Initiated by the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University, the Playtime Pad Research Project is a unique partnership connecting PBS KIDS, the College of Education at MSU, and the Lansing School District.
Through a multi-year research project, kindergarten students across the Lansing School District will each receive a tablet to be used in class for math-based games and exploration. Researchers at Michigan State will study how the tablets are used and effects on learning.
The tablet students receive is a PBS KIDS Playtime Pad, designed to bring interactive educational children’s programs and learning tools to young students using PBS KIDS learning initiatives.
PBS KIDS Playtime Pads used in the study are customized to include a special Math Games Study app designed by PBS KIDS software developers in consultation with early childhood education researchers at MSU.
Lansing School District is the largest in the Michigan capital region. As of November 2017, over 1000 students are enrolled in kindergarten classes across 17 elementary schools in the district. Each of those students receives a PBS KIDS Playtime Pad as part of this series of studies.