Creative Curiosity, New Media, and Learning

2010 FRED FORWARD Creative Curiosity, New Media, and Learning

MARCH 22-23, 2010 PITTSBURGH AND LATROBE,PENNSYLVANIA

First in a series of national conferences of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media, at Saint Vincent College Welcome

Welcome to the 2010 Fred Forward Conference, the first in a biennial series to be held at the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

We at the Center are so very pleased and honored to have such a distinguished group join us for this exciting and critical discussion of the future of technology, new media, and early learning. It was exactly this same great potential for benefitting young children—linking technology and learning—that inspired Fred Rogers almost 50 years ago to develop some of the most powerful and creative programming for educational television. With the extraordinary explosion in communications technology of the past 25 years—a development that has radically changed almost every aspect of modern life—we see opportunities to emulate and extend what Fred accomplished, finding powerful new ways that media and technology can nurture creativity, curiosity, social-emotional development, and learning for children everywhere.

Fred Forward is intended to bring together the best minds in the country to explore this potential. The conference series is a signature project of our Center, which was planned under Fred’s leadership in the last few years of his life. It was his hope and intention that the Rogers Center would continue his work as a champion of early childhood development and better screen media for young children.

Today, you and many other media creators and educators are as dedicated as Fred to these causes. Fred Forward is to be a forum where the best of these worlds can come together to collaborate and to brainstorm ways in which technology and new media can be commercially successful while always placing the highest value on the development and well-being of young children.

Thank you for joining us in this first of what we hope will be many occasions to share our boldest dreams, debate the merits of differing approaches, and move forward together for the benefit of children and families.

Maxwell King and Rita Catalano Co-Directors, Fred Rogers Center

2 History

The Fred Rogers Center

More than 50 years ago, Fred Rogers was the first to recognize the immense potential in the emerging medium of television for nurturing and teaching young children. In the ensuing years, he became the genius behind the most powerful and beneficial program ever created for children. In 2000, Fred Rogers began to plan for a national center where he could continue his advocacy for early childhood education and better media for children beyond Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. His untimely death in February of 2003 did not stop the realization of his dream. In September of that year, the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media was established at Saint Vincent College, in Fred’s real life hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania and in the fall of 2008, the LEED Gold-certified Fred M. Rogers Center building was dedicated on the Saint Vincent campus. The mission of the Fred Rogers Center is to advance the fields of early learning and children’s media by acting as a catalyst for communication, collaboration, and creative change. The Center carries forward Fred Rogers’ legacy by focusing on issues and programs that affect young children birth to age 5 as well as their families, caregivers, and teachers.

Fred Rogers Archive – The official collection of writings, musical scores, videos, artifacts, and other materials comprising a body of work spanning more than 50 years. These unique resources also include 62 video interviews and print transcripts commissioned by the Rogers Center for the Fred Rogers Oral History Project.

Fred Rogers Center Early Learning Network – A web-based platform for engaging underserved teachers, home-based caregivers, and families around the important issues of early literacy and media literacy.

Fred Forward Conference Series – A national, biennial event to help understand and influence today’s rapidly changing media environment and its impact on young children.

Fred Rogers Fellows – A program to support new work by established experts as well as early career and aspiring professionals in early learning and children’s media.

Learning Lives – A multi-year documentary project to explore the many factors that have an impact – positive or negative – on learning for children from birth through their later school years.

Online Curriculum Toolkit – A multidisciplinary open courseware project for higher education, drawing from the Fred Rogers Archive as well as the broader base of research and materials on children’s media, early childhood development, and early learning.

