Abstract
This article reviews studies on the relationships between children and media published in Japan during the past decade. Studies on children’s understanding of television and its contents have revealed that children recognize certain aspects differently compared to adults. Although the impacts of the media on children and their development has been discussed by many researchers, especially in regard to its negative influence, more experiential studies are required. With regard to the media as a tool for education, numerous studies utilizing television programs, computers, and video games have been reported. However, studies that evaluate their effectiveness and offer a systematic methodology for developing effective educational media materials are insufficient. Therefore, this article shows the importance and shortage of studies on media in educational psychology.
