Apps For Children Research Articles

Evaluating educational apps for preschoolers: Differences and agreements between the assessments of experts, parents, and their children

Educational apps offer a wide range of opportunities to foster children's early competency development during preschool age. However, due to inconsistent evaluation criteria, comparing the educational value of different apps is challenging, and conclusive data on children's and parent's preferences in choosing educational apps for preschoolers is lacking. In the present study, we analyse differences and agreements between the assessments of educational apps by scientific experts, parents, and their children, and compare their assessments with children's actual usage times. In sum, N = 400 children aged between 51 and 75 months (M = 60.9; SD = 4.5) obtained tablets to use at home for 10 consecutive months, with educational apps specifically developed to foster preschool children's cognitive, mathematical, and linguistic competences. Scientific experts rated children's apps according to the evaluation criteria by Hirsh-Pasek et al. (2015), while parents and children rated the respective apps with school grades, data was assessed at t1 (after 5 months) and t2 (after 10 months). Results show that children are less likely to play with apps with a higher educational value and rate them lower compared to ratings by scientific experts. Significant associations were found between the app ratings of parents and their children. With these findings, the present study provides insights into children's app preferences und usage behaviour especially in the context of family environment. The results highlight the importance of thoroughly researching and considering the perspectives of both parents and children to design apps that are enjoyable and played for extended periods.

Wisdom of the Masses? Users and Educators Contrasting Perspectives on the Data Privacy and Safety of Early Years’ Apps

A key focus is assessing children's apps, emphasising informational clarity, safety, and data ethics. The present study employs a structured database for app evaluation, by categorising 30 apps into edutainment, education, instruction, and training based on various criteria, including educational value and user ratings. Moreover, a comparative evaluation between the public ratings and the educator's evaluation was carried out. The findings underscore the challenges in app evaluation due to the proliferation of unregulated and untested applications. It highlights the discrepancies between public app evaluations and those conducted by experienced educators, pointing out the difficulties in obtaining relevant information for accurate app assessment. The study also addresses the aesthetic appeal of apps and how they influence parental choices, often overshadowing concerns about user security and privacy. In conclusion, the study calls for heightened parental awareness in selecting apps for their children. It stresses the importance of considering learning value, educational value, information clarity, security, and ethical data use.

"I Just Wanted a Dentist in My Phone"-Designing Evidence-Based mHealth Prototype to Improve Preschool Children's Oral and Dental Health: Multimethod Study of the Codevelopment of an App for Children's Teeth.

Dental caries in preschool children is a global health concern. With increased access to technology and the disruption of health care during the pandemic, mobile health apps have been of interest as potential vehicles for individuals' health maintenance. However, little is known about caring for their child's teeth and what their preferences would be regarding the content or design of an oral health app. This study aims to co-design the prototype of an app named App for Children's Teeth with parents, providing a source of information for them about caring for their children's teeth and promoting positive dental habits. This multimethod study conducted user involvement research with a purposive sample of parents or carers of children aged ≤6 years to (1) understand their use of the internet through the eHealth Literacy Scale and interviews, (2) determine their opinions about content related to children's oral health, and (3) collect feedback about the app's acceptability using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. There were three stages: (1) interviews with parents to understand their needs, preferences, and abilities; (2) prototype design with app developers; and (3) parent feedback interviews using the think aloud method for data collection. Data were deductively analyzed using a codebook strategy, whereas data from the think aloud sessions were analyzed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis. The prototype design stage involved 10 parents who reported using the internet for health information but found it to be scattered and contradictory. Parents generally welcomed the App for Children's Teeth but expressed concerns about screen time and practicality. They suggested guidance regarding oral hygiene practices, teething symptoms, and pain relief. Parents appreciated features such as clear fonts, categorization according to their child's age, and "In a Nutshell" bullet points. Topics that resonated with parents included information about teething, finding a dentist, and breastfeeding. They believed that the app aligned with their goals and offered suggestions for future developments, such as outlining the process of finding a dentist and incorporating a forum for parents to communicate and exchange ideas. The coproduction design approach highlighted parents' need for solutions such as mobile health apps to access reliable information about oral health. Parents identified key design concepts for the app, including a simple and uncluttered interface, content categorization according to their child's age, and practical guidance supported by visual aids. Despite potential challenges related to screen time restrictions, parents provided insights into how such an app could fit seamlessly into their lives. Open Science Framework; https://osf.io/uj9az.