3 Monday, 7:30 am: Buses depart hotels for Fred M. Rogers Conference Center March 22 Registration Open Continental Breakfast 8:45 am: Welcome and Introduction Maxwell King and Rita Catalano – Co-Directors, Fred Rogers Center 9:00 am: “More Real than Real” Don Marinelli, Ph.D. – Executive Producer, Entertainment Technology Center, Carnegie Mellon University 9:30 am: “Learning Lives” and “Mind in the Making” Ellen Galinsky – President & Co-Founder, Families and Work Institute Hank O’Karma, Partner, New Screen Concepts 10:00 am: New Work Expo Moderator: Illah Nourbakhsh, Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University Panelists: Angela Santomero – Founder and Executive Producer, Out of the Blue Enterprises Nancy Steingard – Co-President, 2 Friends Entertainment Jane Werner – Executive Director, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Exhibitors: Younghyun Chung – My Motion – Assistive Expression Technology Kristen Eno – Making Films with Children Jerry Fails – Mobile Stories Kristen Frame and Sarah White Syms – Won’t You Be Our Neighbor Mary Gillis and Julie Polvinen – Mad Dash! Ian Ingram – Walks in the Parks with Robots Alexis Lauricella – Familiar Characters for Toddlers’ Learning from Video Tracy Pereira – Digital Diaries Project Heather White – Kid Web Blogs Gregory Witt – Color Factory 12:30 pm: Lunch and Keynote Blessing – Rt. Rev. Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., Ph.D., Chancellor of Saint Vincent College Introduction – Gregg Behr – Executive Director, The Grable Foundation Keynote – Milton Chen, Ph.D. – Senior Fellow, The George Lucas Educational Foundation 2:00 pm: “Debate and Create” Ideation Session Moderator: David Kleeman – President, American Center for Children and Media Panelists: Warren Buckleitner, Ph.D. – Founding Editor, Children’s Technology Review J.J. Johnson – Partner, Sinking Ship Productions Donna Mitroff, Ph.D. – President, Mitroff & Associates Linda Simensky – Vice President, Children’s Programming, Public Broadcasting Service 5:30 pm: Reception 6:30 pm: Dinner Presentation of the 2010 Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship Awards Terri Clark – Executive Director, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Nancy Steingard, Co-President, 2 Friends Entertainment Joanne Rogers Andy Sale – Ernst & Young 8:30 pm: Buses depart for hotels

4 Tuesday, 7:00 am: Buses depart hotels for Fred M. Rogers Conference Center March 23 7:30 am: Continental Breakfast 8:00 am: “New Day in the Neighborhood” Kevin Morrison – Chief Operating Officer, Family Communications, Inc. Cathy Cohen Droz – Director of Special Projects, Family Communications, Inc. Lesli Rotenberg – Senior Vice President, Children’s Media and PBS Brand Management, Public Broadcasting Service 8:45 am: Policy Discussion on Early Learning and Children’s Media Facilitator: William Isler – President, Family Communications, Inc. Panelists: Joan Lombardi, Ph.D. – Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Harriet Dichter, J.D. – Acting Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare 11:00 am: Concurrent Panel Discussions “Creative Play and Children’s Media” Moderator: Ellen Wartella, Ph.D. – Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, and Fred Rogers Center Senior Fellow Panelists: Cheryl Charles, Ph.D. – President and CEO, Children and Nature Network Jim Gray, Ed.D. – Director of Learning, LeapFrog Enterprises Susan Linn, Ed.D. – Instructor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, and Director, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Rosemarie Truglio, Ph.D. – Vice President, Education and Research, Sesame Workshop “Digital Access through Digital Diversity” Moderator: Michael Levine, Ph.D. – Executive Director, The Joan Ganz Cooney Center Panelists: Nancy Kirpatrick – Vice President, National Center for Family and Literacy Kristen Purcell, Ph.D. – Associate Director, Research, Pew Internet and American Life Project Susan Zelman, Ph.D. – Senior Vice President, Corporation for Public Broadcasting 11:45 am: Position Statement on Technology and Media Moderator: Chip Donohue, Ph.D. – Director of Distance Learning, Erikson Institute, and Fred Rogers Center Senior Fellow Panelists: Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D. – Executive Director Designate, National Association for the Education of Young Children Roberta Schomburg, Ph.D. – Associate Dean of Education, Carlow University, and Fred Rogers Center Senior Fellow 12:30 pm: Wrap Up and Closing Maxwell King 12:45 pm: Lunch 2:15 pm: Buses leave for Greater Pittsburgh International Airport

