Week 3

In Putting Education in “Educational Apps: Lessons From the Science of Learning,” I was intrigued by the tension arising from the affordances of educational technology (in this case tablets and mobile devices). That is, when technology is being used in an educational context, there is a fine line between engaging technologies that enhance learning and technologies with too many bells and whistles that detract from learning. Miller & Warschauer state that, “technology mixed well with young children’s literacy, particularly when play was involved,” while Hirsch-Pasek et al state “‘bells and whistles’ embedded in an e-book often distracted 3-year olds from understanding and remembering the story.'” Moreover, since parents play such an important role in helping children develop early literacy, I’m wondering if the simplest form of text, books, are best at home or in the earliest stages of learning how to read. On the other hand, are there other affordances of technology that can enhance these interactions?