G Is for Growing: Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street (Lea's Communications Series)

This volume—a collection and synthesis of key research studies since the program's inception over three decades ago—serves as a marker of the significant role that Sesame Street plays in the education and socialization of young children. Editors Shalom M. Fisch and Rosemarie T. Truglio have included contributions from both academics and researchers directly associated with Sesame Street, creating a resource that describes the processes by which educational content and research are integrated into production, reviews major studies on the impact of Sesame Street on children, and examines the extension of Sesame Street into other cultures and media. In the course of this discussion, the volume also explores broader topics, including methodological issues in conducting media-based research with young children, the longitudinal impact of preschoolers' viewing of educational versus non-educational television, and crosscultural differences in the treatment of educational content. As the first substantive book on Sesame Street research in more than two decades, "G" is for Growing provides insight into the research process that has informed the development of the program and offers valuable guidelines for the integration of research into future educational endeavors. Intended for readers in media studies, children and the media, developmental studies, and education, this work is an exceptional chronicle of the growth and processes behind what is arguably the most influential program in children's educational television.

This volume--a collection and synthesis of key research studies since the program's inception over three decades ago--serves as a marker of the significant role that Sesame Street plays in the education and socialization of young children. Editors Shalom M. Fisch and Rosemarie T. Truglio have included contributions from both academics and researchers directly associated with Sesame Street, creating a resource that describes the processes by which educational content and research are integrated into production, reviews major studies on the impact of Sesame Street on children, and examines the extension of Sesame Street into other cultures and media. In the course of this discussion, the volume also explores broader topics, including methodological issues in conducting media-based research with young children, the longitudinal impact of preschoolers' viewing of educational versus non-educational television, and crosscultural differences in the treatment of educational content.

As the first substantive book on Sesame Street research in more than two decades, "G" is for Growing provides insight into the research process that has informed the development of the program and offers valuable guidelines for the integration of research into future educational endeavors. Intended for readers in media studies, children and the media, developmental studies, and education, this work is an exceptional chronicle of the growth and processes behind what is arguably the most influential program in children's educational television.

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"G" Is For Growing: Thirty Years Of Research On Children And Sesame Street is an impressive synthesis of key research studies done on one of the most influential, pervasive, and enduring children's televisions programs since its inception in 1969. The contributors examine, analyses and comment upon the processes by which educational content and research are integrated into production for a show which began for the purpose of preparing preschool children for school and went on to become a world-wide cultural icon. Very highly recommended reading for students of the television and its cultural influences, "G" Is For Growing also explores methodological issues in conducting media-based research with young children; the longitudinal impact of preschooler viewing of educational versus non-educational television; and cross-cultural differences in the treatment of educational content. The Science Shelf

What began as an attempt to help preschool children become ready for school has grown into a cultural icon. Sesame Street has won more Emmy awards than any other series in the history of television. It has been viewed in more than 130 countries. For thirty years, Sesame Street has entertained and enlightened children across the United States and around the world.It is difficult to recognize today what a revolutionary departure Sesame Street represented from the existing state of children's television in the late 1960s. While some television series had conveyed positive messages to children, none attempted to address specific educational cirricula or goals with preschool children. Sesame Street was the first series to employ empirical research as an integral part of its production; formative research was-and continues to be-used on an ongoing basis to inform production decisions, while summative research has been used to assess the show's educational impact on its target audience.This book attempts to collect and synthesize key aspects of research on Sesame Street over the past thirty years. The book describes the process by which educational content and research are integrated into production, reviews major studies on the impact of Sesame Street on children, and examines the extension of Sesame Street into both other cultures (via international coproductions such as the Mexican Plaza Sesamo, the Russian Ulitsa Sesam, or the joint Israeli-Palestinian Rechov Sumsum/Sha'ara Simsim) and other media (e.g., hands-on child care materials, print, CD-ROMs). The book also draws upon data and experiences regarding Sesame Street to explore broader topics such as methodological issues inconducting media-based research with young children, the longitudinal impact of preschoolers' viewing of educational vs. non-educational television, and cross-cultural differences in the treatment of educational content, among many others. Beginnings of Sesame Street research -- Edward L. Palmer with Shalom M. Fisch Creation and evolution of the Sesame Street curriculum -- Gerald S. Lesser and Joel Schneider Formative research revealed : methodological and process issues in formative research -- Shalom M. Fisch and Lewis Bernstein Varied role of formative research : case studies from 30 years -- Rosemarie T. Truglio ... [et al.] Review of research on the educational and social impact of Sesame Street -- Keith W. Mielke Early Window Project : Sesame Street prepares children for school -- John C. Wright ... [et al.] Does Sesame Street enhance school readiness? Evidence from a national survey of children -- Nicholas Zill Sesame Street viewers as adolescents : the recontact study -- Aletha C. Huston ... [et al.] World of Sesame Street research -- Charlotte F. Cole, Beth A. Richman, susan A. McCann Brown -- Role of Sesame Street-based materials in child-care settings / -- William Yotive and Shalom M. Fisch Carrying Sesame Street into print : Sesame Street Magazine, Sesame Street Parents, and Sesame Street books -- Renée Cherow-O'Leary Interactive technologies research at Children's Television Workshop -- Glenda L. Revelle, Lisa Medoff, and Erik F. Strommen Why children learn from Sesame Street-- Shalom M. Fisch and Rosemarie T. Truglio. Contents 8 Foreword 12 Introduction 16 1 The Beginnings of Sesame Street Research 26 2 Creation and Evolution of the Sesame Street Curriculum 48 3 Formative Research Revealed: Methodological and Process Issues in Formative Research 62 4 The Varied Role of Formative Research: Case Studies From 30 Years 84 5 A Review of Research on the Educational and Social Impact of Sesame Street 106 6 The Early Window Project: Sesame Street Prepares Children for School 120 7 Does Sesame Street Enhance School Readiness?: Evidence From a National Survey of Children 138 8 Sesame Street Viewers as Adolescents: The Recontact Study 154 9 The World of Sesame Street Research 170 10 The Role of Sesame Street-Based Materials in Child-Care Settings 204 11 Carrying Sesame Street Into Print: Sesame Street Magazine, Sesame Street Parents, and Sesame Street Books 220 12 Interactive Technologies Research at Children's Television Workshop 238 13 Why Children Learn From Sesame Street 256 Afterword 268 About the Authors 270 Author Index 276 A 276 B 276 C 276 D 277 E 277 F 277 G 277 H 277 I 278 J 278 K 278 L 278 M 278 N 278 O 279 P 279 R 279 S 279 T 279 U 280 V 280 W 280 Y 280 Z 280 Subject Index 282 A 282 B 283 C 283 D 285 E 285 F 286 G 287 H 287 I 287 J 288 K 288 L 288 M 288 N 289 O 289 P 289 R 291 S 292 T 293 U 293 V 293 W 294 This collection of research essays focuses on children and "Sesame Street". It covers a variety of issues and topics including: creation and evolution of the "Sesame Street" curriculum; "Sesame Street" viewers as adolescents; and the role of "Sesame Street"--Based materials in child care settings