Last year Common Sense Media found that in a two-year period, the average amount of time children spend using mobile devices had tripled. Kids of all ages (including those younger than 2) spend increasing amounts of time playing games and using apps on the family iPad. And among the debates about whether this digital deluge is good or bad for kids,...
Read MoreInternationally-acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Fred Rogers Legacy Award and gave a recital to benefit the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media today (Friday, May 23) at Saint Vincent College. Ma, who appeared twice with Fred Rogers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and became a lifelong friend of the late public television legend, was invited...
Read MoreRenowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and 15 Grammy Awards, accepted the Fred Rogers Legacy Award on Friday at St. Vincent College in Unity with high praise. “This is perhaps the greatest honor I've ever received,” he told the 750 attendees gathered in the basilica, as he was bestowed with the inaugural award developed by...
Read MoreFor Rick Fernandes, children’s television can be an opportunity to help families connect. Mr. Fernandes, 50, is the new director of the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College. “It’s all a tool and can be a great tool if used properly,” said Mr. Fernandes, who started his new job in January. “The question is what can you to to help...
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How do we support early childhood teacher preparation so it keeps pace with technology? At the 2014 Fred Forward Conference, representatives from the TEC Center at Erikson Institute, Mozilla Foundation, Common Sense Media, and the Council for Professional Recognition will discuss how to enhance digital media literacy for educators. It’s challenging to be an analog-age educator welcoming digital-age children into your...
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These are exciting times in the field of early childhood education. Creative teachers are discovering effective ways to offer children a healthy blend of sensory-rich tactile investigations, artistic creativity, meaningful collaborations, and high-tech tools geared toward problem solving and documenting a child’s work/play. The advent of touch-screen interactions allows screen time to be both engaging and investigatory; and, happily, the current...
Read MoreIt has been a busy May here at the Fred Rogers Center. We have been planning the Fred Rogers Legacy Award and the Fred Forward Conference, plus we selected our 2014 Early Career Fellows. First off, we are all very excited about the Fred Rogers Legacy Award, which is being given to Yo-Yo Ma this Friday, May 23rd. The support for...
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