ERIC Number: EJ1188167
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1743-9884
EISSN: N/A
Are Educational Preschool Apps Designed to Teach? An Analysis of the App Market
Learning, Media and Technology, v43 n3 p280-293 2018
Over half of educational apps on mobile-app markets are for preschoolers, but little research has examined whether the designs of preschool apps are truly educational. Preschoolers process information differently from older learners (i.e., shorter attention spans), so app designs should be guided by developmental science. This content analysis of popular Apple and Android math and literacy preschool apps uses a developmental framework to code and analyze apps' educational features. Findings show a wide variety of features apps used. However, few provided developmentally appropriate guidance, like scaffolded feedback. This study offers insights for improving apps to meaningfully teach preschoolers.
Descriptors: Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Computer Oriented Programs, Preschool Children, Mathematics Instruction, Literacy Education, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Scaffolding (Teaching Technique), Feedback (Response), Preschool Education, Positive Reinforcement, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A