Pu#ng“educa+on”backineduca+onalapps

RobertaMichnickGolinkoffUnidelH.RodneySharpProfessorUniversityofDelaware)

KathyHirsh-Pasek(TempleUniversity)

with JenniferZosh(PennsylvaniaStateUniversityBrandywine)

MichaelRobb(FredRogersCenter)JimGray(IndependentLearningConsultant)

JordyKaufman(SwinburneUniversity,Australia)

February12,2016

FloridaInterna+onalUniversity

Examiningthelandscape•  65%ofAmericansownasmartphone•  33%haveatablet•  AsofOctober,2013wehaddownloadedover

60billionapps•  Morethan1millionappshavebeen

developedandthatnumberisgrowing•  Over87,000ofthesearelabelededucaEonal

apps•  Mostaretargetedforpreschoolers

ThisisBIGBUSINESSS

38milliondollarsofrevenuewasprojectedfor2015

Andanenormousnaturalexperiment•  Weareoutsourcingalotoflearningtoapps•  Butthereisnogatekeepertoensurethatsocalled

“educaEonalapps”areeducaEonal!

APPDEVELOPERS

SCIENTISTS

Appdeveloperswanttogettheapptomarket.ScienEstsareworriedthattheappsmisrepresenthowinformaEonislearned.

HOWCANWEMEETINTHEMIDDLE?

•  SothatappdesignerscanincorporatefindingsfromlearningscienEsts?

…educa+onalappsweredesignedwithaneyetowardshowhumanslearn!

Weknowthathumanslearnbest…

Whentheyareac+ve(notpassive)Engaged(notdistracted)TheinformaEonismeaningful(linkstotheirlives)Theyaresociallyinterac+ve

4Pillars

Andlearningoccursbest…

•  Incontextsthatguideexplora+ontowardsalearninggoal

Thesefourlearningpillarsaresupported…

•  Inbehavioraldata

Andinbraindata

Today,weusesomeofourownresearchtoillustrateandpunctuatetheseclaims

Active Learning

TheEvidence(seeChi,2009forareview)

Whereac/vemeans…“mindson”notjustphysical‘tapping’orswiping

•  Dialogic“acEve”readingleadstoincreasedvocabularygains(Whitehurst)•  QuesEoningandlabelingduringstorybookreading=greatercomprehension•  Childrenindevelopmentallyappropriate,lesspassiveenvironmentsdowellonacademic

outcomesandbe]erinsocialoutcomes(Bowman,Donovan&Burns,2001)•  PassivelearningtoEeknotswhilewatchingavideoyieldsworselearningthanacEvepracEce

(Schwan&Riempp,2004).•  Notetakerslearnmorethannon-notetakers(Tracon&Tricke],2001)•  GeneraEnginformaEon,ratherthanjustreadingit,increasesretenEonandtransferonfill-in-

the-blanktests(Richland,Bjork,Finley&Linn,2005)•  ChildrenwhoaskquesEonsandmakeobservaEonsinmuseumslearnmorethanthosewhodo

not(Borun,Chambers&Cleghorn(1996)

Ourresearch–AcEvewordlearning

•  ComparingdirectinstrucEonvs.inferenEalwordlearning

Zosh,Brinster,&Halberda,2013

“Thisisazav”

DidacEcInstrucEon–Explicitlytold

Zosh,Brinster,&Halberda,2013

“Pointtothezav”

InferenEalcontext–AcEvedecision-making

VS.

Doesbehaviorduringlearningdiffer?

Yes!ChildrenlookmoreatthenovelobjectinthedirectinstrucEoncase.

Butnotsofast…

Whenaskedtoretainthatnovelobject-namemapping,childreninthe

inferencecasewerebest!

DespitelongerlookingattargetinDirectInstrucEoncondiEon,makingtoddlersac/velyworktolearnnewwordsisabe]erstrategy

•  ThatacEvelearningworksbe]erthanpassivelearning.•  Forlearningsuccess,childneedstoplayaroleandnotjust

listen.•  Howdoesthisapplytoapps?