5 Site Map

FIRST FLOOR Fred M. Rogers Center

BUSINESS CENTER

6 SECOND FLOOR Fred M. Rogers Center

7 Gregg Behr Rita Catalano Milton Chen, Ph.D. Executive Director, Co-Director, Fred Rogers Center Senior Fellow, The George Lucas The Grable Foundation Educational Foundation Rita has been at Saint Vincent since 1988. As Associate Vice-President for Institutional Gregg heads a Pittsburgh-based foundation Milton served as Executive Director of the Advancement, she was part of the planning dedicated to improving the lives of children. Foundation from 1998 until last month when team for the Fred Rogers Center. She also Immediately prior to his current position, he he changed to his current title. Prior to that, has administrative, editorial, and program served as president of the Forbes Fund and, Milton was founding director of PBS’s KQED coordinating experience at the Center for prior to that, as a litigator with the law firm of Center for Education managing the channel’s Research in Human Development and Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney. Gregg received television programming, Web content, and Education at Temple University, the Learning his B.A. degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from the outreach services for schools and families. Research and Development Center at the University of Notre Dame and simultaneously He has been a director of research at Sesame University of Pittsburgh, and Tufts University. received his law degree and Master of Public Workshop, and an assistant professor at the She received her B.A. in Political Science Policy degree from Duke University. Harvard Graduate School of Education. He from Albertus Magnus College and an M.A. received his B.A. in Social Studies from in Political Science from the University Harvard University and his Ph.D. in Communi- of Pittsburgh. cation Research from Stanford University.

Warren Buckleitner, Ph.D Cheryl Charles, Ph.D. Midge Crickett Founding Editor, Children’s President and CEO, Children Nerdy and verbose cello player Technology Review and Nature Network Neither a midge nor a cricket, but rather a A substitute trumpet player in a Dixie band, Cheryl has been instrumental in launching human creature who writes silly/sad songs Warren is also a former public school teacher the international movement to “Leave No which she sings while accompanying herself who blogs about children’s technology for the Child Inside” and in advocating bringing on the cello. A unique brand of Chamber Pop New York Times. He organizes Kids@Play at children in direct contact with nature to which she describes as “nerdy and verbose.” CES, and created the Dust and Magic Institute improve creativity, academic performance, Over the past two years, she has served as the and the Mediatech Foundation. He holds a and self-esteem. She has taught at the “opening act for Pittsburgh’s lunatic fringe.” B.A. in Elementary Education, an M.A in elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and Early Childhood Education and a Ph.D. in graduate levels and, for 20 years, was National Educational Psychology from Michigan State Director for Project Learning Tree and Project University. He’s fascinated by the potential of Wild – two of the most widely used K-12 multi-touch tablets for pre-school settings. environmental education programs in the nation. Cheryl holds her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington.

