Continuing the explore through this app, Khan Academy Kids, I notice there is even more than what meets the eye. For example, when you start up the app you click on your character and continue playing. As seen below.Usually, I would just click the play button on the clubhouse but today I noticed there are sections being added onto the sides. They look like roads leading to the clubhouse and when I click on them they are the important activities I have completed fully. For example, in my last post I talked about working with the letter C, and as we can see there is a section to go back and repeat the lesson. There is also the section above C, which is where we discussed our feelings and sang a feelings song.

Above all of this though, is that purple notebook with a pink heart. This is an especially cool add-on by the makers of Khan Academy. When you click on it, a library of resources pops up. As I mentioned before Khan Academy is completely free and is designed to give education to anyone, anywhere. It is pretty remarkable they worked with businesses like National Geographic to give children access to quality resources such as these.

I continued to explore further and when you click on one of these articles you have the choice to be read to or to read by yourself. Another amazing feature. Because again as Gee said, verbal instruction is very important. Plus, some parents might not be around to read it to their child. As it reads to you, it highlights the words it is saying.

I believe that this app would be perfect for in-class activities as well. I could see children using this app during center time on Ipads. I believe it would be extremely effective because of the reading feature and the verbal directions feature. With this, the children have less of a chance of getting confused or asking for help time and time again, like so many other apps children use during this time cause them to do. Conversation could also start between the children about the game as well, seeing where their peers are, what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, etc. could spark collaboration and social skills.

In Mindshift Guide to Digital Games + Learning, it discusses the importance of how to implement these games into Early Childhood Education. It states that the question is not if it should be incorporated, but how. I agree with this statement, because it does belong in daily classroom activities but we do need to be careful on how it is implemented (12). This article discusses the importance of “starting to teaching children the importance of text, language, and expression as early as possible” (13) due to the digitally connected world. I believe this app does a great job teaching the important of text, language and expression because of the wide range of topics being taught – such as reading to the child with expression while highlighting text.

As I continue on with the game, new skills are continuing to be learned and added to the roads leading to the clubhouse. The game also uses funny jokes to keep the kids engaged. For example, when learning big and small the child is directed to put the big tie on the big man and the small tie on the small man then to do a “silly one” by doing the opposite. Little things like this can go a long way with children and it’s important to take these things into consideration.

Overall, this app seems to be hitting the mark in creating an interesting, descriptive and effective learning app.

link: https://www.khanacademy.org/kids?from=lohp