Social Interaction, Zoom, and Early Learning

In this article, game designer Sande Chen reports on research findings regarding remote learning during the pandemic.

As the parent of little ones and an expert in educational games, I welcomed the opportunity to hear the latest research from Patricia K. Kuhl, the Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Early Childhood Learning, about the effects of remote learning on children. Her research on the "social brain," the neural network that allows us to interpret social cues, reinforces the need for social interaction in education, something I have stressed in my presentations about the design of early education apps.

As early as 2003, Kuhl and her graduate students showed that 9 to 10.5 month old babies could show the same level of learning as those immersed in the culture with just 12 sessions of live instruction in a foreign language.  But change that instruction to a screen and an up-close recording of the session, and the babies showed no improvement, despite the intense interest in the screen. Sadly, passive entertainment on a screen was not an answer.

It's no surprise then that even anecdotally, parents felt that their children were not learning as well over Zoom. My preschooler has had her remote learning days and it must pale in comparison to having classmates and play time. Kuhl's data showed a learning loss across the board during pandemic Zoom instruction.

However, a bright spot occurred with a change in methodology. In Kuhl's latest study, kindergarteners were each sent a kit of materials to use with a Zoom class focused more on fun activities and social interaction. The kids were engaged when told to find and hold up a blue egg, which revealed a little toy inside. The children learned to read, but also learned each other's names and looked forward to class. Clearly, even if it can be harder to implement, game-based learning can greatly improve the efficacy of remote learning.

Sande Chen is a NYC-based writer and game designer whose work has spanned over 20 years in the industry. Her credits include 1999 IGF winner Terminus, 2007 PC RPG of the Year The Witcher, and Wizard 101. She is the co-author of the book, Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train, and Inform. As a serious games consultant, she helps companies harness the power of video games for non-entertainment purposes.