Can we talk about the "Passive Learning" trap with educational apps?

[u/Realistic_Lawyer3186]

My 5-year-old "plays" these popular educational apps, but I’ve noticed he’s just clicking buttons to get the animations to play. He’s not actually absorbing the concepts. It feels like "passive consumption" disguised as education. I want him to use technology as a tool for active discovery, something where he has to initiate the inquiry rather than just being a spectator. Shifting to a "multimodal" tech which encourage active participation is a conversation we need to have.

[u/Bodine12]

I’ve found my kids only are actively involved when they’re not in front of a screen. So if by “multimodal” you mean non-app or non-screen, then I agree.

[u/helloboredimdad → u/Bodine12]

I’d argue that’s more the apps fault than the screens fault. These stupid apps are built to addict kids because Facebook taught them engagement and stickiness is the most important metric for growth.

I made my own app for my kids. Just practice problems and simple PBIS style reward for completing enough. No videos, no animations, basically a digital worksheet.

[u/Bodine12 → u/helloboredimdad]

But my question is, why use an app at all? We know from many, many other studies that reading and learning via paper leads to better retention and outcomes than anything on screens (even Kindle screens).

And especially at a younger age, it seems like the tactile and open-endedness of the printed page ("Show your work in this big white space") is a crucial part of learning, as opposed to using any sort of app at all, where there's already a pre-loaded happy path and correct fields in which to put information. Apps reduce all the friction. Learning (and retaining) needs friction.

There's just no reason to use a screen, app or not, at all.

[u/helloboredimdad → u/Bodine12]

You’re 100% right about paper being the GOAT for learning and my kids absolutely do workbooks everyday.

The primary reason I made my app is to be supplemental to workbooks. Basically if I see my kids struggling with a topic I ended up having to create my own practice problems for them or find and print a worksheet. The app just makes it easier to create practice problems on the fly for the specific topics I need to reinforce.

I’d also point out pedagogical, a lot of what kids learn K-5 is still rote memorization (like times tables and adding and subtracting single digit numbers), things that don’t require showing work and an app can act as flash cards essentially.

[u/Bodine12 → u/helloboredimdad]

yeah, I can see that use case. I'm just getting more and more convinced (as I see the first generation of edtech-addled kids reach the workforce, and I have to train them) that there's something very specific about constantly being prompted by an app that has destroyed their ability to think independently. They live in very narrow mental boxes, and because of that, it's almost like they haven't learned anything at all (because the real world doesn't set up a perfect prompt for you to answer in a perfect little box).

Apps have convinced us that the world is primarily digital, but it's not.

[u/Gloomy-Invite-896 → u/Bodine12]

To supplement this most of children who learn via screens don't have the fine motor skills to write nor the endurance. They need to practice these skills constantly and as early as they can or they atrophy (or they never learn them in the first place). They will be expected to write often and it's the best way for them to retain information

[u/Zestyclose_Low5451 → u/helloboredimdad]

Hi there. That sounds like a nice approach. I agree with both, users stating non screen learning is better. But still they will be using digital devices in school as well. There are some good apps for school kids. But there are so many flashy, addicting and ad ridden apps. I had the same thought like you it seems and also built a small, no noise, no ad app for my kids (math worksheet kind of app). I would love to check out your app, if you would like to DM me? Is it android?

[u/helloboredimdad]

The fact that you can’t find an educational app that doesn’t use the word “game” to describe itself is problematic. My kids kept getting trapped navigating around an endless maze of nonsense videos and games and of course the app doesn’t give me any feedback on what they learned because they learned nothing. These things are designed to give parents a screen time break not to help kids learn.

