Mobile Learning in Pre-Kindergarten: Using Student Feedback to Inform Practice

There is a trend to use mobile devices in K-12 classrooms and create 1:1 learning experiences. Current research has focused on creating student collaborative efforts and increasing engagement when learning using the iPad, as well as the user-friendly characteristics and the tremendous number of apps available. There continues to be a need for empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of mobile devices on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine how integrating mobile devices into a Pre-Kindergarten curriculum using informal feedback from students affects students’ academic achievement. The study employed a two-group, quasi-experimental design consisting of 28 students from two Pre-K classrooms. The experimental group utilized iPads with guided instruction, coupled with informal feedback from students, to target emergent literacy and early math skills; the control group did not have access to iPads. All students were given the Florida VPK Assessment at the beginning and end of the study. Results of the ANCOVA revealed significantly higher Phonological Awareness and Mathematics measures for the iPad class, suggesting that integrating mobile learning in content-specific areas using informal student feedback effectively increases early childhood education students’ academic achievement. Best practices for integrating mobile learning to enhance student engagement are discussed.