Digital Media and Developing Minds

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Co-sponsored by the Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences
October 14-16, 2015
http://www.childrenandscreens.org/#!2015-nas-sackler-conference/c1scg

The purpose of this colloquium is to gather scientists, clinicians, and scholars in an interdisciplinary arena to share and discuss recent developments across the field of digital media and child development. This event will provide an opportunity for medical researchers, social scientists, and other active-interest professionals, such as educators, government representatives, and early childhood experts to hear from each other as they cross-examine and compare research findings.

Prominent researchers will report on recent studies that examine the impact of digital media on children's minds, brains, and behavior as well as on their social, emotional, physical development at critical stages: infants and toddlers, early childhood, tweens and teens will be considered. Among these researchers are Stanford University's Melina Uncapher, Ph.D. and Anthony Wagner, Ph.D., who will summarize research discoveries regarding media multitasking. Dr. Uncapher says, "The Sackler conference constitutes a global convening of field-leading scientists to discuss an increasingly urgent issue: the impact of technology and media on the developing mind. Kudos to the National Academy of Sciences and Children and Screens: the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development for leading this important field-building effort that promises to galvanize research efforts across multiple disciplines and methods. This represents an important next step in empowering parents, educators, and policymakers in understanding what is a healthy media diet."