To tell you iPads are actually good for kids

[PennyRa]

This is something I researched extensively for my thesis in technology and education. iPads, tablets, phones, they all show positive effects on their development. Yes, including social.

I've seen a lot of anti screens on here recently but there is nothing wrong with kids in buggys on tablets, kids in cafes on iPads.

There are obviously caveats, some content is bad. It's on a scale but it's easy to see; a child playing Duolingo is vastly better than candy crush, a child watching How it's made is vastly better than cocomelon. Also the content needs to be locked and monitored for safety. However, tailored content can be better than a teacher.

Books are even better.

Lol

Yep, ebooks, audiobooks, those CBBC story time books, all great content

The bosses in Silicon Valley who have kids disagree with you. But I hope you enjoyed your “research”.

That's interesting! What methods did you use? Is it not quite difficult to attribute cause and effect with such a complex number of variables affecting child development?

In small doses, with educational content, I’m sure that’s true. Hours of YouTube, not so much…

No, just regular analogue books made of paper. Never had an ipad, don't see the point of them.

...are you on Tim Cook's payroll? 🤨😂

Can you link to the research please?

I call bullshit 😅

It depends. Hours of Royal institution lecturers yes, hours of a kid unboxing toys not so much

No. Whatever it's showing, when it becomes a fight to remove it, there's a problem.
Then there's the environmental impact of every child having a tablet.

Link to your thesis please! This is also my research area and I’d be… surprised if the conclusion you’ve written here is actually what the data demonstrates.

if what you meant to write was:
”in an otherwise enriched environment, children who watch small amounts of educational screen time achieve well.”
then fine - I’ll buy it.

Ooh this should be good!

People on MN get fiercely upset about kids they don’t know being in an iPad. I’ll grab the popcorn.

Not great for eyesight though!

I’d be really interested to read your research? Me and DH were just talking today about how, in the past, reading fiction novels (especially romances like Pride and Prejudice) was seen as something that would rot your brain… now we all want children to read. I wonder what people in the future will think about screens?

Hours of Royal institution lecturers yes,

That's not how learning works. It's not as simple as the quality of the content - it's about the medium, and the suitability of that medium for the content, purpose & audience.

So a child looking at a screen with the content you mention will gain no benefit at all, as pedagogically, they won't have an opportunity to interact or engage with it in a way that will make sense for them.

Screens have their benefits; and their drawbacks.

Please share your 'research'? 🙂

It’s easy to find articles with the few that are vocal about not wanting their kids on screens, but plenty of the bosses (and even more of the front line coders) encourage their kids to use tech.

Wow, how long did it take you to come up with these findings?

I don't think anything is as simple as good or bad.

The way we take in information changes but it is the information that is important. Some things you can only learn by doing such as riding a bike or learning to walk.

I'm currently studying with the OU, my resources are sent to me in the form of books, the same information is sent to me on blue paper because I'm dyslexic and it is also available online.

It's the same information.

But anything that’s a ‘pro’ about a device can be achieved without a device for the most part - that doesn’t make the device good, just the activity itself. On the whole, devices are just way to stimulating and addictive for children, especially young ones. And adults. I can’t sleep and here I am scrolling MN, it’s not going to help… goes off to put down phone and pick up book…

Who funded your thesis?

It’s not as black or white as good or bad though. There are certainly bonuses and I don’t think in the modern world parents do any good by trying to completely avoid technology use but it has to be balanced and appropriate.

ds is autistic and for him his iPad is a godsend both as a calming tool and a way for him to further research his areas of special interest but as with anything it’s about balance.

an iPad alone, even with tailored content, certainly can’t come close to being better than a teacher

PennyRa we had iPads donated to work (special needs facility) and all the available learning apps seem to only be free in an extremely limited trial version (literally the first two letters of the alphabet for a reading app type thing) and then extremely expensive.

They're therefore essentially useless bricks.

Can you recommend free apps on iPad?

Ideally ones available in base languages other than English (ones which either work with the language selected for the device or where you can change the user language).

Android seems vastly better for free content but it's iPads we've been donated, without a single penny for software/ apps.