For 2-year-olds, touch screens may trump TV

New research shows that for children under 2 1/2 years old, interactive screens such as those on smartphones and tablet computers may be better teaching tools than educational television. Photo: iStock Photo Smartphones and tablets may be better learning tools for toddlers younger than 2 1/2 years old than "Sesame Street" and other educational TV programs, according to a researcher in the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology. "Some of our research is starting to show that even a young 2-year-old might be able to learn from interactive screens," says Heather Kirkorian , assistant professor of human development and family studies. "Just as 'Sesame Street' has closed education gaps for low-income children during the preschool years, we might be able to benefit even younger kids if we can use interactive media in the same way." Kirkorian conducts eye-tracking research to understand how children learn from screen media. Her research often takes place in a small room with a TV on a desk with small cameras in front of the TV and pointed at the viewer. The cameras record reflections off the cornea and retina, which track and register where the eyes look on the screen. In some of Kirkorian's studies, children are watching "Sesame Street" and other shows to determine how viewers of different ages watch television.