Joint media engagement on touchscreens improves young children’s Chinese character learning in China

Two studies collaboratively investigated the influence of joint media engagement (JME) on preschoolers’ acquisition of Chinese characters through touchscreens. In Study 1, 76 children (32 boys; M±SD = 68.95 ± 4.11 months) were randomly allocated to three groups: touchscreen with JME, touchscreen without JME, and video groups. The findings indicated that JME significantly facilitated children’s learning of Chinese characters via touchscreens. Study 2 further examined the type of scaffolding in JME that could most effectively support children’s character acquisition from touchscreens. A total of 75 children (38 boys; M±SD = 71.36 ± 4.19 months) were randomly assigned to three groups: cognitive, affective, and technical scaffolding groups. Results revealed that cognitive scaffolding provided the greatest enhancement for JME-assisted touchscreen learning outcomes. Collectively, the two studies underscore that JME can substantially advance children’s learning of Chinese characters through touchscreens. Moreover, Study 2 showed that cognitive scaffolding during the JME process yields the most significant advantages for learners. These findings highlight the importance of parents’ and educators’ active engagement in discussions about educational content with their children when utilizing touchscreen devices for learning.