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When it comes to the digital environment that perme- cal skills. The surveys revealed that while most children
ates younger and younger children’s lives today, we live ages 2 and 3 are not yet able to swim, tie their shoelaces,
in the age of the Jetsons. But when it comes to our un- or make breakfast unaided, they do know how to turn a
derstanding the impact of ubiquitous digital habits on computer on and off and navigate with a mouse. In addi-
children’s learning, our research enterprise is more like tion, 44 percent of 2- and 3-year-olds can play a basic online
the Flintstones! computer game, and one quarter can use a cell phone to
—Michael Levine, “The iTot Challenge: make a call. The 2012 joint position statement on children
Getting Young Children Ready and technology from NAEYC and the Fred Rogers Center
T
in the Jetsonian Age” for Early Learning and Children’s Media recognizes the
Photos © Bonnie Blagojevic
ogies 2011), commissioned by Internet security interactive media are increasingly part of the context of
company AVG and released in October 2010, their lives, which must be considered as part of the develop-
®
I
scapes, objects, animals, and phenomena they’ve
n general, selecting an appropriate app for young chil-
never seen and that they may have a hard time grasp- dren is much like selecting other classroom materials.
ing through abstract conversations. Downloadable Here are a few important things to consider.
digital books can provide children with more access
to great children’s literature, particularly in class- How open-ended is the activity? How creative does it
allow the child to be? An app should allow children to
rooms with meager bookshelves. These kinds of ex-
explore in many different ways—to create, build, ani-
periences could steep children in rich content and
mate, and construct. Choose apps that enable children
vocabulary that assists reading comprehension in to be creative, such as free-form drawing and painting
their later school years. (2) programs, over those that are simply digital coloring
Before the advent of newer technologies such as smart- books.
phones and touchscreen tablets, it was difficult for toddlers
How interactive is the activity? Look for apps that invite
and young preschoolers to interact meaningfully with tech-
children to be engaged by making decisions or choices.
nology. Traditional keyboard-based devices such as desktop Avoid apps that are little more than small video display
computers and laptops require a certain level of fine motor screens.
development to use the keyboard, along with a certain level
of cognitive development to understand the symbols on How informative is the app? Some apps help children
learn about specific topics of interest in ways that
the keyboard. These devices require skills that very young
empower their investigative process. For example, if a
children may not have yet acquired, and they are therefore
child is interested in construction machines, trucks, and
developmentally inappropriate. tractors, apps with information and videos about these
However, new classes of devices are challenging the vehicles can encourage a child to find out more through
way we think about technology with children between the other methods of investigation.
ages of 2 and 4 (Shuler 2009a, 2009b). “Mobile, multitouch
Does the app promote peer or teacher–child interac-
screens and newer technologies have changed the way our
tion? Apps that promote peers playing and working
youngest children interact with images, sounds, and ideas” together or that allow for teacher–child interactions can
(NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center 2012). Studies are now sug- benefit children’s social skills as the children gain from
gesting that children as young as 2 years old can easily in- others’ ideas and assistance.
teract with touchscreen technology (Chiong & Shuler 2010).
Touchscreen devices are more accessible for tod-
dlers and young preschoolers than desktop computers
and laptops, for several reasons. For example, most young programs at a level not possible for very young children on
children can explore touchscreens independently. The traditional computers.
intuitive interface allows them to easily manipulate items With tablets easier and engaging for toddlers and young
on the screen with the skills they have already developed. preschoolers to use, thoughtful teachers keep in mind that
Using a touchscreen surface, children can make choices “media and technology should not replace activities . . .
from a variety of games and experiences; with a traditional that are important for children’s development” (NAEYC
laptop or desktop computer, they might require an adult’s & Fred Rogers Center 2012, 5). However, “early childhood
help to change programs (Levine 2011). Tablets therefore educators . . . carefully and intentionally use technology and
give children more control over their computer experience. media if and when it serves healthy development, learning,
Two-year-old Mike (see “A 2-Year-Old Explores Shapes,” creativity, interactions with others, and relationships” (5).
p. 60) was easily able to close programs when he finished Tablets can offer young children valuable, authentic learn-
with them and search for new ones to try. ing experiences that supplement traditional developmen-
Finally, the experience is active rather than passive. tally appropriate practices.
The touchscreen interface allows for interaction with the
Teachers’ experiences with tablets in
toddler classrooms
About the Author To investigate the use of tablets among very young chil-
Eugene Geist is an associate professor in the Patton College of dren and whether they can promote children’s creativity,
Education at The Ohio State University. His areas of expertise
include child development, constructivism, and the develop-
communication, and collaboration, I enlisted the help of
ment of mathematical knowledge in young children. Eugene teachers Kellie and Shelly at a university child development
is the author of Children Are Born Mathematicians: Supporting center and Susan and Kathy in a local Head Start toddler
Mathematical Development, Birth to Age 8. geist@ohio.edu
M
y wife, Kamile, introduced our son Mike to the Mike also played with shape blocks with us. He enjoyed
tablet computer when he was 22 months old. His manipulating the blocks, banging them together, and
interest was immediate and self-directed. Recog- stacking them. However, even when prompted by Kamile,
nizing this, she installed a number of apps considered age Mike was not interested in learning the names of the
appropriate for him. Mike had had previous experiences shapes when playing with these materials. Only the tablet
interacting with a smartphone (since 18 months) and had experience interested him in this.
