Abstract

Developmentally appropriate courseware can play a crucial role in enhancing children's learning and development. Research studies have demonstrated that early childhood educators face major challenges in selecting and updating developmental courseware that supports young children's development. The primary purpose of this study was to assess children's digital courseware employed in Jordanian kindergartens in accordance with developmentally appropriate courseware criteria. A random sample of 57 courseware programs employed in both public and private kindergartens was assessed using 10 criteria for developmentally appropriate courseware. The findings suggest that the courseware implemented in Jordanian kindergartens exhibited a moderate degree of appropriateness. The courseware was the most developmentally appropriate in the areas of “technical features” and “clear instruction,” while the real-work model and transformations were the least appropriate. Moreover, the findings revealed that children's courseware implemented in public kindergartens was more developmentally appropriate than those in private kindergartens. These findings and their implications were discussed.

Citation

Ihmeideh, F.M. (2015). Assessment of children's digital courseware in light of developmentally appropriate courseware criteria. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(3), 649-663. Wiley. Retrieved August 8, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/151027/.