What Are My Children Watching? Analyzing the Scientific &amp;amp; Mathematical Questions of Preschool Television Shows Using Process Skills

Donna Farland-Smith,Theodore Chao

doi:10.4236/ce.2017.86061

Abstract

In an effort to compare what process skills preschoolers were exposed to during an average episode of Sid the Science Kid and an average episode of Team Umizoomi 35 episodes of each were compared using T-test statistical analysis. The goal of this study was to analyze evidence of process skills in each episode: observing, inferring, classifying, measuring, predicting, and communicating and compare each math and science show and determine their differences in their use of inquiry to presentation science and mathematics content. Results demonstrated a significant difference between the two shows with preschoolers being exposed to observing and communicating when watching Sid the Science Kid and preschoolers being exposed to classifying and measuring while watching Team Umizoomi. In addition, it is worth mentioning that young children watching Team Umizoomi are experiencing more questions when compared with Sid the Science Kid.

Highlights

What process skills are young children exposed to through television viewing? How do preschoolers internalize television experiences in terms of scientific and mathematical knowledge? How do these television experiences connect to young learners’ curiosity as it pertains to science and mathematics? Studies on preschool television shows generally focus on parents’ participation, parental engagement and parent involvement
We were curious about the connections to research-based science and mathematics inquiry found in children’s shows that purport to focus on early- childhood science and mathematics
Results demonstrated that preschoolers being exposed most often to observing and communicating when watching Sid the Science Kid and preschoolers being exposed most often to classifying and measuring while watching Team Umizoomi

Summary

Introduction

What process skills are young children exposed to through television viewing? How do preschoolers internalize television experiences in terms of scientific and mathematical knowledge? How do these television experiences connect to young learners’ curiosity as it pertains to science and mathematics? Studies on preschool television shows generally focus on parents’ participation, parental engagement and parent involvement Few studies have examined the specific questioning techniques used in preschool science and mathematics shows and their connection to research-based frameworks such as process skills and inquiry-based learning. The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the process skills and frequency of asking questions in two popular preschool television shows.

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion