First Graders Who Use More Educational Media Read More

Understanding the Role of Educational Media in First Graders' Lives

A recent study has revealed that approximately 12% of the media most frequently used by first graders at home is educational. This finding highlights an important aspect of how young children engage with digital content and raises questions about the potential benefits of incorporating more educational material into their daily routines.

The research also found that higher usage of educational media correlates with increased reading time and reduced overall screen time. This suggests that educational videos, apps, and games are not necessarily replacing traditional reading activities but may complement them.

Experts believe that gaining a clearer understanding of how first graders spend their time on screens and what influences their use of educational media could open up new opportunities for integrating learning through technology. By identifying these patterns, parents and educators might find ways to enhance children's development through thoughtful media choices.

Rebecca Dore, lead author of the study and director of research at The Ohio State University's Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, emphasized the importance of this research. She noted that there is growing evidence that high-quality educational media can support children's learning and development more effectively than excessive entertainment content.

"Children are using, on average, two and a half hours of media a day," Dore said. "If we see challenges or disparities in certain skills and knowledge that children are developing at this age, can we use educational media as a prompt or support for those areas?"

The study was published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology and drew data from reports by parents and caregivers involved in a larger longitudinal study tracking children from preschool or kindergarten through fourth grade in central Ohio.

A total of 346 caregivers participated in the study, completing a questionnaire in the spring of their child’s first-grade year. They reported on up to three to five TV shows, videos, apps, or games that their child used most frequently. Researchers then categorized the content as either educational or entertainment using a systematic coding system.

Dore described the overall amount of educational content as "a small but potentially meaningful portion of children's media use in this age range." She pointed out that the variety of educational themes differed significantly among children. Some children had 0% educational content in their top-used media, while others had 100% educational content.

In terms of media types, more apps and games were used for educational purposes than TV or video. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) topics were the most common educational content identified in the study.

Interestingly, socioeconomic status did not appear to influence the use of educational media. Dore noted that this suggests a degree of equitable access across different income levels, which she considers an important finding.

Although the study itself did not examine specific media outlets, follow-up analysis indicated that PBS provided 45.2% of the educational TV and video content commonly used by first graders. Dore explained that the objective of such programs is to offer free, high-quality public media to families. When educational content is woven into the storyline of a program, children are naturally engaged in learning without direct instruction.

The study also found that girls tended to use more educational media than boys. This could reflect broader trends where girls are drawn to relationship-focused content, which is often present in educational programming, while boys may prefer action-oriented content.

The fact that educational media use does not displace reading time or extend overall screen time could be reassuring for parents concerned about the impact of digital content on their children's habits. However, Dore stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all ideal amount of educational media use for first graders. The optimal balance depends on the child, their home environment, and other factors.

"We need to understand what's available and what children are actually using to better diversify content and ensure it reaches those who need it most," Dore said. "We're all worried about the enriching activities children might miss out on due to excessive screen time. So let's focus on improving the quality of the screen time they do have."

This research was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences. Additional contributors included Kelly Purtell, Tzu-Jung Lin, and Laura Justice, all affiliated with Ohio State University.