…kground in computer art and Kevin knew how to code. After six months of development, they released Etiquette Anarchy into the iTunes App Store and waited to hear back from the STEM Challenge committee. “I was in a Java class with a friend when I got the call,” says Kevin. “I put Justin on speaker phone, and when we announced it we all went crazy and celebrated.” Their award-winning game is still available on the iTunes App Store (for only $0.99!)…

…e development. Content discussions paralleled business strategy (tablet or phone or both? which distributors? how many issues a year? pricing? develop in-house or with an outside partner?), and about 18 months after the prototype test, Sesame Street S’More launched in March 2014. Each issue is a rich and fully interactive experience, informed by the Workshop’s 45-years-young “whole child” curriculum. Narrated by one of the show’s human characters…

…espondents were first identified through random selection and contacted by phone and email. (GfK, the survey company, lent computers to parents who did not have them.) The total sample size was 2,558 parents and children. Children ages 6 to 17 answered questions after their parents finished their responses. This is the fifth year that Scholastic has conducted this survey, and it is one of the few national barometers of how children are spending th…

…month-old daughter, Claire, is already entertained and even soothed by my iPhone. To my relief (and that of my fellow passengers) she immediately quieted down as she gazed at the photos in my phone’s gallery (which, of course, were mostly of her). But my relief was mixed with some apprehension. Claire will grow up with screens all around her. Increasingly, they will be part of her daily life, even part of her education. Did I really want to introd…

…potential is especially promising given the high documented rates of cell phone and tablet ownership and use among Hispanic families in particular, including those where English is not the primary language (Rainie, 2012; Zickuhr & Smith, 2012). Many Hispanic families report strong perceptions of the educational potential of media, including apps, for their children’s learning (Lee & Barron, 2015; Levinson, 2014). Multiple Ethnicities Having menti…

…all and basketball, hanging out with her friends, and playing games on her phone. She’s inspired by local athlete Megan Huff, her science teacher David Chernicoff, actor and comedian Steve Harvey, and her dad, Kevin. After high school, she’s interested in becoming an orthodontist. Brooklyn recommends that new designers set realistic expectations in order to be successful. “Start small,” she suggests, “don’t try and do too much.” From experience, B…

…ink a Facebook-like system that “fronts” communication much like Charlie’s phone did for Charlie’s Angels). What was most striking about this gamified camp experience for middle school girls was the premise that they themselves were part of the game narrative. They learned advanced concepts in genetics, environmental quality, and sustainability, and were introduced to coding, robotics, and technology design before the 9th grade. With confidence br…

…amily literacy activities over distances. In contrast to using traditional phone calls or video chat, the Storyplay concept system helped provide richer and longer interactions between young children and remote family members, while encouraging child literacy development. The findings of the study conducted by Nokia Research Center, Sesame Workshop and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop were unveiled today at the Breakthrough Learning…

…he iTunes App Store’s Education Section by Carly Shuler, Ed.M. Industry Brief: Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children’s Learning by Carly Shuler, Ed.M. Related Presentation: Mobile Phone Learning: K-12 Students Carly Shuler, Ed.M. presented Learning: Is there an app for that? to a group at Teachers College at Columbia University.View the presentation in its entirety.      …

…not have access to the Internet at home, have limited access via a mobile phone, or lack the know-how to find and use digital resources effectively. For these families, libraries offer an essential service. Public access computers, free wifi, and even makerspaces, provide opportunities for entire families to learn essential digital literacy skills and participate in today’s society. Children and caregivers participate in a collaborative art piece…