Presentation description

This study examines the impact of multimedia nonfiction stories with interactive elements on preschool children's STEM vocabulary acquisition and interest. Early vocabulary knowledge is crucial for future academic success. Recent research has explored using media to teach vocabulary to young children, but detailed evidence on how specific multimedia features affect STEM vocabulary and concept learning is limited. In this study, multimedia stories were created to teach bird beak and feet functions, using two attention-guiding elements: (1) an instructional agent (a teacher figure) to direct attention through visual presence, gestures, and verbal cues, and (2) interaction targets highlighting relevant (bird parts) or irrelevant (a mouse) illustrations to tap to proceed to the next page. Previous studies with elementary students have shown that instructional agents and relevant interaction items enhance attention and learning. These elements were tested in three conditions for each story: (1) No Agent - Relevant Target, (2) Agent - Irrelevant Target, and (3) Agent - Relevant Target. We hypothesized that children in the Agent - Relevant Target condition would have higher scores than those in other conditions. Participants were 90 preschool children from four Head Start programs in the Mountain West Region. After pretesting their picture vocabulary and science knowledge using the Woodcock Johnson IV Tests of Oral Language and Achievement, children were divided into low versus high skills in picture vocabulary and science knowledge. Each group was randomly assigned to the three conditions for the bird beak story and then again for the bird feet story. Children viewed the stories on an iPad, followed by assessments of expressive and receptive vocabulary of target STEM words. Children were also assessed for pre and post content interest. ANOVA and multiple regression analyses are being conducted to compare vocabulary outcomes after the multimedia intervention. Results are forthcoming, aiming to find how multimedia design can enhance vocabulary learning in young children.