59 research outputs found

    Is educational media an oxymoron?

    Get PDF

    Can apps support creativity in middle childhood?

    Get PDF
    This experimental study investigated whether and how creative apps may support creativity in middle childhood (n = 94 children, 8–10 years old). Guided by the moderate discrepancy hypothesis, flow theory, and the differential susceptibility to media effects model, developmentally-appropriate creative apps were predicted to increase engagement and subsequent creativity to a greater extent than developmentally-inappropriate creative apps. Furthermore, gender and fantastical thinking were predicted to moderate effects. Results provided partial support for study hypotheses. Children were more engaged when playing developmentally-appropriate apps, however, this engagement did not translate into creativity gains. Given that the data failed to support study hypotheses, post hoc analyses were conducted to explore the findings in greater detail. These additional analyses indicated that developmentally-appropriate apps not only lead to greater engagement, but were subsequently more appealing as well. These post hoc findings are discussed within the context of the study design, particularly noting that greater duration of play may be necessary to move the needle on creative skills. Empirical and practical implications are discussed

    Youth and entertainment-education

    Get PDF

    Reading with hotspots: How young children respond to touchscreen stories

    Get PDF
    Worldwide estimates indicate that toddlers and preschoolers are introduced to mobile technology at an early age, with many now using touchscreens on a daily basis. One of the appeals of touchscreen technology is that it seems to be intuitive to very young children and, at least from anecdotal evidence, they seem to enjoy it. Even the simplest forms of children's touchscreen media often contain hotspots, which are interactive elements of a screen that allow children to touch a picture and obtain an immediate visual and/or auditory response. Despite the fact that children seem to engage haptically with these technological features, little is known about how they use them and how these features may influence their attention to and comprehension of the media content. A detailed understanding of children's verbal and haptic responses, as well as their visual attention and comprehension, is key to gaining a more complete understanding of children's use of this medium. Using an experimental design, in this pilot study, we examine Dutch preschoolers' (age 2–5, n = 78) haptic use (how much and when they use hotspots), verbal responding (i.e., narrative relevant and irrelevant comments), attention, and story comprehension when hotspots are either activated or turned off. Implications for the use of touchscreen media in early childhood, as well as the design of such media, are offered

    Youth and entertainment-education

    Get PDF
    • …
    corecore