In 2016, Lin L., Cherng R., and Chen Y. completed an original research project called Effect of Touch Screen Tablet Use on Fine Motor Development of Young Children. Their goal was to explore the significance of touch screen use on fine motor development in young children.
Before beginning the 24-week home activity kit, 80 children were tested by an occupational therapist and completed a pinch strength test. All of the children’s tests found that their grip strength was within range for their age.
The touch-screen group were exposed to 24 “age-appropriate applications designed for developing fine motor skills and building strength, control, and dexterity” (2016. p. 460). These apps were chosen based on their merchandise explanations. The article did not go into any further details about how the apps were chosen or whether any of the apps had any scientific research to back up their claims. Over the 24-week study they used these apps for 20 minutes a day.
The non-touch-screen group were provided other fine motor activities such as “using scissors, drawing, construction play, play dough, threading, and lacing” (2016. p. 460). Over the 24-week study they used these activities daily for 20 minutes. There was no mention if parents were provided with a daily guide to which activities should be provided or if parents chose certain types of activities over others.
The results are what I expected. “Over the 24-week training activities, children in the non-touch-screen-tablet group made significantly greater changes in fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, and pinch strength than did children in the touch-screen-tablet group.” (2016. p. 462).
There are other studies available that suggest that using a touch-screen tablet often might actually hinder fine motor improvement (Mangen & Velay, 2010; Venetsanou & Kambas, 2010). Although they are older studies, I will be evaluating them next week to see if they are still relevant to our current technologies.
When students are struggling to print, I go through various tools to see if I can find the best one to help them improve. Certain surfaces provide better kinesthetic feedback to the child’s hand. Touch-screen technology doesn’t provide the same feedback which could be viewed negatively toward this type of technological intervention. However, adding styluses can help promote proper pencil grip if reinforced by an adult.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
The studies I have read so far involve typical developing children. I’m curious to know what improvements touch-screen tablets can provide for children with other needs and the reasons why or why not they may work or not work in that environment. In the studies so far, all of these children would be assumed to develop these skills or muscle strength whether they used technology to teach them or more traditional activities. In children who have a special need, there are other reasons why they may not be developing fine motor skills or why traditional methods aren’t meeting their needs. What about touch-screen learning makes the learning connect together for them, if it does support their learning?
Personally, I would never depend on tough-screen technology to teach or improve fine motor skills. If a child was more drawn toward technology, I would incorporate it into the many other opportunities for learning available in my classroom.
References:
Lin, L., Cherng, R., & Chen, Y. (2017). Effect of touch screen tablet use on fine motor development of young children. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 37(5), 457-467. doi:10.1080/01942638.2016.1255290
Thanks for sharing this well written post about the article! I think you are finding interesting research to discuss and I can see the drawbacks and positives of touch screen technology. I agree with your personal statement and would also not depend on touch screen technology to develop fine motors skills solely on it’s own. Rather, use it as another way to help support fine motor development. From my personal experience, I often have had students ask if they can bring paper, glue or scissors home because they don’t have these items at home. Perhaps, this may be a social-economical issue and/or maybe parents think have a touch screen device provides enough activities for their children to do? Such a great topic to explore!