•  Suggeststhatdigitalmediacanbe“educaEonal” ifitrecruitsacEve,child-iniEatedgameswithtargetedlearningobjecEves

AtaleoftwoappsAcEvevsPassive

Engaged Learning

TheEvidence

Theabilitytostay‘ontask’withoutdistracEoniskeytolearning•  WhenbackgroundTVison,children’splayisdisrupted(Schmidtetal,2008)

•  Pop-upfeaturesinbooksresultinlesslearning(Tareetal.,2010)•  Deficitevenwhenthefeaturesaredesignedtodrawa]enEontowhatchild

shouldlearn(Chiong&DeLoache,2013)•  Eveninstrumentalbackgroundmusichurts(Barretal.,2010)•  InteracEve“hotspots”candisruptparent-childdialogueaboutreadingcontent

(Chiongetal.2012)

Despiteourgreatestwishesandouroc-incorrectself-image….

•  HumansarenotgoodmulE-taskers!

Researchsaysthatonly2%ofus(everyoneinthisroom)candomorethantwothingsatonce.Watson,J.M.,&Strayer,D.L.(2010).Supertaskers:ProfilesinextraordinarymulE-taskingability.PsychonomicBulle/nandReview,17,479-485

Strayer,D.L.,&Watson,J.M.(2012).SupertaskersandthemulEtaskingbrain.ScienEficAmericanMind,23,22-29.

EngagedLearning:Thecaseofe-books

Parish-Morris,J.,Mahajan,N.,Hirsh-Pasek,K.,Golinkoff,R.M.,&Collins,M.(2013).OnceuponaEme:PreschoolersandStorybookReadingintheElectronicEra.Mind,Brain&Educa/on,7(3),200-211

OurresearchexaminedlearninginthelastgeneraEonofe-books

Wheree-booksmeett-books

ResearchsupportedinpartbyFisher-PriceToys

WhynoiPad?Bornin2010!

electronic tradiEonal

E-booksarein95%ofthehomesofparentswesurveyed

Likemanybookapps,theyhave“bellsandwhistles”–thingsyoupressduringstory

Yet,whenparentsreadt-bookswith

preschoolagedchildren

–  Thereadingexperiencestheysharearepredic+veoflaterliteracy

–  Adialogicreadingstyle–talkaboutthingsonpageandlinktolife--hasbeenshowntoeffec+velyimprovereadingandschooloutcomes

–  Contributestolanguagedevelopment

•  Doe-bookconsolespromotethekindofdialogicparent-childinterac/onsthatpredictlaterliteracy?

No!

!

When reading t-books:!!Parents talk MORE about the story!!Parents talk LESS about behavior!!Parents say MORE that goes “beyond the story”

When80,3-and5-yearoldswererandomlyassignedtoreadmatchede-ort-bookswiththeirchildren,wefoundthat…

Inafollow-upstudywealsofound…

•  Thatchildrenreadingt-bookswerebe]erableto:

– Tellustheplotline– Rememberthesequencesofeventsinthestory

Parish-Morris,J.,Mahajan,N.,Hirsh-Pasek,K.,Golinkoff,R.M.,&Collins,M.(2013).OnceuponaEme:PreschoolersandStorybookReadingintheElectronicEra.Mind,Brain&Educa/on,7(3),200-211

Why?It’snote-bookversust-bookordigitalversuspaperbutrather

howthebooksinteractwiththechild.Ifbooksareengaging,butdistrac/ng,kidsloseout.

Kidsdobest…

•  theyarejoyfullyengaged•  Andwhentheyarenotdistractedbybellsandwhistles

ConclusionconsistentwithChiongetal.)2012)fromJoanGanzCooneyCenternoEngthatmore“bellsandwhistles”promptlesscontenttalkandmoretalkabouttechnologicalnavigaEon.

•  Childrenlearnwhentheyareengagedandstayontaskandwhentheyarenotdistracted.

