https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0430-7718
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ABSTRACT
Mothers and their 4- to 5-year-old children (N = 46) watched one of two versions of an educational science television show. One version modeled didactic instruction (i.e., imparting factual knowledge), whereas the other version modeled inquiry instruction (i.e., encouraging investigation). Children struggled to learn from either video. However, the video that modeled didactic instruction taught mothers new factual information, and the video that modeled inquiry instruction increased mothers’ instructional self-efficacy. Despite these improvements, neither video changed the way that mothers discussed science with their children during a related activity. Recommendations for future research and for content creators are provided.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Judy Watts
Judy Watts (M.P.S. University of Arkansas) is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Communication at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on meaningful entertainment experiences.
James Alex Bonus
James Alex Bonus (Ph.D. University of Wisconsin) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on media experiences in childhood. His recent work with young children examines their comprehension of science television.