Abstract
ABSTRACT Selecting high-quality apps can be challenging for caregivers and educators. We here develop tools evaluating educational potential of apps for preschool children. In Study 1, we developed two complementary evaluation tools tailored to different audiences. We grounded them in developmental theory and linked them to research on children’s experience with digital media. In Study 2 we applied these tools to a wide sample of apps in order to illustrate their use and to address the role of cost in quality of educational apps. There are concerns that a social disadvantage may lead to a digital disadvantage, an “app gap”. We thus applied our tools to the most popular free (N = 19) and paid (N = 24) apps targeting preschoolers. We found that the “app gap” associated with cost is only related to some aesthetic features of apps rather than any observable educational advantage proffered by paid apps. Our study adds a novel contribution to the research on children’s apps by developing tools to be used across a wide range of audiences, providing the first description of the quantity of app design features during app use and evaluating the educational potential of free and paid apps.
Highlights
Touchscreen devices are increasingly popular among children under the age of 5 (e.g., Chen & Adler, 2019)
This means that informed decisions about which apps are high quality can be challenging for parents and educators (Livingstone, Blum-Ross, Pavlick, & Ólafsson, 2018) who could potentially benefit from an app evaluation tool based on early years learning theory
Based on the previous literature on app evaluation tools, we propose a set of principles that should guide the development of such tools: (a) Be informed by the developmental theory and research on children’s learning in the context of digital media; (b) Draw clear links to previously developed tools; (c) Be brief, have a simple set of clearly described criteria and clear directions on the scoring system; (d) Focus solely on the objectively measurable factors; (e) Be applied to a wide variety of apps to demonstrate their use; (f) Be validated by conducting content validity and inter-rater reliability
Summary
Touchscreen devices are increasingly popular among children under the age of 5 (e.g., Chen & Adler, 2019). An estimated 80,000 apps claim to be “educational” (Healthy Children, 2018) within the context of an unregulated market. There is a consensus among researchers that the majority of children’s apps advertised as “educational” lack educational value and any foundation in research (Ólafsson, Livingstone, & Haddon, 2013). This means that informed decisions about which apps are high quality can be challenging for parents and educators (Livingstone, Blum-Ross, Pavlick, & Ólafsson, 2018) who could potentially benefit from an app evaluation tool based on early years learning theory. Proportion of complex background to simple background. Proportion of feedback to no feedback Freq of audio Freq of onscreen Freq of audio & onscreen Proportion of ostensive feedback compared to other feedback
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