Can Haptic Feedback Improve STEM Learning for Young Children? Lessons from an Experiment, Teacher Focus Groups, and Parent Survey

Pila, Sarah

doi:https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-fwkv-mx52

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Can Haptic Feedback Improve STEM Learning for Young Children? Lessons from an Experiment, Teacher Focus Groups, and Parent Survey

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With more jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields available than people to fill them, the United States is extremely focused on increasing STEM education to address this gap in the future workforce. This focus is not exclusive to higher education and secondary schooling, but rather, it has trickled down to the very earliest learners, coalescing on the data that demonstrates that entry into the STEM pipeline should begin as early as preschool. Research on early childhood education and its long-term impacts has found that it is, in fact, important to promote math and science skills in children from an early age. Furthermore, as technology has improved and quickly become an integral part of children’s lived experiences, mobile devices might be the key to promoting this type of learning. Unfortunately, most mobile devices do not offer the tactile sensations that are vital for STEM learning. However, one new technology could be a promising solution to this challenge; haptic feedback devices. Although there is evidence of significant STEM learning from haptic devices with adolescents and young adults, we are only just realizing the potential power of these devices for young children. The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate whether young children playing a STEM application (app) designed to explore the concepts of weight and balance learn better from this experience when it is presented on a haptic tablet compared to a traditional experience (Study 1). Further, if that is the case, we seek to understand how childhood educators might consider using these devices in their classroom to support STEM learning (Study 2) as well as parent attitudes towards this technology (Study 3). Results from these three studies will contribute to the literature on the effectiveness of haptic feedback for preschool STEM learning, and will hopefully encourage the appropriate device implementation in preschool environments (e.g., classrooms, museums, at home, etc.) to support this important area of learning.

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