Classroom Technology Report Roundup

Research Report: Digital Learning

By Sarah D. Sparks — January 05, 2016 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Toddlers are becoming adept at using touch-screen technology associated with smartphones and tablets in ways that could help educators assess early skills, according to a new study in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Deirdre Murray, the principal investigator of clinical investigations at the pediatrics department of Cork University Hospital in Ireland, surveyed families of 82 children ages 1 to 3 on technology use.

More than 80 percent of parents reported they had touch-screen devices, and 9 out of 10 allowed their toddlers to use them. About two-thirds of parents had downloaded apps specifically for their children.

Moreover, Murray found the majority of toddlers who used the phones and tablets on average 15 minutes a day could swipe, unlock the screen, and actively search for features like a specific app by age 2. Moreover, a third of the children could perform those skills and also identify and use specific touch-screen features like an app or a camera by 29 months old.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the January 06, 2016 edition of Education Week as Digital Learning

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Federal Webinar Navigating the Rapid Pace of Education Policy Change: Your Questions, Answered
Join this free webinar to gain an understanding of key education policy developments affecting K-12 schools.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Classroom Technology Instagram Wants Teachers to Report Cyberbullying. But How Much Will That Help?
The social media platform created a program designed to help educators report instances of potential cyberbullying.
2 min read
Conceptual image of cyberbullying.
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology Q&A The Steps Schools Should Take So All Students Can Use Ed Tech
An expert outlines what schools need to do to ensure that ed tech is accessible for students with special needs.
4 min read
Image of a laptop with icons for accessibility: translation, sound, magnification, etc.
Collage via iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology How Playing Minecraft Can Help Students Learn Coding Skills
Washington and other states have partnered with Minecraft Education to teach coding and other computer science skills.
3 min read
Photo illustration of a blue screen full of code with the icon of a gaming control overlaying the code.
DigitalVision Vectors
Classroom Technology Here's How Many Elementary Students Have Their Own Cellphones and Tablets
The use of cellphones and tablets by young children in school raises concerns about too much screen time.
5 min read
A duotone photograph of a group of elementary students sitting together and looking at their cellphones
Canva