WATCH: Play ‘Dinosaur Train’ Game, Learn Math 

Researchers at Seattle Children’s Research Institute found that if parents switch channels from violent shows like “Power Rangers” to educational TV such as “Sesame Street” or “Dora the Explorer,” it can improve their preschoolers’ behavior, even without getting them to watch less. Low-income boys appeared to get the most short-term benefit from switching to more educational shows. The findings may provide new clues to help young children avoid aggressive, violent behavior, experts said. The study is also one of the largest yet to examine how modifying television content affects the development of young children ages 3 to 5.

“It’s not just about turning off the television. It’s about changing the channel. What children watch is as important as how much they watch,” said lead study author Dr. Dimitri Christakis.”That’s important because they are at the greatest risk, both for being perpetrators of aggression in real life, but also being victims of aggression,” Christakis said.

PBS is one network that is always looking for new ways to educate kids through television programming and other technology. PBS Kids is researching how kids use a number of different technological platforms and new technologies to learn certain concepts.

Watch Sara DeWitt, vice president of PBS Kids Interactive, elaborate on what PBS is learning about kids and technology below:

“Does a child who plays with all of those come away with a better understanding of that math concept than a child who just interacts with one? That’s what we’re researching right now,” DeWitt said.

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Watch Sara DeWitt describe how gameplay can be an effective educational tool:

Watch: PBS Fires Back at Romney After ‘Big Bird’ Jab (VIDEO)

DeWitt partnered with Drew Davidson of Carnegie Mellon University on a South by Southwest presentation that focused on game-based learning.

They dissected PBS KIDS games and research at the university to determine ”which gameplay mechanics, which parts of games, are looking like they are the most effective learning tools,” she says. “How can you create games to actually be learning opportunities?”

PBS KIDS Interactive focuses on “transmedia” – a mix of online games, mobile apps and games for interactive whiteboards – to engage its young audience. “We help reach kids in all the different places where they want to interact with our characters, and all the different places where we think they can learn from our characters,” DeWitt says.

She acknowledges parents’ challenge to find a balance between screentime and hands-on playtime for their children.

“We often create games and TV shows that then push you away from the computer to go find something outside or play a game with your brother and sister, and then maybe come back and tell us about it,” she says.

Watch Sara DeWitt describe how PBS KIDS works to balance children’s media diets:

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The Public Broadcasting Service on Thursday responded to comments Romney made in the first presidential debate Wednesday night about Sesame Street’s icon, Big Bird. “I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things. I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you, too, “ Romney said to presidential debate moderator Jim Lehrer. “But I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for things we don’t need.”  Romney said he would slash public broadcasting as one approach to tackling the nation’s debt.

“We are very disappointed that PBS became a political target in the Presidential debate last night. Governor Romney does not understand the value the American people place on public broadcasting and the outstanding return on investment the system delivers to our nation,” PBS said in a statement. “As a stated supporter of education, Governor Romney should be a champion of public broadcasting, yet he is willing to wipe out services that reach the vast majority of Americans, including underserved audiences, such as children who cannot attend preschool and citizens living in rural areas.

Meanwhile, PBS Kids is researching how kids use a number of different technological platforms and new technologies to learn certain concepts. Watch Sara DeWitt, vice president of PBS Kids Interactive, elaborate on what PBS is learning about kids and technology below:

Related: Salman Khan: ‘The Web Is Our Campus’ (VIDEO)

“Does a child who plays with all of those come away with a better understanding of that math concept than a child who just interacts with one? That’s what we’re researching right now,” DeWitt said.

PBS is developing content that goes far beyond TV – video content, mobile apps, interactive online games, whiteboard games, and more. “It’s promising … kids are very engaged with their technology,” DeWitt said of PBS’ research.”We are always thinking about how new technologies affect children and how we can co-opt lots of new technologies for education so we feel like it’s really important to be paying attention to what’s happening out here.”

WATCH: What Women Bloggers Want to Ask Romney, Obama

On the same day it responded to Romney’s Big Bird comments during the presidential debate, PBS also introduced valuePBS.org, a resource to learn about how PBS and local stations provide content and services benefiting communities, education, kids and parents. It also Tweeted “PBS is trusted, valued and essential. See why at http://www.valuepbs.org . (please retweet!)”

“For more than forty years, Big Bird has embodied the public broadcasting mission – harnessing the power of media for the good of every citizen, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay,” PBS said in its statement. “Our system serves as a universally accessible resource for education, history, science, arts and civil discourse.”

WATCH: Romney Can ‘Help Take Our Country Back’

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“Does a child who plays with all of those come away with a better understanding of that math concept than a child who just interacts with one? That’s what we’re researching right now,” Sara DeWitt, vice president of PBS Kids Interactive, told genConnect.

Watch Sara DeWitt elaborate on what PBS is learning about kids and technology below:

PBS is developing content that goes far beyond TV – video content, mobile apps, interactive online games, whiteboard games, and more. “It’s promising … kids are very engaged with their technology,” DeWitt said of PBS’ research.

Related: Salman Khan: ‘The Web Is Our Campus’ (VIDEO)

“We are always thinking about how new technologies affect children and how we can co-opt lots of new technologies for education so we feel like it’s really important to be paying attention to what’s happening out here.”

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