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AbstractBased on the Activity Theory, this study investigated the effect of an educational tablet app and conventional teaching method on Chinese preschoolers' symbolic number abilities. With the significant difference of developmental characteristics, this study divided the 4-year-olds (N = 64) into experimental group and control group. The experimental group was trained for three months using an educational tablet app, while the control group followed regular teaching activities. The results showed that in most aspects of Chinese preschoolers' symbolic number abilities training, the tablet teaching method was generally superior to conventional teaching method. The one-to-one teaching mode of tablets was more conducive to the integration of the six elements in the Activity Theory, thus effectively promoting the development of preschoolers' symbolic number abilities. This result further confirmed that educational digital game apps can promote the development of the preschoolers' symbolic number abilities. Therefore, in future educational and teaching practice, we should attach importance to the critical period of intervention and adapt a more effective teaching approach.Keywords: Preschoolerssymbolic number abilitiestabletdevelopmental characteristicsactivity theory AcknowledgmentsThe authors thank the participating preschool classes, teachers, and children.Author contributionsWen Liu and Mengyuan Qin contributed to the design of the research; Feifan Yang, Nalanying Pulie, Jiaqi Zhang and Xue Zhang collected and analyzed the data; Wen Liu and Feifan Yang contributed to the writing of the manuscript draft; Wen Liu and Mengyuan Qin supervised the project and gave valuable comments about the interpretation of the data, revised the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript for important content.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis study was supported by the Major Projects of the National Social Science Foundation of China 19ZDA356. Notes on contributorsWen LiuWen Liu is a professor at the College of Psychology at Liaoning Normal University and a director of the Institute for Early Childhood Psychological and Educational Research. Her field of expertise is social and educational development of children and adolescents. She has published dozens of SCI, SSCI, and CSSCI theses and texts.Feifan YangFeifan Yang is studying for a master's degree in psychology at Liaoning Normal University. Her main area of interest is the development of social adjustment in children and adolescents.Mengyuan QinMengyuan Qin is a teaching secretary at Ningbo University. Her main research interest is cognitive development of young children.Nalanying PulieNalanying Pulie is studying for her doctorate in psychology at Liaoning Normal University. Her main research interest is the impact of electronic media on child development.Jiaqi ZhangJiaqi Zhang is a lecturer in the College of Psychology at Liaoning Normal University. Her main research interest is children's temperament and creative personality.Xue ZhangXue Zhang is a lecturer in the College of Psychology at Liaoning Normal University. Her main research interest is children's individual capabilities in the developmental stage.
Liu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.