IPad’s as learning tools — Are Dubai’s Preschoolers getting smarter?

A toddler may find an Ipad no different from a TV simply because there is no physical interaction compared to reality or a nursery in Dubai where there is always a sensory garden or room available where they can experience and feel the real flower or leaf.

An Ipad is an excellent tool (tablet) that manages to answer the needs of many, when it comes to accessing information online and entertaining people; from the comfort of their own homes and on the move as well. They sell like hotcakes here in Dubai whether they are available in stores or via grey markets for a higher price. People of all ages love it because it makes things easier and convenient than accessing the same from a personal computer.

Many universities and schools are gradually replacing them with books that are often heavier to carry. The content delivered via an Ipad is also custom made and a lot more intuitive when it comes to learning (thanks to a lot of educational publishers who have tied up with them) in the case of primary, secondary and university education. Think of it as unending source of information available at a cost, in the physical form factor of a magazine.

All in all it is a great device, but can it help your toddler or preschooler learn? There have been no formal tests using a controlled environment, but somehow according to many it acts only as an entertainment device in the hands of a toddler or a preschooler.

In the case of a toddler, it can be effective but would require the assistance of a parent to help understand what is going on. Still then, a toddler may find it no different from a TV simply because there is no physical interaction compared to reality or a nursery in Dubai where there is always a sensory garden or room available where they can experience and feel the real flower or leaf. In the eyes of a toddler something that is flat is not real, and therefore would result in the child being able to recognize shapes but not understand or learn the alphabet on the application or software. This is why it can be used as an entertainment tool for some laughs, but not for serious learning. The best preschools in Dubai only rely on practical and sensory experiences when teaching children about the world and the environment around them. As a parent, children need to experience the environment first-hand and not from a book or some electronic device.

When kids grow up and begin schooling they can easily tell what is real and what is not—they have gotten their basics right—and are capable or have the ability to understand and make complete use of such technology when it comes to learning, education, internet or some silly games. After all; there is an age for everything.