How Can We Design Privacy-Friendly Apps for Children? Using a Research through Design Process to Understand Developers' Needs and Challenges

Mobile apps used by children often make use of harmful techniques, such as data tracking and targeted advertising. Previous research has suggested that developers face several systemic challenges in designing apps that prioritise children's best interests. To understand how developers can be better supported, we used a Research through Design (RtD) method to explore what the future of privacy-friendly app development could look like. We performed an elicitation study with 20 children's app developers to understand their needs and requirements. We found a number of specific technical requirements from the participants about how they would like to be supported, such as having actionable transnational design guidelines and easy-to-use development libraries. However, participants were reluctant to adopt these design ideas in their development practices due to perceived financial risks associated with increased privacy in apps. To overcome this critical gap, participants formulated socio-technical requirements that extend to other stakeholders in the mobile industry, including parents and marketplaces. Our findings provide important immediate and long-term design opportunities for the HCI community, and indicate that support for changing app developers' practices must be designed in the context of their relationship with other stakeholders.

Navigating the Data Avalanche

This paper critically examines the intersection of privacy concerns in children's apps and the support required by developers to effectively address these concerns. Third-party libraries and software development kits (SDKs) are widely used in mobile app development, however, these libraries are commonly known for posing significant data privacy risks to users. Recent research has shown that app developers for children are particularly struggling with the lack of support in navigating the complex market of third-party SDKs. The support needed for developers to build privacy-friendly apps is largely understudied. Motivated by the needs of developers and an empirical analysis of 137 'expert-approved' children's apps, we designed DataAvalanche.io, a web-based tool to support app developers in navigating the privacy and legal implications associated with common third-party SDKs on the market. Through semi-structured interviews with 12 app developers for children, we demonstrate that app developers largely perceive the transparency supported by our tool positively. However, they raised several barriers, including the challenges of adopting privacy-friendly alternatives and the struggle to safeguard their own legal interests when facing the imbalance of power in the app market. We contribute to our understanding of the open challenges and barriers faced by app developers in creating privacy-friendly apps for children and provide critical future design and policy directions.

We learned we can do something to reduce bullying: Children designing anti-bullying mobile apps to empower their peers

Mobile applications have thoroughly pervaded the lives of today's children, who live and learn through and with them. However, limited research has been conducted on children designing such apps and not only using those designed by adults. Inviting children to design such apps is the focus of our study. Moreover, in contemporary society, it is emphasized that children should be empowered to take civic action and engage in making the world a better place. In the literature, however, less emphasis has been placed on how children can be invited to do so through the means of digital technology, particularly mobile application design. In this study, 13–15-year-old children are invited to take civic action to address the serious societal problem of bullying through the design of mobile apps. We discussed the design process and analyzed the applications the children designed from the viewpoint of how they aim to tackle bullying. We examined how their app designs aim at empowering other children in the context of bullying, and thus considered what kinds of opportunities emerge for children to learn skills related to the prevention or management of bullying in the apps they have designed. We showed that the children's app designs informed us of the seriousness of bullying in children's lives and that they advocate for the empowerment of other children in different ways. Hence, we have increased our understanding of how smart, interactive technologies designed by children address the learning and empowerment of other children, i.e., application users. We also studied the children's learning from both their and their teachers' perspectives. This study showcases an alternative way educators can integrate digital technologies and apps in school settings to educate children on important societal matters and digital technology.

Which apps best teach early educational skills in children?

