Tablet-Based eBooks for Young Children: What Does the Research Say?

Area of Science:

• Early Childhood Education
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• The increasing availability of tablets has led to greater use of electronic books (eBooks) by young children.
• Research on the impact of digital reading on infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is less extensive compared to older children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the educational affordances of reading on tablets versus print books for young children's learning.
• To synthesize existing research on tablet-based eReading and its effects on early childhood learning.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative synthesis of research was conducted.
• The review focused on studies examining young children's learning from screens, specifically tablet-based eReading.

Main Results:

• Preschool-aged children can learn as effectively, and sometimes more so, from well-designed eBooks compared to print books.
• Enhanced eBooks with interactive features like sounds and games can be distracting and may hinder learning.
• Conversations during eBook reading often focus on the device, whereas print book discussions tend to center on content.
• Limited research exists for infants and toddlers (0-2 years), but broader screen-learning studies suggest minimal educational benefits for this age group.

Conclusions:

• Careful selection of eBooks is recommended, avoiding distracting non-story-related features.
• Adult involvement in shared reading, including discussions about content, enhances comprehension, language development, and print awareness.
• Tablet eBook use should be restricted for infants and toddlers, who benefit more from direct caregiver interaction.