8 Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D. Chip Donohue, Ph.D Ellen Galinsky Executive Director Designate, National Director of Distance Learning, President & Co-Founder, Association for the Education of Young Children Erikson Institute and Fred Rogers Center Families and Work Institute Senior Fellow At NAEYC, Jerlean is responsible for Ellen is a leading authority on work life issues, developing early childhood knowledge Chip is internationally recognized as a who helped establish this field. Author of 40 content resources with a primary focus on leader in the use of technology and distance books and reports and more than 100 articles, tools and resources for individuals in their learning, especially with early childhood her latest book is Mind in the Making: The Seven work in early care and education programs. professionals. At the Erikson Institute, he Essential Skills Every Child Needs—part of a cam- Prior to joining NAEYC, she served as Chair of leads the development of an online master’s paign that shares the science of learning. She Psychology in Education, and Associate degree for experienced early childhood co-directs the most comprehensive Professor in the Applied Developmental teachers as well as online certificate and national studies of the workforce and work- Psychology Program, in the School of professional development programs. Chip place and a project on workplace flexibility and Education at the University of Pittsburgh. previously directed the Center for Early effectiveness. Ellen received her B.A. in Child Jerlean received her B.S. in Political Science, Childhood Professional Development and Study from Vassar College and her M.A. from M.S. in Child Development and Ph.D. in Leadership at the School of Continuing Bank Street College of Education. Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Harriet Dichter, J.D. Cathy Cohen Droz Jim Gray, Ed.D. Acting Secretary, Pennsylvania Department Director of Special Projects, Director of Learning, LeapFrog of Public Welfare Family Communications, Inc. Jim oversees curriculum and learning design Harriet was appointed to her current position With a background in communications and of all products at LeapFrog. He previously ran by Governor Rendell and she began serving television production, Cathy joined Family the LeapFrog Lab where he directed user her tenure in January 2010. In recent years, her Communications to work on Mister Rogers experience and product development primary role has been in early childhood Neighborhood, but soon became involved in research. He is an Advisory Board member education, and she served as the non-broadcast initiatives. Since 1982, she for PBS KIDS Next Generation Media and for Commonwealth’s first Deputy Secretary of the has directed and coordinated a wide variety Stanford University’s Graduate Program in Office of Child Development and Early of projects including books, brochures, Learning Design and Technology. He started Childhood Learning for the Pennsylvania audio recordings, a planetarium program, his career as a pre-school teacher, and has Departments of Public Welfare and Education. hands-on museum exhibits and an taught all ages from toddlers to graduate In that position she built a quality education interactive amusement park ride. Most students. He earned his B.A. in Early continuum that has gained national recently she has been responsible for the Childhood Education from Michigan State reputation. She received her bachelors from Mister Rogers Neighborhood website on University and his doctorate from the Harvard Yale and her law degree from the University of PBSKIDS.org. Graduate School of Education. Pennsylvania.

9 William Isler Maxwell King Michael Levine, Ph.D. President, Family Co-Director, Fred Rogers Center Executive Director, The Joan Ganz Communications, Inc. Cooney Center Before assuming his current position in 2008, Bill is a longtime professional educator and Max spent nearly a decade as President of The Michael oversees efforts to capitalize and advocate for children. He began his career as Heinz Endowments which focused its grants support research, programs and investments a teacher and administrator, before joining on the environment, economic opportunities in educational media technologies for young the Pennsylvania Department of Education, for the disadvantaged, literacy, early childhood children. He was previously heavily involved in where he served as Commissioner of Basic education and education reform. Prior to that, childhood development and education with Education and Senior Program Advisor for he was a journalist for more than 30 years the Asia Society, the Carnegie Corporation and Early Childhood Education. In addition including eight as Editor of the Philadelphia as senior advisor to the New York City School to his leadership position at Family Inquirer. He received his B.A. from Harvard Chancellor. Michael is also a frequent writer Communications, he is a past President University and is a graduate of the Executive and advisor to the U.S. Department of of the Board for the Pittsburgh Public Program at Stanford University. Education and the Corporation for Public Schools. Broadcasting. He received his B.S. from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in Social Policy from Brandeis University.

J.J. Johnson David Kleeman Susan Linn, Ed.D. Partner, Sinking Ship Productions President, American Center for Instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical Children and Media School and Director, Campaign for a J.J. captains the creative aspects of each Commercial-Free Childhood Sinking Ship Entertainment series from David leads an executive roundtable and development and production to writing and professional development hub that promotes Susan has written and advocated extensively direction. After discovering Daniel Cook in the exchange of ideas, expertise, and on the effects of media and commercial media 2002, he went on to create the award-winning information as a means to build quality and on children and has been praised for her work This is Daniel Cook. Since then, he has created find sustainable solutions to current and in publications as diverse as The Wall Street some of Canada’s most popular children’s emerging issues related to children and media. Journal and Mother Jones. She is also an programs, including This is Emily Yeung, Are we He is a valued international consultant, Emmy-winning ventriloquist and children’s there yet?, World Adventure , and I dare you!. J.J. especially on the role of culture and media, entertainer who is internationally known for barely graduated from the School of Radio and chairs the advisors to the worldwide children’s her pioneering work using puppets in child Television Arts at Ryerson University. TV festival, PRIX JENNESSE, and has led North psychotherapy American advisors to four World Summits on Media for Children. David received his B.S. from Harvard College.

