Early childhood education major, Madison Pruitt ’25, has had her undergraduate research
published in the latest issue of Literacy Matters, the peer-reviewed journal of the Palmetto State
Literacy Association.

Her study, “Mobile Device Use and Effects on Literacy Among 4- and 5-Year-Olds,” began as
an education capstone project and was presented at last year’s Honors Day Symposium as well
as the 20th Annual South Carolina Upstate Research Symposium (SCURS).

Using parent surveys and educator interviews, Pruitt analyzed patterns of device access and
use, as well as differences in how parents and educators perceive their impact. Her findings
highlight the widespread use of mobile devices among young children, along with a gap
between parent perceptions of benefits and educator concerns about developmental effects
such as language, attention, and social interaction.

“I started noticing how early children are using devices at home and how often, and that parents
don’t always see the possible negative effects,” Pruitt said.

“Our program prepares students to be professional educators who are actively engaged in the
field, and Madison’s publication is a strong example of that kind of involvement,” said Dr. Julia
Wilkins, associate professor of education and Pruitt’s capstone instructor.

Pruitt was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education, and Psi
Chi, the international honor society in psychology. She was recognized for academic excellence
at last year’s Honors Day and was also the Education Department’s Outstanding Senior.

Pruitt plans to pursue graduate study, building on the research and presentation experiences
she developed during her undergraduate work.