Can Young Children Actually Learn From Educational Apps?
autside.substack.com
Research broadly finds that young children can learn from interactive apps but it remains unclear the extent to which this learning is transferable to the real world. A recent meta-analysis based on 36 studies involving 4,206 participants (translation: a meta-analysis combines data from previous studies on a topic which allows you to get a consistent picture across all studies) found that most studies involving children five years and younger showed an overall positive impact of touchscreen apps on learning (meaning most studies showed evidence of learning from apps). However, the meta-analysis also found that the findings were mixed (some studies found a positive impact on learning, some found a negative negative and some found no impact). To explain these different findings, the researchers identified several different features of studies that may have impacted learning, including:
The age of the children studied: Older children are more likely to learn from apps than younger children.
Content the app: Children are more likely to learn STEM-related concepts, such as math skills, from apps than non-STEM-related concepts, such as reading.
Comparison group: Children seemed to learn more from apps when learning from apps was compared to a non-learning task rather than a learning task in another modality (such as on a computer or in person). In other words, while this research provides strong evidence that children canlearn from apps, it doesn’t provide as strong of evidence that they learn better from apps than from other modalities, although overall the researchers did find that apps provide an advantage to learning over traditional classroom teaching, mouse-based computers, paper, physical objects, and passively watching something on a touchscreen device.
A 2020 systematic review (translation: a review that uses a specific method for finding and summarizing all previous research on a topic) in the journal Pediatrics also found that children under 6 years old can learn from interactive apps. Again, the researchers found that apps seem to be particularly effective in teaching math skills. They also found some evidence that apps may improve phonics skills, teach science facts, and improve executive functioning (although the findings were more mixed or limited studies were available with these subjects). The researchers even found that in some cases learning from apps exceeded learning from traditional modes of instruction in the classroom. However, the review failed to find evidence that apps improved social communication skills, although more research is needed on this topic.
How can parents identify the most educational apps?
So, research finds that it is possible for children to learn from apps and that engaging in apps with them may enhance the transfer of learning to real world, but does this mean they can learn from just any app? How do you determine which apps are truly "educational”?
A recent study evaluated the 124 top-downloaded “educational” apps from 2018 to 2019 and found that 58% of popular apps were “low quality” in terms of how they promote learning. This mirrors my research within the What Works Clearinghouse, finding that no study into an app’s effectiveness (that found the app was effective) was tested within a special education setting, Title 1, or with language learners.
Thus, when you’re browsing the App Store, and see that something is “evidence-based,” there’s probably no evidence that it’s effective with autistics.
Can Young Children Actually Learn From Educational Apps?
Can Young Children Actually Learn From Educational Apps?
Can Young Children Actually Learn From Educational Apps?
Research broadly finds that young children can learn from interactive apps but it remains unclear the extent to which this learning is transferable to the real world. A recent meta-analysis based on 36 studies involving 4,206 participants (translation: a meta-analysis combines data from previous studies on a topic which allows you to get a consistent picture across all studies) found that most studies involving children five years and younger showed an overall positive impact of touchscreen apps on learning (meaning most studies showed evidence of learning from apps). However, the meta-analysis also found that the findings were mixed (some studies found a positive impact on learning, some found a negative negative and some found no impact). To explain these different findings, the researchers identified several different features of studies that may have impacted learning, including:
The age of the children studied: Older children are more likely to learn from apps than younger children.
Content the app: Children are more likely to learn STEM-related concepts, such as math skills, from apps than non-STEM-related concepts, such as reading.
Comparison group: Children seemed to learn more from apps when learning from apps was compared to a non-learning task rather than a learning task in another modality (such as on a computer or in person). In other words, while this research provides strong evidence that children can learn from apps, it doesn’t provide as strong of evidence that they learn better from apps than from other modalities, although overall the researchers did find that apps provide an advantage to learning over traditional classroom teaching, mouse-based computers, paper, physical objects, and passively watching something on a touchscreen device.
A 2020 systematic review (translation: a review that uses a specific method for finding and summarizing all previous research on a topic) in the journal Pediatrics also found that children under 6 years old can learn from interactive apps. Again, the researchers found that apps seem to be particularly effective in teaching math skills. They also found some evidence that apps may improve phonics skills, teach science facts, and improve executive functioning (although the findings were more mixed or limited studies were available with these subjects). The researchers even found that in some cases learning from apps exceeded learning from traditional modes of instruction in the classroom. However, the review failed to find evidence that apps improved social communication skills, although more research is needed on this topic.
How can parents identify the most educational apps?
So, research finds that it is possible for children to learn from apps and that engaging in apps with them may enhance the transfer of learning to real world, but does this mean they can learn from just any app? How do you determine which apps are truly "educational”?
A recent study evaluated the 124 top-downloaded “educational” apps from 2018 to 2019 and found that 58% of popular apps were “low quality” in terms of how they promote learning. This mirrors my research within the What Works Clearinghouse, finding that no study into an app’s effectiveness (that found the app was effective) was tested within a special education setting, Title 1, or with language learners.
Thus, when you’re browsing the App Store, and see that something is “evidence-based,” there’s probably no evidence that it’s effective with autistics.