Date post: | 12-May-2015 |
Category: |
Education |
Upload: | cen-campbell |
View: | 1,374 times |
Download: | 1 times |
So Many App Reviews, So Li2le Time:
Guiding Principles for Analyzing and Selec6ng
Apps Appropriate for Young Children
Amanda Armstrong, M.S.
TEC Center Program Coordinator
About Erikson Ins6tute Our vision is that every adult who works with young children or on their behalf will be knowledgeable, aware, skilled, and alive to the possibili6es of each child’s life.
Mobile Tech and Media
• 1,463 parents of children age 8 and under • May 20 – June 12, 2013
Uses of Mobile Media
Concerns • Overexposure to harmful commercializa6on, violence, and
inappropriate content; Nega6ve influence • Hyperac6vity, shortened aWen6on, and emo6onal problems • Contributes to risk and health problems • Decrease in social interac6on and crea6ve play • Replace tradi6onal family 6me ac6vi6es • Childhood obesity • Disrupts sleep • “Technology Addic6on” • Less 6me outdoors
Paren6ng in the Age of Digital Tech Center on Media & Human Development, Northwestern U. • Na6onal survey [English & Spanish] of 2,326 parents • Children aged eight years old and younger
http://cmhd.northwestern.edu/?page_id=265
Approaches to technology • How has our role as parents and caring adults changed
with the increased use of mobile technology?
• How do we ensure we use quality content to support children’s holis6c growth?
• Consider children’s development
– Physical – Social-‐emo6onal
– Cogni6ve
Select
Use
Integrate
Evaluate
Technology and Interac6ve Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8
Technology Framework • Select
– What is the purpose of the project? Does tech fit? Is tech going to support the goal(s)? What is the appropriate & effec6ve tech tool that will balance with other parts of the project?
• Use – How will tech be incorporated? How will it support learning, growth, development, and rela6onships?
Technology Framework • Integrate
– How will the tech be included in other parts of the project? Does the tech stay in specific area or will be placed in mul6ple area (consider mobility)?
• Evaluate – Reflect. Observe. Were the goals accomplished? What were your successes? Is there something that would have been done differently?
Selec6ng Children’s Apps • + 1 million apps in App Store
• + 1 million apps in Google Play
• + 100,000 apps in Windows store
• + 100,000 apps in Amazon App store
What are some approaches you use to navigate through app selec6ons in these stores?
App Review Sites • List individual children’s apps with reviews • Considera6ons
– May or may not state quality measurement system
– Reviewer background and experiences – Length of business – Reputa6on/Credibility/Reliability – Personal iden6fica6on and/or connec6on – No6fica6on of free apps – May offer advice for parents and/or educators
App Rubrics • Rubrics, Evalua6on Forms, Frameworks, Scales, Guides
• Template for measuring quality on any app • Organiza6on or Individual • Considera6ons
– Quality Measurement System – Reviewer Background and Experiences – Details within Categories – Reputa6on/Credibility/Reliability – References to Pedagogies or Models
App Ar6cles and Presenta6ons • Individual(s) • Present recommenda6ons for evalua6ng children’s apps and media
• Considera6ons – Authors’ background – Type of Publica6on – Reputa6on/Credibility/Reliability – Experiences
App Resource Comparison • 11 Review Sites, 25 Rubrics, 10 Ar6cles, and 2 Presenta6ons – Excluded review sites without listed app criteria
• Children’s mobile media • Parents and/or Educators • Individuals and Organiza6ons
Lisa Guernsey: The 3 C’s Guiding Ques6ons for Comparison
• Content: How does this help children engage, express, imagine, or explore?
• Context: How does it complement and not interrupt children’s natural play?
• Child: How do we choose the right tech tools and experiences for each child’s needs, abili6es, interests, and developmental stage?
Sources • Fred Rogers Center • Children’s Technology
Review • Common Sense Media • Parent’s Choice Founda6on • Sesame Workshop • Karen Nemeth • Fran Simon • Kathy Schrock • Daniel Donahoo
• Chip Donohue • Cynthia Chiong • David Kleeman • Gail Lovely • AppoLearning • Kindertown • Moms with Apps • Digital Story6me • Best Apps for Kids • AppySmarts
Comparison Findings Differences Content Context Child
Store and share data Promote ac6vi6es outside the device
Accommodates DLL and/or ELL
No in-‐app purchases/ Free of ads
Joint media engagement Accommodates children with special needs
Culturally appropriate Collabora6on
CCSS Classroom integra6on
Crea6vity
Repeatable
Comparison Findings Similari6es Content Context Child
Focus on specific skill Independent Use/ Easy to Use
Consider children’s diverse abili6es
Learning objec6ve Mul6ple users Consider children’s diverse needs
Feedback Adaptable/ Modifiable
Engaging/Entertaining Age appropriate
Assessment
Educa6onal
Comparison Takeaways • Content and design are developmentally appropriate
• Children can use independently • No in-‐app purchases, adver6sements, or inappropriate content
• Save and share with others
Draw and Tell
Comparison Takeaways • Opportuni6es for joint media engagement, co-‐crea6on, and/or collabora6on
• Support children’s learning and teacher goals • Accommodates children of different abili6es and needs
• Repeatable
Easy Studio
Comparison Takeaways • Culturally appropriate and inclusive -‐ celebrates diversity
• Engaging without being distrac6ng • Responsive to ac6ons • Interac6ve • Feedback
Hair Salon Me
Comparison Takeaways • Accommodates dual language learning and/or English language learners
• Encourages explora6on and ac6vi6es outside of mobile device or construc6ve learning experiences with mobile device
ABC Ac6on
Show and Share Share apps with colleagues that highlight these ideas What are your thoughts about these different apps? Do they fit your program, goals, students’ needs?
Approaches to Selec6ng Apps • Make app evalua6on a part of technology framework
• Learn the perspec6ve of app review sites, rubric sources, and authors
• Consider Lisa Guernsey’s 3 C’s – content, context, and child
• Technology Playdates – show and share with professionals and parents
Quality Children’s Media
Top 5 Apps that Your Kids Will Love This Week by Chris Crowell
Tech and the Young Child Resources
Tech and the Young Child Resources
www.teccenter.erikson.edu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-‐NonCommercial-‐ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Photos courtesy of Erikson Ins6tute, NAEYC, Fred Rogers Center, Early Learning Community at Pacific University, Burley Elementary School, University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, Cassandra Mattoon and Chris Crowell