Understanding Google's 'Teacher Approved' Apps for Kids: A Guide for Parents
Google promotes ‘teacher approved’ apps for kids. Here’s what parents should know
The Conversation
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As school holidays continue in Australia, parents are exploring educational apps for children. Google Play features a 'Teacher Approved' section, but the criteria for app approval and the identity of the evaluators remain unclear. Parents are advised to independently assess the apps for educational value.
- 01Google's 'Teacher Approved' program aims to set quality standards for children's apps.
- 02The educational value of some approved apps is questionable, as not all are required to be educational.
- 03The identity and qualifications of the teachers and specialists evaluating the apps are not transparent.
- 04Parents should independently assess apps and avoid those with advertisements.
- 05Independent resources like Children and Media Australia can help evaluate app content.
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As school holidays progress in Australia, many parents are seeking educational apps for their children on Google Play. Google's 'Teacher Approved' section, launched in 2020, aims to ensure apps for children under 13 meet quality standards. However, the criteria for approval and the identity of the evaluators remain ambiguous. Popular apps like Lingokids and YouTube Kids have been downloaded millions of times, but the educational value of these apps can be unclear. Google's guidelines allow for non-educational apps to be labeled as 'enriching', raising questions about their actual learning impact. Research indicates that many 'Teacher Approved' apps are categorized with vague labels, making it difficult for parents to discern their educational purpose. Parents are encouraged to utilize independent platforms to evaluate apps and to personally test them, avoiding those that include advertisements which could disrupt the learning experience.
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The confusion surrounding app evaluations may lead parents to unknowingly choose less effective educational tools for their children.
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