10 Joan Lombardi, Ph.D. Donna Mitroff, Ph.D. Illah Nourbakhsh, Ph.D. Deputy Assistant Secretary, President, Mitroff & Associates Associate Professor of Robotics, U.S. Department of Health and Carnegie Mellon University Human Services Donna has nearly three decades of executive, production, and consulting experience with Illah is head of the Robotics Masters Program An innovative leader and policy advisor on production companies, networks, and studios in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon early childhood to national and international on program development, content design and University, co-founder of the Toy Robotics organizations, Joan has made significant review, children and family media use, media Initiative, director of the Center for Innovative contributions to the field over the past 30 years. policy, and media impact. In the late 70’s Robotics, and director of the Community She is Founding Chair of the Birth to Five Policy she worked with Fred Rogers on the early Robotics, Education and Technology Alliance, Founding Coordinator of Global conceptualization of what became the Plan & Empowerment Lab. He has served at the Action for Children and advisor to the Buffet Play Book. She has taught first through third NASA/Ames Research Center and the Jet Early Childhood Fund, The Bill and Melinda grades and special education classrooms and Propulsion Laboratory working on autonomous Gates Foundation, and UNICEF. Joan holds an currently teaches courses on children and spacecraft and is founder and chief scientist of M.A. in Early Childhood Education form Boston media. Donna holds an M.A. in Special Blue Pumpkin Software. He received his Ph.D. College and a Ph.D. in Human Development Education and a Ph.D. in Education. in Computer Science from Stanford University. Education from the University of Maryland.

Don Marinelli, Ph.D. Kevin Morrison Kristen Purcell, Ph.D. Executive Producer, Entertainment Chief Operating Officer, Associate Director, Research, Pew Technology Center, Carnegie Family Communications, Inc. Internet and American Life Project Mellon University Kevin began his career as a radio journalist Kristen has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Rutgers “The Don” received his B.A. in Speech and with the BBC and moved to production University and specializes in both quantitative Drama from the University of Tampa, his M.A. management in network television in Britain. and qualitative research methods. At Pew, she in Clinical Psychology from Duquesne Since coming to the U.S. in 1986, he has run leads the design, implementation, and analysis University and his Ph.D. in Theatre History, various companies producing and distributing of nationally representative surveys, special Literature and Criticism from the University of animation, television movies, mini-series, and population surveys, focus groups, and Pittsburgh. In addition to serving as Professor family films in New York and Los Angeles. He interviews exploring the impact of the internet of Drama and Arts Management at CMU, and is a member of the Academy of Television Arts on Americans’ social and civic lives. Prior to creating the Masters in Entertainment and Sciences, the British Academy of Film and joining Pew, she was a senior survey researcher Technology, he was instrumental in starting Television Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of at Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. and the Masters program in Arts Management at Arts, and a Churchill Fellow in public service Princeton Survey Research Associates CMU and the Master of Fine Arts in Acting broadcasting. International and, for more than ten years, led with the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. research studies exploring critical policy and public health issues.

