Developing Mastery of Time Concepts by Integrating Lessons and Apps

Abstract

Learning applications (apps) for iPads/tablets are becoming commonplace in the elementary classroom, yet there is very little research evidence to support the adoption and use of such. This chapter details our initial efforts to empirically validate the utility of a researcher-designed iPad app by integrating it into a series of collaboratively created lessons to facilitate learning of clock-reading and time concepts. A lesson study approach was used to design, refine, and improve the intervention, which included teacher-led activities, discussions, and structured use of the iPad app. Data collected included student responses to four parallel curriculum-based assessments, classroom observations, and interviews. We present our results and discuss the implications for learning time concepts, for iPad use in the classroom, for our future research efforts, and for continued app development.