Towards understanding young children’s digital lives in China and Australia

Gou, He and Dezuanni, Michael Towards understanding young children’s digital lives in China and Australia. Comunicar, 2018, vol. 26, n. 57, pp. 81-90. [Journal article (Paginated)]

[thumbnail of In English]
Preview
Text (In English)
c5708en.pdf - Published version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike.

Download (866kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of En español]
Preview
Text (En español)
c5708es.pdf

Download (1MB) | Preview

English abstract

This article develops insights and generates new lines of inquiry into young children’s digital lives in China and Australia. It brings to dialogue findings from a national study of young children's digital media use in urban settings in China with findings from studies in Australia. This is not presented as a direct comparison, but rather as an opportunity to shed light on children’s digital lives in two countries and to account for the impact of context in relatively different social and cultural circumstances. The article outlines findings from a study of 1,171 preschool-aged children (3 to 7-year-olds) in six provinces in China, including the frequency of their use of television, early education digital devices, computers, tablet computers and smartphones, music players, e-readers and games consoles. It also focuses on various activities such as watching cartoons, using educational apps, playing games and participating in video chat. Methods included a multistage sampling process, random selection of kindergartens, a weighted sampling process, the generation of descriptive data and the use of linear regression analysis, and a chi-square test. The study demonstrates the significance of a range of factors that influence the amount of time spent with digital media. The contrast with Australian studies produces new insights and generates new research questions.

Spanish abstract

Este artículo desarrolla ideas y genera nuevas líneas de investigación sobre las vidas digitales de los niños en China y Australia, en discusión con las conclusiones de estudios nacionales sobre el uso de los medios digitales por parte de los niños en entornos urbanos en China y Australia. El trabajo gira en torno al mundo digital de los niños en los dos países, analizando el impacto del contexto en ámbitos sociales y culturales significativamente diferentes. El estudio abarca una muestra de 1.171 niños de 3 a 7 años, de seis provincias de China, presentando la frecuencia de uso de televisión, dispositivos digitales en la educación temprana, ordenadores, tabletas y teléfonos inteligentes, reproductores de música, libros electrónicos y videoconsolas. También se enfoca en diversas actividades como ver dibujos animados, usar aplicaciones educativas, jugar a videojuegos y participar en videollamadas. Los métodos incluyeron un proceso de muestreo multietapa, con selección aleatoria de jardines infantiles, un proceso de muestreo ponderado, la generación de datos descriptivos y el uso del análisis de regresión lineal, y una prueba de chi-cuadrado. El estudio demuestra la importancia del rango de factores que influyen en la cantidad de tiempo que pasan con los medios digitales. El contraste con los estudios australianos produce nuevos conocimientos y genera nuevas preguntas de investigación.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Digital media; young children; pre-school; screen time; tablet; computers; television; Medios digitales; infancia; preescolar; tiempo frente a la pantalla; tableta; ordenadores; televisión
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
G. Industry, profession and education.
G. Industry, profession and education. > GH. Education.
Depositing user: Alex Ruiz
Date deposited: 01 Apr 2019 14:44
Last modified: 01 Apr 2019 14:44
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/33832

