The usage of high-quality learning applications (apps) at home may increase children's mathematical and literacy competencies. This approach was tested in a family intervention study. Intervention families (n = 302) in two German cohorts (N = 500; M (SD)[subscript age] = 61.0 (4.6) months; n[female gender symbol] = 302) received tablets with newly…

This study investigates the use of an assistive humanoid robot for teaching to and learning among young children in an informal learning environment. The robot is called NAO and built by SoftBank Robotics. NAO was used to teach a mathematic concept of measurement to young children. They engaged with the robot through the teaching and learning of…

This study explored certain popular educational apps' vital characteristics and potential profiles (n1 = 50) for kindergarten kids. The profile analysis involved a categorization ascended from an evaluation process conducted by pre-service early childhood teachers' (n2 = 295) at the University of Crete, Greece, using a new instrument, validated in…

Many smart technologies offer personalized experiences, such as the possibility for children to record their voice, add their own pictures or drawings to digital stories, customize their avatars or adjust display settings to their needs. This study examined the views of teachers and digital software designers on children's use of smart…

This paper shares reflections and stories from a collaborative design process between the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab and a global network of community-based educators to develop a creative coding app called OctoStudio, which supports children and families to create and share interactive projects on mobile devices. The app…

Despite the fact that the majority of museum visitors are often very young children, much research in museums focuses on pre-teen learners (ages 8-12). Our goal in this study was to investigate the behaviors of children aged 5-8 during a visit to a science exhibition. We aim to develop a methodology to assess children's levels of engagement with…

This study investigates how children can develop information literacy (IL) skills even before they learn how to read and write. In the project we used a combination of participatory observation and action research-inspired trialling of digital tools. Kindergarteners were given iPads and access to the app Book Creator to create their own digital…

Analogical reasoning is assumed to play a large role in learning and problem solving in everyday and school settings. It was examined whether a newly developed dynamic test of analogical reasoning would be sufficiently difficult for identifying young gifted children's potential for solving analogies. The study included 74 gifted (n = 31) and…

Modern preschool education is seen as an essential foundation for nurturing children's digital literacy. Early childhood education environments have witnessed increased emphasis on integrating programming activities in combination with digital tablets. However, little is known about how preschool teachers implement programming as part of…

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused unprecedented global socio-economic disruptions. One of the areas negatively impacted is the education system. The country's over reliance on traditional face-to-face teaching has brought about serious challenges to policymakers who have to decide how learning would proceed in the…

The first six years of a child's life are the most critical years for development, and appropriate health care, nutrition, stimulation, affection, and education are critical for healthy development. These early years also present a window of opportunity to mitigate any developmental concerns. With the right intervention, the child's health,…

Research on automated affect detection in educational software using play log data has shown promising results. Yet most studies use classroom-based software designed for adolescents or adults. In this paper, we aim to detect affection in an online educational platform primarily aimed at home use by young children. This presents two challenges: we…

It is not difficult to imagine a world where internet-connected mobile devices are accessible to everyone. Can these technologies be used to help solve the challenges of global education? This was the challenge posed by the Global Learning XPRIZE--a $15 million grand challenge competition aimed at addressing this global teaching shortfall. In…

The mediated use of technology fosters learning from early childhood and is a potential resource for inclusive education. Nevertheless, the huge range of options and exposure to interactive digital content, which is often online, also implies a series of risks. The definition of protection underlying the current strategies to protect children is…

Worldreader, the nonprofit organization with a mission to create a world where everyone is a reader, is proving that mobile phones can be used as tools for engaging parents in reading to their young children. Knowing the cognitive and developmental benefits of reading to children from an early age, Worldreader set out to leverage the ubiquity of…