•  Alotofdigitalmediaisengaging,butalsodistracEng.

AtaleoftwomoreappsEngagingvsPoten/allyDistracEng

Dothegamesbuildthestoryline?

Engaging

PotenEallyDistracEng

DistracEngandnotrelatedtostory

Meaningful Learning

TheEvidence•  NewinformaEonisbuiltuponexisEngknowledge

–  Whenchildrenaregivencausally-richinformaEon,theyspendmoreEmeontask(Alvarez&Booth,2013)

–  LearningaboutthefuncEonofanobjectsupportscategorizaEon(Booth&Waxman,2002)

–  DoctorslearnguidelinesforopioidprescripEonsbe]erifembeddedinanarraEve(Kilaruetal,2014)

–  Takingnoteslonghandrequiresmoremeaning-makingandisassociatedwithbe]erlearningthancopyingnotesonalaptop(Mueller&Oppenheimer,2014)

–  ManyotherfindingsinscienceoflearningonhowlinkingnewinformaEontothingsyoualreadyknowimproveslearningandretenEon

•  Chi(2009)writesthatwhenmaterialisconstructedormeaningful–learnersgobeyondtheinformaEongiven.

•  Theymakeinferences,askquesEons,makeplansandintegrateinformaEon.

MeaningfulLearning:ThecaseofSTEMlearningwithblocks

Ferrara,K.,Hirsh-Pasek,K.,Newcombe,N.&Golinkoff,R.(2011)Blocktalk:SpaEallanguageduringblockplay.Mind,Brain&Educa/on,5,3,143-151Verdine,B.,Golinkoff,R.,Hirsh-Pasek,K,Newcombe,N.,Filipowicz,A.&Chang,A.(2014).DeconstrucEngBuildingBlocks:Preschoolers'SpaEalAssemblyPerformanceRelatestoEarlyMathemaEcalSkills.ChildDevelopment

Research Question!

n  The spatial skills used in block play are basic to human intelligence (e.g., packing a trunk, reading a map)

n  Spatial skills (navigaEng,rotaEng,

perspecEve-taking)are also related to later mathematical outcomes

n  Weasked:MightspaEaladvantages

appearwhenyoungchildrenplaywithspaEallymeaningfultoyslikepuzzlesandblocks?

•  Levine,Ginsburg

n  Further, increasing spatial language also translates into better spatial and mathematical outcomes!

Ourdesign….

•  3- 5-year-olds participated in 3 play conditions with their parent. All engaged in guided play second:

–  Free play: “Here are some blocks, do what you will.”

Guided play after (“Can you build a heliport”?)–  Guided play: “Here are some pictures to copy to

build a heliport.” Then guided play again.–  Preassembled play: “Here’s a heliport. Have fun.”

Then guided play after.Ferrara et al., 2011

•  WhatcondiEonpromptedthemostspaEallanguage?– Above,around,over,through….

•  Anddidplayingwithblocksofferanyadvantageoverplayingwithothertoys?

YES!!SpaEalLanguageResults

n  First, play context makes a difference!n  In guided play, 10% or 1 in 10 words were spatial

n  Second, block play made a differencen  In non-block play contexts, parents use only 3 to 6% of spatial terms

n  Third, parents’ and children’s spatial language production was greater in the guided play condition.

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

Pre-assembledPlay FreePlay GuidedPlay

Prop

or+o

nofSpa

+alLan

guage

PlayContext

ParentalSpa+alLanguageasaFunc+onofPlayContext

Series1

Series2

•  MeaningfulplaywithtoysthatdemandspaEalthinking….–  Puzzles–  Shapesorters–  Tangrams–  Blocks

•  Notonlyhelpsustalkandthinkmoreaboutspace,butitalsopredictslatermathscores(Verdineetal.,2014)!