11 Lesli Rotenberg Roberta Schomburg, Ph. D. Nancy Steingard Senior Vice President, Children’s Media and Associate Dean of Education, Co-President, 2 Friends Entertainment PBS Brand Management, Public Broadcast- Carlow University and Fred Rogers Center ing Service Senior Fellow Nancy specializes in creating children’s programming for television and has just Lesli leads PBS KIDS Next Generation Media, Roberta worked closely with Fred Rogers and completed a television movie of Harriet the Spy an initiative defining the role PBS will play in helped to develop more than 700 children’s which will run on the Disney Channel later the changing digital children’s media land- activities to accompany the Mister Rogers’ this month. Prior to starting her own company, scape. She also oversees the strategic position- Neighborhood program. She is a member Nancy served as Senior Vice President of ing of primetime programming, online of the Governor’s Early Learning Council Creative Development for Sesame Workshop content, and education services for PBS across and chairs the Career Preparation and and Executive Vice President for Universal a growing number of media platforms and is Development subcommittee. Roberta received Family and Home Entertainment. Hi-Tops responsible for building and extending the her B.S. in Elementary Education and Spanish Video, a company that Nancy founded in 1986 brand equity of PBS and PBS KIDS. Prior to from Macalester College, her M.S. in produced the Emmy Award winning Madeline joining PBS, she was Vice President at Animal Education from Salem State College and series. Nancy earned her B.A. and M.A. in Planet and a marketing executive at Discovery her Ph.D. in Administrative and Policy Studies Education from UCLA. for 10 years. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Angela Santomero Linda Simensky Ellen Wartella, Ph.D. Founder and Executive Producer, Out of Vice President, Children’s Programming, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, the Blue Enterprises Public Broadcasting Service University of California, Riverside and Fred Rogers Center Senior Fellow Angela created and produced the Linda collaborates with producers, partners, breakthrough pre-school Blue’s Clues for Nick and distributors throughout the entire cre- Ellen is a Distinguished Professor of Jr. Currently, she is the creator, executive ation to broadcast process for such programs Psychology and a leading scholar on the role producer, and head writer of Super Why!, as Curious George, Super Why, Dinosaur Train, of media in children’s development. She is which helps build pre-school literary skills and The Electric Company. Before to joining co-principal investigator on the current five- through fractured fairytales and interactive PBS, she was Senior Vice President of Original year study on the influence of digital media on games. All of her work integrates education, Animation for Cartoon Network and prior to very young children and served a similar role entertainment, and active participation to that, she helped build the animation depart- on several other national studies related to enable children to learn through play. Angela ment at Nickelodeon. She holds a B.A. in Com- media and children. Ellen was Executive earned her B.A. from Catholic University and munications and History from the Chancellor and Provost at the University of her M. A. in Child Developmental Psychology University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in California, Riverside and Dean of the College from Columbia University. Media Ecology from New York University. of Communications at the University of Texas. She earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communica- tions from the University of Minnesota.

12 Rosemarie Truglio, Ph.D. Jane Werner Susan Zelman, Ph.D. Vice President, Education and Executive Director, Children’s Senior Vice President, Corporation Research, Sesame Workshop Museum of Pittsburgh for Public Broadcasting

Rosemarie is responsible for the development Jane has 27 years of museum experience Susan is chief advisor and system consultant of the interdisciplinary curriculum on which including 17 at the Children’s Museum leading for education policy and is responsible for Sesame Street is based and oversees all teams to create one of the most inviting and engaging with education leaders at the state educational research pertaining to Sesame innovative environments for children in the and national levels on behalf of the public Street and The Electric Company. Before joining nation. Prior to her tenure at the Children’s broadcasting system. Previously, she was Sesame Workshop, she was an Museum, she worked for the Franklin Institute Superintendent of Public Instruction with the Assistant Professor of Communication and Science Museum, The Carnegie Science Ohio Department of Education and held Education at Columbia University, focusing Center, and The Buhl Science Center. Jane executive positions in Missouri and her research on the effects of television on holds a BFA in Synaesthetic Education from Massachusetts. She has also chaired the the cognitive development of children and Syracuse University, attended the Getty Department of Education at Emmanuel adolescents. She holds her B.A. in Psychology Foundation Museum Management Institute College and served a five-year appointment from Rutgers University and her Ph.D. in and was a Fellow at the STUDIO for Creative with the Education Technology Center at Developmental Psychology from the Inquiry at Carnegie Mellon University. Harvard University. Susan holds a Ph.D. in Edu- University of Kansas. cation from the University of Michigan.

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18 Essays The Legacy of Fred Rogers

Nearly 50 years ago, Fred Rogers pioneered the use of television—the emerging medium of that time—to nurture and educate young children. He set the highest possible standards for his work— standards that were based on the most careful academic rigor regarding child development, combined with the strong universal values he understood—and then, without ever compromising on those standards, he reached and held a mass audience of millions for decades.

Fred’s instinct in the 1950s was to be excited and challenged by new media, never to be afraid or put off by it. It was the potential of new media to play a constructive role in the development and education of young children that inspired him, and he sustained this open-minded and entrepreneurial attitude to media and technology all his life.

He built great loyalty and complete trust among the families he served. Fred was able to do this because he truly met the real developmental and educational needs of the children who watched the Neighborhood. They knew he was the genuine, authentic article. He had many opportunities to cash in on his fame and success. He never took them; he never allowed his work to be exploited commercially in ways that might be hurtful to children.

