Healthy Learning in a Digital Age: The Role of Educational Media in Early Development

Project background

From the earliest months of life, children are surrounded by screens, sparking widespread concern about their potential harms.

However, screen time is not uniform: while some content may be passive or distracting, other forms are carefully designed to engage infants and support learning. Yet surprisingly little research has tested whether infants experience educational media as socially engaging and whether they can effectively learn from it.

This project addresses that gap by combining neuroscience, psychology, and educational technology to examine how infants respond to screen-based interactions and how parental co-use shapes these outcomes.

Project aims and objectives

The PhD project will investigate:

• Whether infants perceive high-quality educational programmes (such as Ms Rachel and the Baby Club) as socially engaging in ways comparable to live interaction.
• Whether infants show a “video deficit” in learning, and how this is modulated by prior exposure to interactive screen-based experiences.
• How neural mirroring and synchrony during viewing predict learning outcomes.
• Whether triadic interactions (infant–parent–screen), such as those promoted by The Baby Club, foster prosocial behaviour and engagement.
• Alongside laboratory studies, the project will use a citizen-science survey with families via the partner company Tandem (Early Ideas Limited) to track parental attitudes and practices around infant screen use

Person specification

We welcome applicants with a 2:1 or above in Psychology, Cognitive neuroscience, Education, or a related field. Experience with experimental research, statistical analysis, or developmental populations is desirable but not essential, as full training will be provided.

Most importantly, applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research, strong communication skills, and a genuine interest in early learning and development. The ideal applicant will enjoy working with families and collaborating with industry partners to translate research into real-world impact.

Finally, given that the research will take place at the Essex Babylab, the applicant must be willing to travel regularly to the Colchester campus. 

How to apply

Application guidelines can be found on the SENSS website. 

Deadline

Applications must be submitted by Wednesday 7 January 2026 at 09:00 GMT. 

If you have any informal queries about this opportunity please email Dr Carina de Klerk (c.deklerk@essex.ac.uk).