used some of the apps on that device. They included elec-
Both experiences—playing with the shape blocks and
tronic books (Dr. Seuss’s ABC, The Wizard of Oz, Cloudy
using the tablet shape app—supported Mike’s develop-
With a Chance of Meatballs) and content-specific games
ment. He used the tangible, concrete objects to explore
for learning the alphabet and shapes, since he had shown
sensorimotor skills and build his knowledge of the physi-
interest in those types of activities on a laptop. On a typi-
cal properties of materials. Mike compared textures and
cal day, his technology use totaled about 15 minutes.
shapes and used his motor skills to manipulate the blocks,
Here is an example of Mike at 26 months using the Tod- some of which he couldn’t do on an electronic screen.
dler Teasers Shapes game, after becoming familiar with it. However, his interactions with the tablet added other
dimensions to learning about shapes. For example, he
Mike notices the tablet, which is turned off. He ap-
generalized the knowledge he gained from the electronic
proaches his mother and says, “Michael want shapes
interactive game to everyday experiences. When getting
game.” out of the car on a clear night, Mike said, “Look, Daddy, a
Mike takes the iPad from his mother. He goes crescent moon!” A few days later he said, “Look, Daddy, a
through the start-up procedures, scrolls through the semicircle moon!” He began to notice shapes everywhere
different screens until he finds the Toddler Teaser in his environment, from toys to food.
Shapes game icon, and taps it. The game starts. Mike̦s two favorite apps are Trucks!! and Trucks and
Game: Touch the circle. Tractors. Each includes pictures and videos of many
Mike: Michael touch the circle! different trucks and tractors. Trucks and Tractors has a
Game: You touched the circle! visual menu of links to YouTube videos of trucks, trac-
Mike: Michael want a semicircle. tors, and construction equipment. Mike easily navigated
Game: Touch the triangle. these apps and links and learned how to start, stop, and
Mike: Semicircle. [touches the semicircle] pause the videos. Because he controlled what and how
Game: That’s a semicircle. Try again! Touch the to watch, he repeatedly watched the same three-minute
triangle.
video. This type of repetition is common to children of Mi-
chael’s age. He benefited from pursuing what interested
Mike: [touches the triangle]
him as many times as he wished, much like children enjoy
Game: You found the triangle!
reading and experiencing the same book over and over.
We provided books to supplement his digital investigation
This interaction was straightforward for Mike, even at of trucks and tractors, and these different media sup-
age 2. The device asked for an action (touch), and he ported his interest in learning all he could about these big
made a cognitive decision and acted by touching a selec- machines.
tion. He did not have to manipulate a mouse around a
screen or decipher a keyboard to enter commands. Mike Just as Mike had generalized his experiences with the
controlled the game and chose when to start and stop shape game to other aspects of his play and everyday life,
and how to interact with the app. It gave prompts that he he drew from his interactions with the truck apps to fuel
could understand and easily respond to. It also provided imaginative play with his toys. He created scenarios with
feedback on his progress and made it clear what should garbage trucks based on what he had seen on the tablet
happen next through verbal and visual cues. This was not apps. He used the apps to learn about garbage trucks and
a coercive activity; Michael chose to engage in it. The iPad then carried that information over to his play.
was another toy for him to interact with. When he was
tired of it, he found different toys to play with.
A
pps listed as universal work on both the
iPhone and iPad. Many of these apps and
other very good educational apps are also
available for the Android and other platforms.
Dr. Seuss’s ABC (universal), by Oceanhouse Media. band, many children had questions about the instruments.
Identical to the print version, but children can Though it was impractical to have all of the instruments in
choose to have the book read aloud. Includes the classroom for children to explore, they used the tablets
interactive images. to find out what the instruments look and sound like. To
Elmo Calls (universal), by Sesame Street. Children find answers to their questions, they could access and watch
call Elmo or receive audio or visual calls from him. the videos of the band to see the instruments, and they also
used apps that simulated the instruments. These digital
Elmo’s Monster Maker (iPhone) and Elmo’s Monster
interactions prompted some children to seek out and play
Maker HD (iPad), by Sesame Street. Children
create their own monster and make it dance and
the drums in the classroom or dress up in a band outfit in
interact with Elmo. the dramatic play area.
Another favorite with the children was the Elmo’s
My Very First App (universal), by Night & Day
Monster Maker app, an interactive, open-ended program in
Studios. Contains three levels of matching games
which children add eyes, noses, mouths, and hats to differ-
(easy, medium, and hard) based on six of Eric
Carle’s My Very First Books. ent monster bodies. The program then animates the mon-
sters, making them dance and interact with Elmo in short
Peekaboo Barn (universal), Peekaboo Forest (uni-
skits. The ability to customize a monster and the variability
versal), and Peekaboo Wild (iPhone), by Night &
of the skits mean that there are many different combina-
Day Studios. Each app presents animals and the
sounds they make, with child or adult voiceovers
tions and possibilities for children to explore. Shelly noted,
saying each animal’s name. The children problem-solved when using the tablet
and when playing Monster Maker. Mike freely explored
Shapes (iPhone), by Toddler Teasers. Presents color-
the app. When he tapped the monster, the monster
ful quizzes on shapes with simple voiceovers.
laughed. He tapped repeatedly and said, “He’s laughing!
Trucks!! (iPhone), by Wombat Learning Media, LLC. I want him to stop.” He hit the arrow button and the app
Four short videos of construction machines. made a noise. Mike jumped up and down in frustration.
Trucks and Tractors (universal), by literalshore. I asked, “What happens if you hit the purple button?”
A combination of slideshow and video show of Mike tapped the button and said, “He’s dancing! I hit the
trucks, tractors, and construction equipment. purple button and he starts dancing to music!”
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