Dave Hancock summarises the findings of recent research that assessed the educational potential and language content of 44 children's apps

Assessing the educational potential and language content of touchscreen apps for preschool children

Touchscreen apps have the potential to teach children important early skills including oral language. However, there is little empirical data assessing the educational potential of children's apps in the app market or how apps link to theories of cognitive development to support learning. We compared popular children's apps with a learning goal (N=18) and without (N=26) using systematic evaluation tools to assess the educational potential and app features that may support learning. We also transcribed all utterances in the apps that included language with a learning goal (N=18) and without (N=12) in order to compare a number of psycholinguistic measures relating to accessibility of the language. Apps with a learning goal had higher educational potential, more opportunities for feedback, a higher proportion of ostensive feedback, and age-appropriate language to support learning and language development. Thus, we argue that selecting children's apps based on the presence of a learning goal is a good first step for selecting an educational app for pre-school age children. Nevertheless, app developers could do more to promote exploratory app use, adjust content to a child's performance, and make use of social interactions with characters onscreen in their apps to enhance the educational potential. Children's apps could also make better use of feedback to ensure that it is specific, meaningful and constructive to better facilitate learning.

Development and Feasibility of a Mobile Asthma App for Children and Their Caregivers: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundMobile health apps can support the self-management of pediatric asthma. Previous studies on mobile apps for children aged >7 years with asthma are limited, and most reports on asthma apps do not consider interactions between the children and their caregivers. Therefore, we developed an asthma app for children aged 0-12 years and their caregivers based on the results of our previous study regarding user needs.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a developed mobile app for children with asthma and their caregivers and to modify and complete the app according to the feasibility results.MethodsWe recruited children diagnosed with persistent asthma by an allergy specialist at 2 children’s hospitals, 1 university hospital, 2 general hospitals, and 1 pediatric clinic. Thereafter, the app usage was assessed, and questionnaires were administered. This study used convergent mixed methods, including providing user feedback about the pediatric asthma app, completing questionnaire surveys regarding preferences, and obtaining quantitative data about app usage. Quantitative data were analyzed based on the ratings provided for the app features used by the participants, and the usage of the app features was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed via a descriptive qualitative research analysis and were used to identify codes from the content-characteristic words.ResultsIn total, 30 pairs of children aged 2-12 years and their caregivers responded to the 3-month survey, and 20 pairs of children aged 4-12 years and their caregivers responded to the 6-month survey. In the 3- and 6-month surveys, “record” was the most commonly used feature by both caregivers and children. The average access logs per month among the 20 pairs ranged from 50 to 79 in the 6-month survey. The number of access logs decreased over time. In the qualitative results, app utilization difficulties were identified for 6 categories: record, preparing, alert settings, change settings, mobile phone owner, and display and motivation. Regarding app feasibility, 60% (12/20) of the caregivers strongly agreed or agreed for all evaluation items, while 63% (7/11) of the children strongly agreed or agreed for 6 items, excluding satisfaction. In the qualitative results, feasibility evaluation of the app was classified into 3 categories: high feasibility of the app, improvement points for the app, and personal factors preventing app utilization. Based on the results of the feasibility analysis, the final version of the app was modified and completed.ConclusionsThe app feasibility among children with asthma and their caregivers was generally good. Children aged 7-12 years used elements such as record, quiz, and manga. This app can support the continuous self-management of pediatric asthma. However, efforts must be taken to maintain and improve the app quality.Trial RegistrationUMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000039058; https://tinyurl.com/3na9zyf8

Selecting educational apps for preschool children: How useful are website app rating systems?

