Mobile apps useful learning tools, within limits
Mark Ellers
For many parents, a welcome quiet now exists where once there was fussing.
In restaurants the raucous protests of hungry toddlers are muted. On long car rides, threats to turn the car around forgotten.
Capturing the attention of so many of these tykes, while providing their moms and dads respites, are mobile applications, more commonly referred to as an apps.
Apps for GPS-guided directions and online banking are helpful tools to get through the day. In recent years, though, more parents are turning over their tablets and smart phones to entertain and educate their children.
Barrow Elementary School Media Specialist Andy Plemmons said that when his now 4-year-old daughter first started using apps on his iPhone at about age 2 he was astounded at how quickly she got the hang of it.
Plemmons story rings true for many parents of small children.
Dr. Diane Bales, an associate professor of Human Development and Family Science for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, postulates that children's adaptive abilities to new technology might have something to do with a sense of fearlessness they exhibit.
"A lot of people who have not grown up using computers or tablets are a lot more concerned and think, 'I'm going to break it. I'm going to do something wrong, I'm going to buy something accidentally.' As a whole, kids are more willing to explore, and try things," said Bales.
Most of the popular children's apps available are not purely educational, nor are they purely games. The best apps provide engaging play while sneaking in the learning.
Plemmons has found that regardless of grade level, practically every elementary student is excited to use one of the iPad tablets. The media center at Barrow Elementary houses 37 iPads, which are available for classroom use by teachers.
"It's definitely more engaging because it puts a lot of control in (the students') hands," said Plemmons.
Engagement is the ticket, but it needs to be paired with structure from parents and teachers. According to Plemmons, though, with the right combination of instruction and purpose, the students stay focused.
That captivating capability is one of the most unique aspects of these devices. A large part of what keeps children fixed on mobile apps is the "gamification" that's built in.
But sometimes it's tough for children to self-regulate and know when to stop.
"I think it's important that kids aren't learning only on devices, because there's a lot of developmental things that happen by kids interacting with crayons, and markers, and paint, and turning pages of a book," said Plemmons.
Roy Johnson, father of three app-loving children, only allows his kids to use his Kindle tablet on weekends and holidays, while weekdays are spent engaging in more active play and family time.
"We want to encourage our kids to play more actively than just sitting on the couch," said the Jefferson resident.
The number of available apps for children is enormous, so choosing which to download can be an equally large task. Moreover, this category of apps continues to grow at an astounding rate. With the release of iOS 7, Apple's latest software update, parents can easily find suitable downloads in the new "Kids" section of the iTunes App Store. Apps are conveniently separated by age-range and category.
"A lot of (apps) are labeled educational, but that does not necessarily mean that they have any real educational value in terms of what we know children really need to be doing, especially at young ages," said Bales.
To ensure children benefit, it's important for parents to be involved in their child's screen-time. Professionals stress the need for parental research before blindly downloading. Read some reviews. Navigate through it a few times before turning the device over.