Working with the Fred Rogers Company©, our research team designed an enhanced eBook device that was based on a shared reading method, called dialogic reading. A character, Ramone, encouraged parents to engage their child with prompts and questions throughout the reading. This enhanced eBook stimulated conversation between the parents and children of various socioeconomic backgrounds and, after extended use, even led parents to ask more of their own questions with new books. Results of various studies on this eBook also showed higher quality of talk, as well as more positive parent and child interaction behaviors.

E-book Study

This project is aimed at gathering feedback from black, female parents/guardians of preschool-aged children, to allow them to have a voice in shaping the design of an adaptive eBook to help all families have enjoyable shared reading times. It is very important to have the opinions of black women and children about how this kind of eBook should be designed to be most helpful and appealing, as well as to make it accessible for all children.

Including all Voices

Calling all parents and grandparents of new babies! Help us understand how young children build relationships over video chat.

This project is a collaboration with our research colleagues at Georgetown University’s Early Learning Project. Start by taking a brief online survey through the Georgetown lab website. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

Grandparents and Babies Video Chat Study