The effectiveness of game-based literacy app learning in preschool children from diverse backgrounds

Schiele, Tina; Edelsbrunner, Peter A. ; Mues, Anna; Birtwistle, Efsun; Wirth, Astrid und Niklas, Frank (2025): The effectiveness of game-based literacy app learning in preschool children from diverse backgrounds. In: Learning and Individual Differences, Bd. 117, 102579

Abstract

Family background factors like socio-economic status (SES) and migration background, along with child characteristics such as gender and intelligence, significantly influence early childhood competencies. Children from families with low SES and/or migration background often show weaker literacy outcomes than their peers. Game-based learning via apps can support children's competency development, but its effects may depend on children's app usage and how it interacts with child and family characteristics. We examined the effects of specifically developed literacy apps with N = 500 preschoolers (MAge = 60.96 months). The intervention was successful: Children who used our literacy apps obtained greater literacy competencies compared to a control group, even after accounting for family and child characteristics. Longer app usage time was associated with literacy gains, independent of SES and migration background, with a U-shaped relation, but only among girls. Consequently, game-based learning via apps can be successful; however, individual differences should be considered.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• EU Funded Grant Agreement Number: 801980
• EU-Projekte: Horizon 2020
• Fakultät: Psychologie und Pädagogik > Department Psychologie
• Themengebiete: 100 Philosophie und Psychologie > 150 Psychologie
• ISSN: 10416080
• Sprache: Englisch