AbstractIn the present paper, we assess whether website rating systems are useful for selecting educational apps for preschool age children. We selected the 10 highest scoring and 10 lowest scoring apps for 2–4‐year‐olds from two widely used websites (Good App Guide; Common Sense Media). Apps rated highly by the two websites had a higher educational potential as assessed by a validated questionnaire for evaluating the educational potential of apps and were more likely to include a learning goal and feedback compared to low scoring apps. However, high scoring apps scored on average just 9/20 for indicators of educational potential, and both high and low scoring apps had poor language quality as determined by psycholinguistic and construction type analyses. We argue that website rating systems should also include quality of feedback, adjustable content, social interactions, storyline and a more fine‐grained analysis of language in their assessments. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Appropriately designed apps for preschool age children have the potential to teach early school readiness skills. Selecting high quality educational apps for preschool age children is challenging. The children's app marketplace is currently unregulated. What this paper adds We assess whether two leading app rating websites are useful for selecting educational apps for preschool age children. Children's apps rated highly by two app website rating systems had a higher educational potential than low rated apps as measured by a research informed app evaluation tool. In‐depth analysis of the language in apps shows that highly rated children's apps on app rating websites may not enrich a child's early language environment. Implications for practice and/or policy Children's app rating website assessments should include potential for feedback, language, adjustable content, storyline and social interactions. Policy should be implemented for app ratings in the app stores or on website app rating systems.

The Playful Affordances of Picture Book Apps for Children

The tradition of children’s literature has evolved side by side with the market of children’s entertainment, games, and toys. The selection of contemporary print products includes a wide variety of materially or technologically enhanced picture books. This background is rarely considered in the examination of children’s book applications that have attracted scholarly interest after the arrival of smartphones and tablets during the early 2010s.The relationship between picture book apps, mobile games, and digital playthings requires further examination that considers the specific affordances of the mobile platform. Leaning on five case studies, this article examines how picture book apps afford opportunities for a reading experience that contains features characteristic for children’s digital play. For this purpose, I adapt a specific model of close reading that focuses on the visual, auditory, tactile, and performative elements of children’s video games.On the basis of the case studies, it seems that navigating a picture book app requires balancing between different modes of action: reading, playing, and exploring. Engagement with picture book apps has different forms that resemble the features of both traditional print reading and digital play. However, further examination of children’s playful reading practices and intergenerational play is necessary from a premise that recognizes playing with a book as a valuable research topic.

Designing Drawing Apps for Children: Artistic and Technological Factors

ABSTRACT Children start scribbling by two years of age and then they gradually learn to draw and paint on drawing sheets using crayons and watercolor. Nowadays, children also start interacting with smartphones at about two years of age and many of them like using drawing apps. We studied how children use drawing apps and how drawings made by them on drawing sheets and using apps differ. We observed 150 children aged between two and twelve years draw using the two mediums. We found that the two- and three-year-old children preferred apps to have a simpler interface, scribbling with glowing colors and listening to background music synchronized with their finger movement. The four- to six-year-old children could draw simple shapes with multiple colors and use the “eraser” feature of the apps. The seven- and eight-year-old children could draw sceneries with “brushes” of different thickness, use the “flood fill” and “undo” features, and open saved drawings. The nine- and ten-year-old children could also use the “redo” and “zoom” features, but complained about the small size of the “canvas”. The eleven- and twelve-year-old children could use “erasers” of different widths. We recommend developing different drawing apps according to the artistic and technical skills of children of different age groups, and believe that such apps can help in nurturing creativity in children.

What Apps Can and Cannot Teach Young Children

App stores contain thousands of apps that make educational claims. Research suggests many children's apps have simplistic curricula, contain

COPPTCHA: COPPA Tracking by Checking Hardware-Level Activity

User privacy is an extremely important concern for mobile applications. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has penalized multiple mobile application developers, such as TikTok and BabyBus for violating privacy regulations. Privacy concerns are more critical for children, who do not comprehend the risks associated with transmitting private information like geospatial location. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is an online privacy regulation platform to monitor data usage by mobile applications designed for children. Existing research on detecting whether an application complies with certain privacy regulations is performed either by analyzing the application binary or by dynamic monitoring of network at runtime. However, as explained in related work, both methods have their respective demerits. We propose COPPTCHA, a Hardware performance counter (HPC)-based technique to detect whether a children's app abides by the COPPA regulations. HPCs are special purpose registers found in all processors that measure system level events. Since the proposed method is hardware-based, it is difficult to undermine it compared to software-based COPPA compliance detection. COPPTCHA has no hardware overhead, since HPC data collection is integral to all industry standard processors. The HPC readings of applications running on a smartphone are classified using machine learning based classifiers to detect COPPA compliance. Our experiments employing a Moto-G4 smartphone shows that COPPTCHA can detect COPPA-violating apps with ≥ 99% accuracy.