This bedrock honesty ran throughout Fred’s life. He treated everyone with the same respect and sensitivity that he knew had helped him as a child. His strong moral code informed every aspect of his life, from how he lived to the community he chose for his family and work.

He was able to integrate all his interests and aptitudes—his music, his writing, his creativity, his faith, his sense of family and community, and his sense of service—all into a coherent whole that gave a special power to his life and his influence. Fred was careful not to use that influence carelessly. He did not often endorse viewpoints or tell others how to live. Instead he led—as the best leaders do—through example.

The legacy of Fred Rogers is of great importance; not just to children, though it surely is to them, but to all of us. And his thoughtful, sensitive, integrated approach can continue to be of great value to many future generations of children, through his programs and through the work of others who follow his example.

Maxwell King and Rita Catalano Co-Directors Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media

Additional information on Fred Rogers’ life and career can be found on the Fred Rogers Center website and in the 2008 Rogers Center publication, The Wonder of It All: Fred Rogers and the Story of an Icon, by Margaret Mary Kimmel, Ph.D., and Mark Collins.

19 Essays Essential Elements of Preschool Media – A Canadian Perspective

As a preschool child moves from age two to five, their cognitive capacity changes, but there are some common, very powerful elements that we can incorporate into the development of preschool media that are universally understood by young children. Story, character, and a child centered perspective, are key to creating enjoyable, accessible children’s content.

Stories should remain simple and concrete. Abstract concepts are difficult for a child to grasp and as such, we stay away from themes like time or time travel. Concrete scenarios that involve familiar situations for a preschooler are engaging, like sharing your toys with a sibling. In creating a series, a repetitive format brings a sense of safety to a preschooler. Knowing what to expect and depending on it, will reinforce a child’s sense of empowerment. Humor makes learning stick.

Characters are key to creating successful preschool content. Characters should be simple (2-3 recognizable character traits) and they should be consistent and familiar. Children look forward to spending time with characters they know and can relate to. As role models, characters can infuse a great deal of knowledge and passive learning.

A child centered perspective reinforces characters and stories so that the preschooler can relate to both. Children love seeing representations of themselves as it helps to make sense of the world and with this familiarity, they feel empowered. Children learn when they see others like themselves, trying new things, overcoming fears and dilemmas, or making mistakes and taking away a lesson.

Incorporating some of the above elements can assist in creating successful children’s media. There are multiple measures of success that include research, ratings, industry recognition, website statistics and merchandising. The best measure of success is watching the joy and participation of a child when they are engaged in the media.

Brenda Nietupski Director of Programming Treehouse Canada

20 Essays Are Fred's Values Still Compatible with Commercial Success?

For seven years I worked as a writer/producer for NBC’s Saved By The Bell franchise, a popular children’s program which was used by the network to fulfill the three hour children’s programming mandate required by the Children’s Television Act. Each script we wrote would be reviewed by a government consultant, at first in person, but then mostly by fax, whose purpose was to give the show greater educational value. Per her notes, in the midst of a harried production schedule, we would then tweak the shows during re-writes to give them clearer moral messages that it was hoped young people would emulate.

But it wasn’t until my daughter was born and I came back to my hometown to teach at University of Pittsburgh for what we thought would be a “one year Hollywood sabbatical”, moving just blocks away from where Fred Rogers had taped his TV shows, that I would be reminded of what true educational television could be. It was then that I would learn how Fred would spend hours talking and listening to parents and children and consulting with Pitt professor Dr. Margaret McFarland, director of the Arsenal Family and Children’s Center. Each week, he and Margaret had lunch and discussed issues which Fred was thinking about based on 15-20 letters he got each day from the show or conversations he had with parents and others who cared about the social and emotional life of children—a dialogue which informed his program.

