Techwise Infant and Toddler Teachers: Making Sense of Screen Media for Children Under 3

Infants and toddlers―the so-called “touchscreen generation” ― are living in a screen mediasaturated world. They are the target market for ever-growing numbers of apps, TV shows, electronic toys, and e-books. Making sense of the complex issues associated with screen media in the lives of children under 3 can be challenging for the adults who care for them. There is a strong need among teachers (and parents) of infants and toddlers for guidance related to the appropriate role of screen media in early care and education.

Unlike most other books about technology in early childhood, this book focuses specifically on infants and toddlers. It explores why and how infant and toddler teachers need to be techwise in order to understand the implications of screen media for children’s learning and development. The book serves as a single, accessible resource to relevant research findings from the fields of pediatric medicine, child development, developmental psychology, social and behavioral sciences, and brain science. It provides infant/toddler teachers with a comprehensive approach and strategies to guide their decisionmaking and promote practices that are evidence-based, family-centered, culturally responsive, and collaborative. It is a call for teachers to think carefully and act wisely when making decisions about screen media―both the technology that they are encountering now and the technology they will encounter in the future―in order to optimize the learning and healthy development of infants and toddlers.

Patricia A. Cantor, Plymouth State University.Mary M. Cornish, Plymouth State University.