Cognitive Development in Digital Contexts

Cognitive Development in Digital Contexts investigates the impact of screen media on key aspects of children and adolescents’ cognitive development. Highlighting how screen media impact cognitive development, the book addresses a topic often neglected amid societal concerns about pathological media use and vulnerability to media effects, such as aggression, cyber-bullying and Internet addiction. It addresses children and adolescents’ cognitive development involving their interactions with parents, early language development, imaginary play, attention, memory, and executive control, literacy and academic performance.

Covers the impact of digital from both theoretical and practical perspectivesInvestigates effects of digital media on attention, memory, language and executive functioningExamines video games, texting, and virtual reality as contexts for learningExplores parent-child interactions around mediaConsiders the development of effective educational mediaAddresses media literacy and critical thinking about mediaConsiders social policy for increasing access to high quality education media and the InternetProvides guidance for parents on navigating children’s technology usage

Section 1 - Young Children's Learning from Digital Media 1. Screen Media and the Youngest Viewers: Implications for Attention and Learning Mary L. Courage 2. Early Digital Literacy: Learning to Watch, Watching to Learn Georgene L. Troseth, Gabrielle A. Strouse, Colleen E. Russo Johnson 3. The Effects of Parent-Child Interaction and Media User on Cognitive Development in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers Tiffany A. Pempek, Alexis R. Lauricella 4. Plugging into Word Learning: The Role of Electronic Toys and Digital Media in Language Development Rebecca A. Dore, Jennifer M. Zosh, Kathy Kirsh-Pasek, Roberta M. Golinkoff 5. Parasocial Relationshipos with Media Characters: Imaginary Companions for Young Children's Social and Cognitive Development Sanfra L. Calvert

Section 2 - Children and Adolescents' Cognitive Skills as Enhanced Via Media 6. Young Minds on Video Games Thomas E. Gorman, C. Shawn Green 7. Playing With Virtual Blocks: Minecraft as a Learning Environment for Practice and Research H. Chad Lane, Sherry Yi 8. The Impact of Digital Media on Executive Planning and Performance in Children, Adolescents, and Emerging Adults Alexander W. Fietzer, Stephanie Chin 9. Immersive Virtual Reality and the Developing Child Jakki O. Bailey, Jeremy N. Bailenson 10. Digital Childhoods and Literacy Development: Is Textspeak a Special Case of an "Efficient Orthography"? 11. Bridging Theory and Practice: Applying Cognitive and Educational Theory to the Design of Educational Media Shalom M. Fisch

Section 3 - Media Literacy as a Cognitive Skill 12. Understanding the Technical and Social Complexity of the Internet: A Cognitive Developmental Resource Perspective Samantha Bordoff, Zheng Yan 13. Measuring the Digital and Media Literacy Competencies of Children and Teens Renee Hobbs 14. Risks, Opportunities, and Risky Opportunities: How Children Make Sense of the Online Environment Leslie Haddon, Sonia Livingston

Section 4 - Policy and Practice Recommendations for Facilitating Learning from Media 15. Children's Learning in a Mobile Media Environment: Policies, Practices, and Possibilities Sarah E. Vaala, Amy B. Jordan 16. How Parents Mediate Children's Media Consumption Yalda T. Uhls, Michael B. Robb