Evaluating Apps for Young Learners
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This document discusses the growing use of tablets and educational apps for young learners. It notes that over 500,000 apps were available in 2012 on iTunes and Android stores, and that apps for toddlers to elementary aged children have grown from 47% to 72% of the education collection from 2009 to 2011. However, it also notes a gap, with over 33% of low-income parents not knowing what an app is. It proposes some basic criteria for evaluating apps, such as appropriate content and format, being non-commercial, accurate information, and usability. It stresses the importance of the app helping students learn and providing opportunities for higher-level thinking. Overall, the document advocates for carefully choosing apps to maximize their educational benefits
Evaluating Apps for Young Learners
- 1. TABLETS, PRESCRIPTION FOR LEARNING? EVALUATING APPS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS Gail Lovely Gail@GailLovely.com
- 2. WHY TABLETS AND APPS?
- 3. January 2012, > 500,000 apps on iTunes and > 300,000 on Android WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS?
- 4. Last year, of the top 4 holiday trends for children, 2 required an iPad. WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS?
- 5. In the <5 years since the iPhone was released >25% of all parents have downloaded apps for their children WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? (Common Sense Media, 2011)
- 6. But there is an “App Gap”… >33% of low-income parents do not know what an app is WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? (Common Sense Media, 2011)
- 7. >80% of the apps in the Education category* are specifically for children WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? *(iTunes)
- 8. From 2009 to 2011 apps for toddlers - elementary school have grown from 47% to 72% of the education collection*. WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? *(iTunes)
- 9. SO IT IS NOT A LACK OF CHOICES…
- 10. LACK OF EDUCATION CRITERIA
- 11. CRITERIA…?
- 12. REVIEWERS OF APPS Children’s Technology Review - http://childrenstech.com/ Common Sense Media - http://www.commonsensemedia.org/ iEar - http://www.iear.org User Ratings (in the store or marketplace)
- 13. “All television is educational television. The question is: what is it teaching?” Nicholas Johnson
- 15. SIMPLEST CRITERIA Appropriate content • child safe • relevant to curriculum or skills • good match between developmental stages and content levels
- 16. READING LEVEL MISMATCH Screenshot from Casey’s Contraptions
- 17. SIMPLEST CRITERIA Appropriate format and activity • activity format is not violent or biased • access to content is not impeded by game or action
- 18. CONTENT AND FORMAT Screenshot from SumStackers
- 19. SIMPLEST CRITERIA Non-commercial • does not provide emphasis on characters or brands • does not require in-app purchases
- 20. A “FREE APP”
- 21. SIMPLEST CRITERIA Correct/Accurate • contains information with is either clearly fictional or accurate • does not have poor spelling, audio, or inaccuracies.
- 23. EDUCATIONAL SOUNDNESS DOES THE APP HELP STUDENTS APPROACH LEARNING GOALS?
- 24. “Don’t bring in an elephant to teach the color gray.” - Madeleine Hunter
- 25. IMPORTANCE DOES THE APP PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES OF IMPORTANCE?
- 26. BOOK CREATOR
- 27. HIGHER LEVELS OF THINKING DOES THE APP PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO EXERCISE HIGHER LEVEL THINKING?
- 28. APPS AND APPLICATION OF APPS Educational researchers and practitioners alike assert that the potential of new technologies for learning is likely to be found not in the technologies themselves but in the way in which these technologies are used as tools for learning (Means & Olson, 1995; Owston, 1997; Valdez et al., 1999). From NCREL: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li300.htm
- 30. USABILITY IS THE APP EASY TO LEARN AND OPERATE?
- 31. TUTORIAL IN NATURE Screenshot from Toontastic
- 32. MANAGEABILITY IS IT EASY FOR THE TEACHER TO MANAGE?
- 34. COST/BENEFIT BALANCE IS THE APP’S PRICE APPROPRIATE FOR ITS USEFULNESS?
- 35. Screenshot from Sock Puppets
- 36. SHARING/PUBLISHING DOES THE APP PROVIDE EASY WAYS TO SHARE WORK?
- 37. EXPORT CHOICES Screenshot Explain Everything
- 38. MORE EXPORT CHOICES Screenshot Explain Everything
- 39. PRODUCTIVE TOOL DOES THE APP HAVE USERS CREATING?
- 40. STORYKIT
- 41. LONGEVITY CAN THE BE USED OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH CONTINUED POSITIVE GROWTH AND BENEFITS?
- 43. ART SET
- 44. We are at a turning point, not unlike when the FCC Commissioner Newton Minow called television a “vast wasteland” in 1961.
- 45. ITS UP TO US… MAKE GOOD CHOICES WITH INTENTION AND CARE
- 46. http://apps4younglearners.yolasite.com • Gail Lovely • Gail@GailLovely.com
Editor's Notes
- #3: Direct drive of the computer rather than indirect... Smaller, easier to use where the user is ...For many, a familiar format...
- #14: As we work to develop a criteria for the selection of apps for learners 3 - 7 years of age. The intended bias is for apps which are not just tools for learning something, but for practicing or learning things we value.
- #21: Currently number 22 on top grossing education apps.
- #24: Educational Soundness- Does the app help students approach or practice learning goals?Begin with the end in mind. What is it you want students to learn, do, discuss, practice, think about, share, ponder, or explore? Keep in mind this criteria first. All others are subservient to this one. If it doesn’t do these then move on now!
- #26: Importance - Does the app provide opportunities of importance or is it just an elephant teaching the color gray?If you have one short mention of something in your standards or curriculum, something that usually takes you and your students just a few minutes, then you probably ought not take the time to introduce an app to do this. Choose wisely.
- #28: Higher Level Thinking - Does the app provide opportunities for learners to exercise their higher level thinking? Powerful tools should be used in powerful ways. Look for apps with “stretch”. Apps which provide opportunities to move beyond remembering facts and factoids. Look for apps which stretch students’ thinking even if they are non- or limited readers.
- #31: Usability - Is the app easy to learn? Apps need to be “effort positive”. The amount of effort put into learning to use the app should be far less than the amount of effort put into the “curriculum” learning. Additionally, the learning curve should be short, for students AND teachers.
- #33: Manageability - Is it easy for the teacher to manage?We are evaluating apps for use in educational settings, not just for home (or in the grocery store cashier waiting line) which means the app needs to be simple for managing in a multi-user world. Can student work be saved, shared, deleted? Does the activity reset each time?
- #35: Cost/Benefit Balance - Is the app’s price appropriate for it’s purposes and usefulness?Prices of apps remain mostly low (the average iPad app for education is about $2). We need to be certain we don’t fall into the “It’s free, so why not?” but are instead much more intentional in our selection. Some apps are clearly worth their higher price, but price is not an indicator of the value of an app to you or your students. An expensive app which you and your students use almost daily may be worth the higher investment.
- #37: Sharing - Does the app “trap” all student work or student products within the app or does it provide ways to share their work?I have a very strong bias against apps which trap student products in the app and even specifically to the particular tablet. Apps which give multiple options to share, publish, or export student work have much greater flexibility and usefulness in a school setting. The ability to blend tools and products can provide us with easier ways to build authentic audiences for students.
- #40: Tools - Does the app provide a tool for creating something rather than just consuming something?The use of apps as tools means that students are developing higher levels of thinking as well as products which can demonstrate their understanding of content.
- #42: Longevity - Does the app lend itself to being used over and over again with continued positive growth and benefits?Apps which are open-ended tools tend to have a longer life in the classroom. An app which can be easily repurposed is a good investment in time, energy and funds.