed a guitar and parachute were among families' favorite activities (Figure 1). Several parents commented on the excitement their children showed when building and testing the gadgets. Implications Using multimedia, mailed materials, and interactive projects created a comprehensive experience that supported math learning and promoted family co-engagement in education. Future directions include expanding access to underserved communities, refining the digital and at-home components, and exploring new strategies to increase long-term math learning retention. Overall, this study contributes to the growing literature research on virtual learning environments and the use of multimedia to promote math education for young children. |
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Family Engagement and Digital Interventions in Early Math Development: Insights from Diverse and Underrepresented Populations
Submission Type
Paper Symposium
Description
| Session Title | Family Engagement and Digital Interventions in Early Math Development: Insights from Diverse and Underrepresented Populations |