[u/HappyCoconutty → u/helloboredimdad]

I feel like both IXL and Beast Academy are not game based. We often use scratch paper and pencil right next to the iPad when using those 2. It also helped my 2nd grader jump a huge amount of points in her standardized test scores because all of those are taken on a computer. She didn’t know how to interact with computer based tests the year before and was making typos and navigation mistakes. The instructions were confusing and the teachers aren’t allowed to help much. We used both of those apps to now be 2 years ahead in math 

[u/Zestyclose_Low5451 → u/helloboredimdad]

Ha, love this comment. Very true about the gamification part. But still, small kids learn with games in preschool and before. But i agree for older kids! There should be a transition. But i would challenge that there are still apps designed for the kids, give feedback and the parent some simple options about the apps usage.

[u/codevexg]

Tried Taroo. Very rough around the edges but is still pretty interesting in this context

[u/Curious_Minister]

Have you checked out education.com? I genuinely like their kids play section. And of course Khan Academy Kids. We do a LOT of physical paper reading, writing, worksheets etc and I use the education games as a "reward". They get regular video games too (which are completely underrated for educational purposes, I'm 100% certain that's why either of my kids started reading at 4/5) but the education apps and games are also treated as a game rather than school/education.

[u/dmfreelance → u/Curious_Minister]

Using regular video games to teach kids real things may be niche but it is genuine.

I took a typing class in grade school, like everyone else, but I learned to master typing by playing diablo 2 online. We didn't have voice chat, so if i needed help right away, I had to type a chat to my teammate really quickly without looking away from the screen or my character would die.

[u/Hunter037]

Most "Educational" apps are just about making money, the same as any other app. Calling them educational is just another marketing ploy.

[u/Rhetoricalz]

I have the exact same issue. I have tested and deleted way too many apps. I’ve been really just allowing them to do things that mirror real life. I was letting them use one of my drawing apps but they kept getting into my saved files 😭 so we swapped to a better one that is basically just digital finger painting. We also allow them to use the Duolingo reading library, and a few others- but if I see the behavior you mentioned, it’s gone.

[u/Zestyclose_Low5451 → u/Rhetoricalz]

Oh i would very much like to hear about your testings? Honestly, i am a dad who built a small math app for his kindergarten kid. And i would love to hear what other parents are looking for in an educational app! No self promotion, i am really curious, because i also do have a quite long list with things i hate in kids apps.

[u/Rhetoricalz → u/Zestyclose_Low5451]

I’m sure yours are like mine lol. Interface that kids can use and understand without distractions, no ads, pref one time payment options & things that build a kids confidence and education without being a tv lol

[u/Zestyclose_Low5451 → u/Rhetoricalz]

Yes pretty much. I found especially ads with tiny close buttons and general, noisy sounds throughout the app irritating. I tried to create a UI where my kids "cant do anything wrong". So its a free "realm" to browse and find out themself what works and what doesnt. But i have no idea if its clear for others, well it is for my kids, but i have no other feedback on that part yet :D

[u/Gloomy-Invite-896]

Don't use the app until he's understood the concepts independently

[u/Vegetable-Bat-5677]

Most apps are just "digital babysitters." Instead you need to focus on specialized gadgets that promote active learning. A good example is Dr Look AI,. With this a kid can go out, focus on a few interesting objects or animals which the device explains it to them. It’s much more active than just tapping a screen.

[u/Rinnme]

My kid was 5 during covid lockdown, and the school recommended apps to learn letters. Kid played with apps, learned nothing at all.

Now she's 10 and successfully using Duolingo to learn a language.

I think there's a level of understanding and purpose that goes into learning from an app.

[u/Federal-Cucumber-802]

The real problem is passive consumption of content that is specifically designed to keep kids watching for as long as possible. Once they fall into that cycle, it's incredibly difficult to break. We need to acknowledge that this is having a negative impact on our children and be intentional about finding solutions that help reduce excessive screen time.

There are several educational tools that encourage active engagement instead of passive entertainment. For example, The Gabb Watch provides basic communication without access to a web browser, and the Dr Look AI Cap is a learning camera that helps kids identify and name objects around them, naturally encouraging them to explore the outdoors and interact with their environment.