The integration of media and technology into classrooms has been both a priority and a challenge. While there appear to be a number of negative effects resulting from exposure to media and technology, such as selfishness and cyberbullying, growing evidence suggests that there are a number of positive outcomes. Some positive outcomes include deeper learning, increased motivation, more independent work, and increased confidence and curiosity. One of the main theories being explored in early childhood education is ‘Theory of Mind’, which is an individual’s ability to understand others’ cognitive states, including their desires, beliefs and knowledge. Theory of mind is a child’s ability to distinguish the brain from the mind and is posited to develop at age 4. An additional perspective suggests that altruism and prosocial behaviours emerge during the preschool years (ages 2-5).  Prosocial behaviours include helping, comforting, cooperating, and sharing and are defined as acts intended to benefit others, for reciprocal or non-reciprocal purposes. Preschool aged children, in developed countries, are often exposed to media and technology by their parents, teachers, or peers in preschools, daycares, and kindergarten classrooms. This exposure occurs during the development of prosocial behaviours and theory of mind. Sharing is a specific prosocial behaviour and can be defined as offering, showing, allowing use of an object or turn-taking. Sharing behaviours are developed at young ages (2-5) and some researchers found that these children readily share physical objects, such as toys or stickers, and can self-initiate sharing with computers. However, it is unclear how preschool children’s prosocial sharing behaviours are reinforced or reduced through the use of media and technology. My study will contribute to a larger longitudinal project on “Researching cognition and technology: How we learn across the lifespan”. I will focus on young children’s (ages 4 and 5) interaction with media and technology, in particular with touchpads (i.e., iPads). This interaction will include the observations of prosocial sharing behaviours while using touchpads, and more specifically iPads. My research questions are:

1. What are the effects of iPads (e.g., touchpads) on the development of prosocial behaviours, specifically sharing, of preschool children?
2. What are the dynamics of interplay between prosocial sharing behaviours and iPads amongst preschool children?
3. How do iPads shape children’s’ theory of mind?

Aronin, S., & Floyd, K. K. (2013). Using an iPad in inclusive preschool classrooms to introduce STEM concepts. Teaching Exceptional Children, 45(4), 34-39. Blijd-Hoogewys, E. M. A., van Geert, P. L. C., Serra, M., & Minderaa, R. B. (2008). Measuring theory of mind in children. Psychometric properties of the ToM storybooks. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(10), 1907-1930. Brownell, C. A., Iesue, S. S., Nichols, S. R., & Svetlova, M. (2013). Mine or yours? Development of sharing in toddlers in relation to ownership understanding. Child Development, 84(3), 906-920. Crescenzi, L., Jewitt, C., & Price, S. (2014). The role of touch in preschool children's learning using iPad versus paper interaction. Australian Journal of Language & Literacy, 37(2), 86-95. De Simone, J. J. (2013). What is good can also be bad: The prosocial and antisocial in-game behaviors of young video game players. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 21(3), 149-163. Eisenberg-Berg, N. (1981). Relationship of preschool children's habitual use of space to prosocial, antisocial, and social behaviors. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 138, 111-121. Flewitt, R., Messer, D., & Kucirkova, N. (2014). New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The iPad. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 1-22. Lynch, J., & Redpath, T. (2014). 'Smart' technologies in early years literacy education: A metanarrative of paradigmatic tensions in iPad use in an Australian preparatory classroom. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 14(2), 147-174. Medvin, M. B., Spargo, B., & Falcocchio, A. (2000). Using computers to facilitate social problem solving in head start classrooms. Paper presented at the Paper presented at the Head Start National Research Conference, Washington, DC. Paulus, M., & Moore, C. (2015). Preschool children's anticipation of recipients' emotions affects their resource allocation. Social Development. Petrina, S. (2014). Postliterate machineries. In J. Dakers (Ed.), New frontiers in technological literacy: Breaking with the past (pp. 29-43). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Ramaswamy, V., & Bergin, C. (2009). Do reinforcement and induction increase prosocial behavior? Results of a teacher-based intervention in preschools. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 23(4), 527-538. Turkle, S. (2015). Reclaiming conversation : The power of talk in a digital age. New York, New York: Penguin Press. Weimer, A. A., Sallquist, J., & Bolnick, R. R. (2012). Young children's emotion comprehension and Theory of mind understanding. Early Education and Development, 23(3), 280-301.