Cupcake Digital received expert advice from Dr. Drew Davidson on the relationship between technology and education. Dr. Davidson believes that technology, like tablets, can be engaging for young children when used as part of a well-rounded learning system that also includes hands-on and social activities. He sees apps as not being a magic solution on their own and advises moderation in technology use along with equal time spent on other activities like reading and outdoor play. Cupcake Digital strives to create educational apps through partnerships with subject experts and assessments to ensure apps help with learning.

1. Cupcake Digital, Inc. 860 Broadway,3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003
www.cupcakedigital.com
Cupcake Digital Receives Expert Counsel on the
EvolvingConvergence ofTechnology and Education.
Cupcake Digital is committed to delivering products that successfully blend
entertainment with educational elements. The company draws on the advice of
experts, among themDrew Davidson, Ph.D. Acting Director, Entertainment
Technology Center Director, Carnegie Mellon University.Dr. Davidson is a
professor and producer of interactive media with a background spanning
academic, industry and professional worlds. He is the Founding Editor of ETC
Press and its Well Played series and journal. He also helped create the Sandbox
Symposium, an ACM SIGGRAPH conference on video games and served on the
IGDA Education SI.
We interviewed Dr. Davidson to discuss the evolving relationship between
technology and education in this position paper.
Objective:
To share expert thinking on the evolving relationship between technology
and education and the roletechnology – especially personal digital devices –
should play in the education process.
Background:
Technology has become an important educational tool. However, teachers,
parents and caregivers are still somewhat unclear on the role it should play in
the learning process for young children. How much is too much or not
enough?
What hasresearch discovered regarding children’s usage of digital devices?
Both PBS Kids Research and theJoanGanz Cooney Research Center, founded
by Sesame Street Workshop, have conducted studies indicating that tablets
and touch gestures are very engaging as a platform for young children and

2. Cupcake Digital, Inc. 860 Broadway,3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003
www.cupcakedigital.com
that apps are good because they are totally intuitive.
What role do you think apps should or shouldn’t play in the learning system?
Personally, I’m for a mix of media in education – getting kids to do things
hands on, with tablets and with one another.
How would you evaluate apps as a learning tool?
Apps are nota magic bullet. A learning curriculum needs to bewell-
rounded,apps have to be part of the system in which they are used.
Where does your research fall in the scope of education technology?
Ours is applied research in the entertainment technology area. We get an
interdisciplinary team together to make something – from video games to
films to interactive websites to apps for phones. When we apply our research
to education, we look at how games can be used to help with learning.
People often try to separate education and entertainment, but you are bringing
them together.
We’ve found that good design works in multiple ways. A really well designed
game is a great example of good learning. It teaches you how to play the
game, so when you finish you’ve learned and have also been entertained.
Educators talk about the power of play as an effective learning tool. Do you see
differences between play with a digital device and play with other learning
toys?
They’re comparable; it’s the level of engagement that counts. If you give
children Legos, they’re going to build. Digital experiences need that level of
openness. The best one is Minecraft– a game that lets kids do whatever they
want. Children as early as age four can play it, even grad students!

3. Cupcake Digital, Inc. 860 Broadway,3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003
www.cupcakedigital.com
How is a child interacting with an app’s experience differ from a child watching
a TV program such as “Sesame Street?”
With a tablet, kids assume they have agency within the experience,and they
are looking for choices. The better TV shows make kids feel engaged, too. But
because apps are interactive, children have control.
What disadvantages are related to playing with apps?
If an iPadbecomes the only toy they want to play with --as opposed to part of
their overall learning ecology – it’s not good. Educational games can keep
kids entertained while they learn, but they find less need to ask parents for
help. So, parents might also pay less attention and miss opportunities to bond
with their kid.
If you were to offer parents guidelines for allowing their children to engage in
app play, what would those be?
I would direct parents to the Radical Parenting website for advice. An article
on the site suggests that parents make sure equal time is spent with
technology, reading and outdoor activities.
What should parents/caregivers/educators look for in choosing apps for
children?
I recommend apps that are well reviewed by Common Sense Media,
Children’s Tech Review and Parents’ Choice Foundation. I’d look at whether
the app developer has relationships with educational institutions. On the
other hand, I see nothing wrong with apps just for fun.
What would you say to reassure parents and educators who are resistant to
allowing young children to use digital devices?

4. Cupcake Digital, Inc. 860 Broadway,3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003
www.cupcakedigital.com
It’s all about moderation. If you’re part of the experience with them, then it’s
education not just for kids but for you as well.
How have peopleadapted to the new technologies?
It’s a huge spectrum-- from early adapters to those who say they’re not
interested. The cool thing is that technology just gets to be a seamless part of
our lives. You used to plan a trip with maps and AAA TripTiks. Now, all you
need is your iPhone with Google maps.
Do you think educators are adapting as quickly as they need to in order to take
advantage of new technologies?
It’s a fallacy to think we can get teachers to adapt quickly to technology that
kids are more comfortable with than they are. We can do better by setting up
the system so that reasonable workloads give teachers time to learn and
adopt technologies more effectively.
What do app developers need to do to meet the demands of today's consumer
audiences?
They need to collaborate with subject experts, learning consultants and
assessment designers throughout thedevelopment process, to get a good
sense of the effectiveness of the app as it helps with learning.
What do you see as the next phase of educational app design?
I see more connected families of apps, like Toca Boca. It’s a suite of tightly
integrated appswith a solid experience and educational design traveling
across it.
What is Cupcake Digital is doing well to marry entertainment, technology and
education?

5. Cupcake Digital, Inc. 860 Broadway,3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003
www.cupcakedigital.com
Cupcake is strengthening partnerships to make apps more educationally
sound, reaching out to Common Core and subject experts for advice.
About Cupcake Digital
Cupcake Digital, Inc. was established in June 2012, and has been successfully
transforming children’s entertainment properties into enhanced story
experiences and learn& play apps, giving kids an opportunity to interact with
the characters they love. The Company has created noteworthy, award-
winning digital applications based on the Emmy®-winning television series
“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!®” The Jim Henson Company's “Fraggle Rock,”
American Greetings' Strawberry Shortcake as well as Discovery’s Animal
Planet brand. The company’s apps are consistently top-ranked among
children's book and education apps on the Apple App Store, Amazon, Google
Play and the Barnes & Noble NOOK Store. Headquartered in NYC, Cupcake
Digital was founded by proven professionals in the fields of technology,
family entertainment, publishing and brand marketing. In October 2012,
Cupcake Digital received its first round of private funding and has since gone
on to partner with leading children's entertainment properties worldwide
and has received four Parents' Choice Awards and two CynopsisKids
!magination Awards. For more information about Cupcake Digital Inc., please
visit www.cupcakedigital.com.