title: The Ghost in the Touchscreen: Social Scaffolds Promote Learning by Toddlers.
abstract: This study examined the effect of a "ghost" demonstration on toddlers' imitation. In the ghost condition, virtual pieces moved to make a fish or boat puzzle. Fifty-two 2.5- and 3-year-olds were tested on a touchscreen (no transfer) or with 3D pieces (transfer); children tested with 3D pieces scored above a no demonstration baseline, but children tested on the touchscreen did not. Practice on the touchscreen (n = 23) by 2.5- and 3-year-olds prior to the ghost demonstration did not improve performance. Finally, children who learned the puzzle task via a social demonstration and were tested on the touchscreen (n = 26) performed better than the ghost conditions. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that social demonstrations enhance learning from novel touchscreen tools during early childhood.
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Binghamton University.
authors.forename: Alecia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University.
authors.forename: Herietta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Binghamton University.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerhardstein
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D000067570:Social Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D014163:Transfer, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface