Educational Apps as a Sustainable Tool for Learning: Turning “Lemons” to Lemonade
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Apps (software applications) offer the potential to support learners especially for foundational skills taught in both schools and the home. However, the persistent poor quality of commercially available educational apps for young children has been an ongoing concern. Understanding factors that encourage and discourage development of high-quality apps is key to ensuring apps meet learners needs effectively. We apply research from economics indicating that educational apps marketplace suffers from two drawbacks: an adverse selection problem that arises from unreliable information about the quality of available apps and an atypical market in which educational apps exist as both free goods and priced club goods. After considering the complexity and challenges presented in the apps marketplace, we highlight critical steps required to address the quality issue and call for interdisciplinary collaboration to develop practical solutions to minimize the "app gap" in quality between free and paid educational apps.
Source: Psychological Reports
Authors: Joanne Lee, Eric Terry, Eileen Wood
Institutions: Wilfrid Laurier University, Toronto Metropolitan University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W7203884242