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Developing evaluation tools for assessing the educational potential of apps for preschool children in the UK

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Developing evaluation tools for assessing the educational potential of apps for preschool children in the UK. / Kolak, Joanna; Norgate, Sarah; Monaghan, Padraic et al.
In: Journal of Children and Media, Vol. 15, No. 3, 30.06.2021, p. 410-430.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

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Kolak J, Norgate S, Monaghan P, Taylor G. Developing evaluation tools for assessing the educational potential of apps for preschool children in the UK. Journal of Children and Media. 2021 Jun 30;15(3):410-430. Epub 2020 Dec 9. doi: 10.1080/17482798.2020.1844776

Author

Kolak, Joanna ; Norgate, Sarah ; Monaghan, Padraic et al. / Developing evaluation tools for assessing the educational potential of apps for preschool children in the UK. In: Journal of Children and Media. 2021 ; Vol. 15, No. 3. pp. 410-430.

Bibtex

@article{b5bee9efe89a439cafee40d7caaa98ec,
title = "Developing evaluation tools for assessing the educational potential of apps for preschool children in the UK",
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{\textquoteright}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{\textquoteright}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.",
keywords = "Educational technology, App evaluation, Touchscreen apps, App features, App design, App gap, Early years, Children",
author = "Joanna Kolak and Sarah Norgate and Padraic Monaghan and Gemma Taylor",
year = "2021",
month = jun,
day = "30",
doi = "10.1080/17482798.2020.1844776",
language = "English",
volume = "15",
pages = "410--430",
journal = "Journal of Children and Media",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developing evaluation tools for assessing the educational potential of apps for preschool children in the UK

AU - Kolak, Joanna

AU - Norgate, Sarah

AU - Monaghan, Padraic

AU - Taylor, Gemma

PY - 2021/6/30

Y1 - 2021/6/30

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Educational technology

KW - App evaluation

KW - Touchscreen apps

KW - App features

KW - App design

KW - App gap

KW - Early years

KW - Children

U2 - 10.1080/17482798.2020.1844776

DO - 10.1080/17482798.2020.1844776

M3 - Journal article

VL - 15

SP - 410

EP - 430

JO - Journal of Children and Media

JF - Journal of Children and Media

IS - 3

ER -