References

ACMA (2015). Children’s television viewing-research overview. Sydney: Australian Communications and Media Authority. https://goo.gl/8SEiuS<br>AIFS (2016). The longitudinal study of Australian children. Annual Statistical Report 2015. Melbourne: <br>Anand, S., & Krosnick, J. (2005). Demographic predictors of media use among infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. American Behavioral Scientist, 48(5), 539-561. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764204271512<br>Appadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at large cultural dimensions of globalization. Minneapolis (USA): University of Minnesota Press. https://goo.gl/HheGZ9<br>Australian Institute of Family Studies. https://goo.gl/r6n9r1<br>Calvert, S.L., & Wilson, B.J. (2008). The handbook of children, media, and development. Chichester (UK); Malden (USA): Wiley-Blackwell. https://goo.gl/ERwr1r<br>Chen, B.B., Wang, Y., Liang. J., & Tong, L. (2016). And baby makes four: Biological and psychological changes and influential factors of firstborn’s adjustment to transition to siblinghood. Advances in sychological Science, 24(6), 863-873. https://goo.gl/nMzjyX<br>Chen, H. (2015). The alienation tendency and reform of family expansion education investment. Modern Primary and Secondary Education, 31(8), 5-8. https://goo.gl/oBYH4S<br>Chi, W., Qian, X.Y, & Wu, B.Z. (2012). An empirical study of household educational expenditure burden in urban China. Tsinghua Journal of Education, 33(3), 75-82. https://goo.gl/z9EV5B<br>CNNIC (2016). Chinese young people’s online behavior Annual Report 2015. Beijing: China Internet Network Information Centre. https://goo.gl/1f1TU9<br>Coenen. P., Erin, H., Amity, C., & Leon, S. (2015). Mobile touch screen device use among young Australian children: First results from a national survey. Proceedings 19th Triennial Congress of the IEA, Melbourne 9-14 August, 2015. https://goo.gl/3LgcvW<br>Common Sense Media (2011). Zero to eight: Children’s Media Use in America. https://goo.gl/n4Cm2k<br>Common Sense Media (2013). Zero to eight: Children’s Media Use in America 2013. https://goo.gl/T2YtR1<br>Hamilton, K., Hatzis, D., Kavanagh, D., & White, J. (2015). Exploring parents’ beliefs about their young child’s physical activity and screen time behaviours. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(9), 2638-2652. https://goo.gl/eBVKDJ<br>Holloway, D., Green, L., & Livingstone, S. (2013). Zero to eight: Young children and their Internet use. LSE, London: EU Kids Online. (https://goo.gl/MNAAPT).<br>Hong, Y.X., & Dong, X.Y. (2015). From ‘the death of childhood’ to children’s ‘digital enclosure’. Journalism Lover, 12, 34-37. https://goo.gl/WB8Laq<br>Huston, A., Wright, J., Marquis, J., Green, S., & Dannemiller, J.L. (1999). How young children spend their time: Television and other activities. Developmental Psychology, 35(4), 912-925. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.35.4.912<br>Jordan, A.B. (2016). Presidential Address: Digital media use and the experience(s) of childhood: Reflections across the generations. Journal of Communication, 66(6), 879-887. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12265<br>Li, H., Zhou, Z.K., & Wu, X.P. (2014). Investigation of the media use among children aged 3 to 6 years, Shanghai Research on Education, 5, 57-59. https://goo.gl/eFhqad<br>Li, M.Y, & Wang, Q. (2014). Investigation of three- to- six- year-old children’s use of multimedia at home in Beijing. Journal of Education Studies, 6, 95-102. https://goo.gl/iYEFr1<br>Marsh, J., Lydia, P., Dylan, Y., Julia, B., & Fiona. S. (2016). Digital play: A new classification. Early Years, 36(3), 242-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2016.1167675<br>Neumann, M.M. (2015). Young children and screen time: Creating a mindful approach to digital technology. Australian Educational Computing, 30(2). https://goo.gl/dCH6ea<br>Nikken, P., & Schols, M. (2015). How and why parents guide the media use of young children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(11), 3423-3435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0144-4<br>Ostrov, J.M., Gentile, D.A., & Mullins, A.D. (2013). Evaluating the effect of educational media exposure on aggression in early childhood. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 34(1), 38-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2012.09.005<br>Paik, H., & Comstock, G. (1994). The effects of television violence on antisocial behavior: A meta-analysis. Communication Research, 21(4), 516-546. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365094021004004<br>Radesky, J., Peacock-Chambers, E., Zuckerman, B., & Silverstein, M. (2016). Use of mobile technology to calm upset children: Associations with social-emotional development. JAMA Pediatrics, 170(4), 397-399. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4260<br>Sefton-Green, J., Marsh, J., Erstad, O., & Flewitt, R. (2016). Establishing a research agenda for the digital literacy practices of young children: A white paper for COST Action IS1410. https://goo.gl/UiNF91<br>Thorpe, K., Hansen, J., Danby, S., Zaki, F.M., Grant, S., Houen, S.,… Given, L.M. (2015). Digital access to knowledge in the preschool classroom: Reports from Australia. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 32, 174-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2015.04.001<br>Wu, C.S.T., Fowler, C., Lam, W.Y.Y., Wong, H.T., Wong, C.H.M., & Loke, A.Y. (2014). Parenting approaches and digital technology use of preschool age children in a Chinese community. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 40, 44. https://doi.org/10.1186/1824-7288-40-44<br>Yang, X., Wang, Z., & Zhu, L. (2016). Electronic media use guidelines for young children. Studies in Early Childhood Education, 11, 24-37. https://goo.gl/PPzUe3<br>Yu, M. (2016). Preschoolers’ touch screen media use in Nanchang. Radio & TV Journal, 2, 131-132. https://goo.gl/oiRFfc<br>


Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item