School of Communication Associate Professor Alex Bonus and Assistant Professor Mimi Brinberg along with Rebecca Dore, Director of Research at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at Ohio State, received a $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation  for a project examining how educational media  shape young children’s interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

“The Role of Educational Media in the Development of STEM Interests in Early Childhood” will research whether viewing STEM-related videos on platforms such as Netflix and YouTube contributes to the development of STEM interests among children ages 2 to 5. 

The researchers will follow families with young children over the course of one year, examining  their media habits, STEM interests and parents’ involvement in their children’s media use. 

The project aims to provide new insight into how digital media can serve as an informal learning environment before children enter formal schooling. The project will also provide research training opportunities for undergraduate students and share its findings through community and stakeholder partnerships.