AtaleofyettwomoreappsMeaningfulvsMeaningless

ShinyParty-Shapes&ColorsByShinyThings

Meaningful:ShinyPartyShapes

Meaningless

Socially Interactive Learning

TheEvidence

•  SocialinteracEonisopEmalforlearningespeciallyfor0-to8-year-olds–  Youngchildrenlearnbestfromlivepeople,ratherthanTVorvideo

(Roseberryetal.,2009;Kuhletal.,2009)–  Co-viewingtelevisionwithchildrenresultsinincreasedlearning–  ParasocialrelaEonships(aswithElmo)help

childrenlearnearlymathskills

Roseberry,S.,Hirsh-Pasek,K.,Parish-Morris,J.,&Golinkoff,R.M.(2009).ChildDevelopmentRice,M.L.,Huston,A.C.,Truglio,R.,&Wright,J.C.(1990)..DevelopmentalPsychologyValkenburg,P.M.,Krcmar,M.,Peeters,A.L.,&Marseille,N.M.(1999)..JournalofBroadcas/ng&ElectronicMedia

SociallyinteracEvelearning:Thecaseofvideochatsandlanguage

learning

Roseberry,S.,Hirsh-Pasek,K.,&Golinkoff,R.M.(2014)Skypeme!SociallyconEngentinteracEonshelptoddlerslearnlanguage.ChildDevelopment

Youhaveheardthisbefore…

•  Li]lepeoplelearnbestfromliveinteracEonandlessfromTV

•  Anderson&Hanson(2013),forareview•  Trosethandcolleagues

ThereisnoquesEon:frombehavioralandbraindata,childrenlearnbe]erininteracEve,adapEveandsocialenvironmentsthantheydoasobservers!

Ourstudylookedatthelearningofnovelwords–hereac/onwords

Hereisthetraining:

“Wow!I’mblickinghim!I’mblickingthebabydoll. WillyouwatchwhileI’mblickingthebabydoll? I’mblickinghim,I’mblickingthebabydoll. Iamblickingthebabydoll.”

WetrainedthewordsineitherlivepresentaEons,videochats(asonSkype)oronTV

InwhichcondiEonwouldtoddlers(24to30months)learnthewords:

– VideoChatTraining(responsiveandconEngentbut2D)

–  LiveInterac/onTraining(responsiveandconEngent3D)

–  YokedVideoTraining(apre-recordedvideoofwomaninteracEngwithanotherchild)neitherresponsiveorconEngent)

TestPhase

• Split-screendesign• OnematchingacEon• Onenon-matching

acEon

Couldthechildrenlearnanovelverb?Andwasthevideochatmoreliketheliveinterac+oncondi+on?OrmorelikeTV?

Results–HowdidchildrenrespondtovideochatscomparedtoliveinteracEons?

LearningfromvideochatswasmorelikeLIVE

thanlikeTV

Roseberry,S.,Hirsh-Pasek,K.,&Golinkoff,R.M.(2014)Skypeme!SociallyconEngentinteracEonshelptoddlerslearnlanguage.ChildDevelopment

•  SocialinteracEonthatisconEngentonthechild’sbehaviorisimportantforlearning

Whatmightthissayaboutapps?•  AppsthatharnessinteracEveplayorthatuElizeparasocialrelaEonshipswillsupportlearning

AtaleofeventwomoreappsSociallyinteracEvevssolo

Importantly–wearenotsayingthatasoloappisa“BAD”app,justthatyoungchildrenlearnbe]erinmoresocialenvironments.Therecouldwellbeanagefactorforthispillar.

SociallyinteracEve(asleastasweplayedit)

TocaBocaHairSalon

Starring:Kathy

Hirsh-Pasek

Soloapp:HungryGuppy

Summarysofar:

GuidedExplora3ontowardLearningGoals

•  Notallappshavealearninggoal,e.g.,TocaBocaHairSalon.

•  GuidedexploraEon(alsocalledGuidedDiscoveryandGuidedPlay)supportsthe4pillars:–  AcEve–  Engaged– Meaningful–  SociallyinteracEvelearning

•  ThecontextinwhichaneducaEonalappisframed.