It is easy to vilify producers of children’s television in Hollywood as stereotypes, but I can cite many examples of people who, despite working in a medium that today is driven more by the needs of advertisers than kids, deeply care about children. For instance, my agent’s wife left her executive position as the head of ABC comedy to raise her two children and went back to school for a degree in child development with the hope that she might eventually produce children’s programming building on Fred’s legacy. Our former Studio City neighbor TIVOed every episode of the Neighborhood to show his four year old daughter. That neighbor happened to be Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob, who last year hosted the Fred Rogers’ Memorial Scholarship Awards, noting things which Mister Rogers and SpongeBob SquarePants had in common, including: “While Fred and SpongeBob both can be considered ‘square’, they both are always the coolest guys in the room.”

Marrying commercially successfully children’s programming with high standards is not easy, but it might become a more frequent occurrence if those producers of content who share the intention and commitment to quality family programming could have places to gather such as Fred Forward where they can leave the commercial concerns momentarily behind to meaningfully interact with educators and others who are involved in the emotional development of children. By reminding them of the process with which Fred Rogers made his programs, and his philosophies, and having the question be not how can we sell to children, but how can we do our best for children, there is more of a chance of living up to what Fred said was the greatest challenge of those who work in television: “making programs that make good attractive.”

Carl Kurlander Executive Producer Steeltown Entertainment Project

21 Essays Essential Elements of Preschool Media – A U.K. Perspective

If technology can be defined as anything that was invented after you were born, then there’s not very much that’s technology for the average preschooler. So to create for them you need to think very differently.

There are six “thought buckets” we use when creating for this audience that you might find useful.

Developmentally Appropriate. Doh! Of course. But you would be bowled over by the very real lack of understanding the vast majority of creators have for precisely what their target audience is capable of understanding. Be very clear on the developmental stage of the children.

Curricular Alignment. In the UK we have the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Fundamentally, it’s a document that provides the context for a positive social and emotional early development. When we create we make 100% sure it’s aligned with the EYFS.

Archetypal Characters. It’s in their genes. Children connect with concrete archetypal characters. Abstract may be more “right-on” but there’s a reason that the oral traditions of storytelling were responsible for the first 145,000 years of human development – people connect with archetypes. Especially children.

Structured Narrative. Obvious. Beginning, Middle and End. Even if it’s a game make sure it tells a story and make sure it tells that story well.

Co-Use. TV can’t. Digital media can. Make sure you think about mom and pop. They’re the ones that will sanction the interaction and may even pay for it. Provide moments of specialness for the whole family.

Humour. Preschoolers like to laugh too. It’s vital for learning and attention.

The one thing you have to do if you do nothing else is spend time in their company. Join their world and let go for an hour or two. Do it before Fred Forward too.

Good luck.

Gary Pope Director Kids Industries, London, U.K.

22 Thank You

The Fred Forward Conference would not have been possible without the support and cooperation among a large group of very talented and dedicated people and organizations. To these funders, partner organizations, and individuals the Fred Rogers Center offers a sincere Thank You!

The Grable Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Annie E. Casey Foundation for their financial support.

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University for hosting the Innovation Showcases.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Kids + Creativity Group for supplying the creativity and ideas for the Innovation Showcases.

Medrad, McKesson, Mitsubishi, and Westinghouse Electric Company for hosting the Technology Showcases.

The Pittsburgh Technology Council for organizing the Technology Showcases.

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Leadership Pittsburgh, Inc., The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Henry C. Frick Fund of the Buhl Foundation for sponsoring, creating, administering and awarding the TEDx Leadership Prize for Teachers.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation, Ernst & Young and The HUB for creating, funding and awarding the Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship Awards.

The staff and faculty at Saint Vincent College for continual support and encouragement. All presenters, moderators, and panelists for contributing their expertise, experience, and perspective.

Chris Siefert for curation of the Innovation Showcases and the New Work Expo.

The staff of the Fred Rogers Center, including Br. David Kelly, O.S.B., Emily Uhrin, Jan Horner, and the Center’s student assistants for their continual dedication to keeping Fred Rogers' legacy alive.

And finally, to the Fred Forward Conference Organizing Committee, including Rita Catalano, Bob Fayfich, Peggy Fayfich, Maxwell King, Cindy Scarpo, and Chris Siefert for their dedication to excellence.