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Peer-reviewed article

Using Apps to Engage All Families in Science Exploration

April 1, 2020 | Media and Technology, Informal/Formal Connections

To engage parents and young children in exploring science together, media producers from WGBH (Boston’s public media station) and researchers from Education Development Center (EDC) collaborated with two home-visiting organizations—Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY USA) and AVANCE—to design and test PEEP Family Science, an app-based intervention with science-focused digital media resources and associated supports for diverse, low-income families. Both organizations target families whose children do not attend preschool. These home visiting organizations play a unique role in promoting school readiness by bridging formal and informal education contexts. This article describes how PEEP Family Science was iteratively developed in collaboration with HIPPY USA and AVANCE and offers recommendations for educators and program coordinators about how to engage families in science using media-based apps, based on findings from our research.

TEAM MEMBERS

  • Jennifer Stiles
    Author
    EDC
  • Megan Silander
    Author
    EDC
  • Citation

    :
    Publication Name: Connected Science Learning
    Volume: 2
    Number: 2

    Funders

    NSF
    Funding Program: AISL
    Award Number: 1612643
    Funding Amount: $2,000,002.00
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
    Audience: Pre-K Children (0-5) | Families | Parents/Caregivers | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals | Evaluators | Learning Researchers
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Broadcast Media | Websites, Mobile Apps, and Online Media | Informal/Formal Connections | Pre-K/Early Childhood Programs
    Access and Inclusion: Ethnic/Racial | Hispanic/Latinx Communities | English Language Learners | Low Socioeconomic Status

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