GuidedDiscoveryorGuidedPlay•  Children’sinterests,combinedwithscaffolding

fromanadult,drivetheintroducEonofnewinformaEon.

•  IncomparisontodidacEcinstrucEon,resultsin

increasedlearning:

•  Literacy(Hanetal.2012;Weisbergetal.,2013)•  Math(Gagne&Brown,1961)•  Physics(Obioma,1986)•  Andmore…(seealsoAlfieri,2011;Fisheretal.,2010;Hirsh-

Pasek,Golinkoff,Berk,&Singer,2009)

TheCaseofGuidedPlay:Howdochildrenlearnthedefining

featuresofashape?

Fisher,K.,Hirsh-Pasek,K,Newcombe,N&Golinkoff,R.M.(2014)Takingshape:SupporEngpreschoolers’acquisiEonofgeometricknowledge.ChildDevelopment.

Forexample,thatatrianglehas3cornersand3sides?

Wouldguidedplay(THINKACTIVE)beabe]erwaytomasterthedefiniEonalaspectsofshapesthan

directinstruc/on(THINKPASSIVE)orfree,exploratoryplay(ALSOACTIVE)?

•  Contrasted3condiEons:–  GuidedPlay:

•  Childis“detecEve”askedtofind“secretsoftheshapes”

–  DirectInstrucEon•  Childistold“secretsoftheshapes,”e.,g,triangle=3sides

–  Free,ExploratoryPlay•  Childplayswithshapes

•  Results:–  GuidedPlay>DirectInstrucEon>FreePlay–  Transfertoweirdnovelshapes40%begerinGuidedPlay

•  DigitalmediahastremendouspotenEalasasupportforreallearning

•  Butitisonlytruly“educaEonal”ifitisdoneright

•  LookingbackonourscienceoflearninggivesussomeserioushintsabouthowtodoeducaEonalmediaright.

•  IfscienEstsworkwithdevelopers,wecanusherinafutureWave2ofappdevelopmentandensurethat“educaEonal”appsaretrulyeducaEonal

BigBird’sWords

Usingthescienceoflearningtoevaluateapps

•  Lessonsforparents,developers,designersandeducators

IsitacEve(notpassive)?li]le(1) some(3)lot(5)

Isitengaging(notdistracEng)

li]le(1) some(3)lot(5)

Isitmeaningful(notmeaningless)li]le(1) some(3)lot(5)

IsitsociallyinteracEve?

li]le(1) some(3)lot(5)IsthereguidedexploraEontowardsalearninggoal?

li]le(1) some(3)lot(5)Couldthisbedonewithouttechnology?

YesNo

Thinkinginthiswayallowsustousethescienceoflearningtoevaluateappsintermsof

•  ProfilesandPedigreesProfiles:Examineanapp’sprofileacrossthe4pillarsandacontext.Beinglowinone

oranotherpillardoesnotrenderitaBADapp,thoughbeinghighonallisprobablyabe]erapp–atleastforyoungchildren.

Usingthescienceoflearningtoevaluateapps

Onpedigrees:Evaluatethelearningcontext.AnappcanbegoodevenifitisnoteducaEonal.

Learninggoalshilow

hi

low

Summa+

onofp

illarsc

ores

Playfulapp EducaEonalappwithguidedexploraEon

“EducaEonal”appbutwithpotenEalforshallowlearning

BADapp

khirshpaandroberta

Ac+ve,engaged,meaningful&sociallyinterac+vehelpchildrenlearn#learninggoal#earlyeduca+on

KathyHirsh-PasekRobertaGolinkoff

khirshroberta

Anexpandeddiscussionoftheseissuesinappearedin…

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J., Golinkoff, R.M. Gray, J., Robb, M., & Kaufman, J. (2015) Harnessing the science of learning to promote real educational apps. Psychological Science in the Public Interest.

Thanksto…

Andtothemanyundergraduates,graduatestudents,postdocsandfamilieswhomadethisresearchpossible.

JackandtheBeanstalk(NosyCrow)

BusyShapes