Research Projects

How do preschoolers learn?

Ages: 30-months to 59-months

In collaboration with George Washington University we are conducting a study using multiple different games to find out how preschoolers learn from video and touchscreen. We are examining how preschoolers learn from others and how age and memory development contribute to this learning. This study is unique because it takes place at the Smithsonian Zoo in the Think Tank. If you are at the zoo please stop by to participate or contact us for more specific information about scheduling.

Magnet Study

Ages: 18-months to 30-months

As screen media becomes more and more pervasive with the introduction of new technologies in television, computers, and touchscreens, these types of media are becoming increasingly present in babies' lives. The magnet study uses an imitation task with a magnetic puzzle board to examine differences in how babies learn from 2-D video or touchscreen demonstrations and how they learn from live 3-D demonstrations.

Cognitive Flexibility

Ages: 6-months to 30-months

Many children grow up learning two or more languages and recent research has found differences in cognitive performance between monolingual and bilingual children. Currently we are conducting research looking at how bilingual infants transfer learning across cues and the influence of bilingualism on cognitive development.

Learning from Books & Television

Ages: 18-months to 24-months

Many parents view books and television as an important part of their babies' lives. Our goal in studying books and television is to understand how well children under the age of 2 transfer this information from a 2-D image to the real 3-D world and how information presented on books and television might work together to enhance learning.

Project FLIP (Fostering Learning in Infants and Preschoolers)

Ages: 18-months to 30-months

Project FLIP is a longitudinal study researching the impact of babies' activities on their language and cognitive skills. We are particularly interested in how time spent on activities such as play, media use, and daily routine might affect learning and later school readiness. Project FLIP begins with babies at 6-months of age and aims to track their daily activities and cognitive development through to preschool age.

Baby Elmo

Ages: 6-months to 36-months

The Baby Elmo Project is a relationship based intervention consisting of instructional sessions and parent-child visits focusing on communication and socio-emotional enhancing techniques. Incarcerated teen parents are rarely given the opportunity to participate in hands-on parent training programs, despite the potential for reduced recidivism for the parent and socio-emotional benefits for their child. The findings of this study could have important implications for how to create and implement successful interventions for this unique population.