Review on gamification in children computer interaction (CCI) for persona modelling

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) plays an important role in connecting humans and computers. Many studies conducted to find better alternatives to improve communication between humans and computers. Various frameworks, catalogue and models revised to complement the lack of existing ideas. The growing technology is increasingly being used by not only adults but also children. However, many applications developed do not fully emphasize the use of HCI suitable for children. Thus, Children Computer Interaction (CCI) created to meet the specific needs of children. Yet, there are still many CCI weaknesses being improved to overcome various problems from time to time. One of the ideas presented is through gamification, which is fun and enjoyable in accordance with the nature of the children. Still, the use of gamification is not as simple as adding some game elements into children's apps, but wider to ensure success in achieving the objectives of the developed application. One way that matter is through the use of user-centered design-persona model. So, this paper reviewed the use of current HCI/CCI, gamification and modified the previously proposed design principles in HCI for children into interview questions for data collection which will be analyzed later to create persona model for future work.

Advertising in Young Children's Apps: A Content Analysis.

Young children use mobile devices on average 1 hour/day, but no studies have examined the prevalence of advertising in children's apps. The objective of this study was to describe the advertising content of popular children's apps. To create a coding scheme, we downloaded and played 39 apps played by children aged 12 months to 5 years in a pilot study of a mobile sensing app; 2 researchers played each app, took detailed notes on the design of advertisements, and iteratively refined the codebook (interrater reliability 0.96). Codes were then applied to the 96 most downloaded free and paid apps in the 5 And Under category on the Google Play app store. Of the 135 apps reviewed, 129 (95%) contained at least 1 type of advertising. These included use of commercial characters (42%); full-app teasers (46%); advertising videos interrupting play (e.g., pop-ups [35%] or to unlock play items [16%]); in-app purchases (30%); prompts to rate the app (28%) or share on social media (14%); distracting ads such as banners across the screen (17%) or hidden ads with misleading symbols such as "$" or camouflaged as gameplay items (7%). Advertising was significantly more prevalent in free apps (100% vs 88% of paid apps), but occurred at similar rates in apps labeled as "educational" versus other categories. In this exploratory study, we found high rates of mobile advertising through manipulative and disruptive methods. These results have implications for advertising regulation, parent media choices, and apps' educational value.

New BNF and BNF for Children app launched

New BNF and BNF for Children app launched

How to use the new BNF and BNF for Children app

How to use the new BNF and BNF for Children app

IRPD—A framework for guiding design‐based research for iPad apps

AbstractThe last 5 years have been marked by an explosion of tablet and smartphone applications designed for young children and several calls to encourage educational researchers to engage in children's app research. This paper presents a novel prospect for educational researchers: to collaboratively research, implement and produce iPad apps for educational purposes. Based on the author's own research as well as that of others, an original framework “Research,Practice andDesign framework” (iRPD) for guiding such collaborative efforts is provided, along with five key principles: triple collaboration, shared epistemology, awareness of affordances and interconnected social factors, and child‐centred pedagogy. The novel affordances of collaboratively produced iPad apps for educational design‐based research are outlined, along with several examples of how such an engagement might enrich educational research and the app landscape.

Keeping Kids Safe From a Design Perspective: Ethical and Legal Guidelines for Designing a Video-Based App for Children

Educators can use video to gain invaluable information about their students. A concern is that collecting videos online can create an increased security risk for children. The purpose of this article is to provide ethical and legal guidelines for designing video-based apps for mobile devices and the web. By reviewing the literature, law, and code of ethics around designing sites that capture video of young children, we have developed a set of questions that can guide designers through the decisions that need to be considered in their plans. As an example, we describe how we applied these questions to the design of a Story Retell app, which enables students to share videos of themselves reading to gain feedback from their teachers. Although each design decision will vary across instructional contexts, these guidelines can serve as a framework for designing similar apps that collect video of children.