Keywords
Digital media, young children, pre-school, screen time, tablet, computers, television
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.
References
ACMA (2015). Children’s television viewing-research overview. Sydney: Australian Communications and Media Authority. https://goo.gl/8SEiuS
AIFS (2016). The longitudinal study of Australian children. Annual Statistical Report 2015. Melbourne:
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
Appadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at large cultural dimensions of globalization. Minneapolis (USA): University of Minnesota Press. https://goo.gl/HheGZ9
Australian Institute of Family Studies. https://goo.gl/r6n9r1
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
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
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
CNNIC (2016). Chinese young people’s online behavior Annual Report 2015. Beijing: China Internet Network Information Centre. https://goo.gl/1f1TU9
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
Common Sense Media (2011). Zero to eight: Children’s Media Use in America. https://goo.gl/n4Cm2k
Common Sense Media (2013). Zero to eight: Children’s Media Use in America 2013. https://goo.gl/T2YtR1
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
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).
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
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
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
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
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
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
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
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
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
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
Link DOI | Link Google Scholar
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
Yu, M. (2016). Preschoolers’ touch screen media use in Nanchang. Radio & TV Journal, 2, 131-132. https://goo.gl/oiRFfc
Fundref
This work has no financial support
Technical information
Received: 06-02-2018
Revised: 03-04-2018
Accepted: 03-05-2018
OnlineFirst: 15-07-2018
Publication date: 01-10-2018
Article revision time: 55 days | Average time revision issue 57: 38 days
Article acceptance time: 85 days | Average time of acceptance issue 57: 76 days
Preprint editing time: 191 days | Average editing time preprint issue 57: 177 days
Article editing time: 236 days | Average editing time issue 57: 222 days
Metrics
Metrics of this article
Views: 28537
Abstract readings: 24317
PDF downloads: 4220
Full metrics of Comunicar 57
Views: 260450
Abstract readings: 209645
PDF downloads: 50805
Cited by
Cites in Web of Science
Llorent-Bedmar, Vicente; Cobano-Delgado Palma, Veronica; Navarro-Granados, Maria; . The education of Muslim women in Daesh's and Al Qaeda's online magazines STUDIES IN CONFLICT & TERRORISM, 2020.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2019.1709157
Cao, SM; Dong, CAM and Li, H. Digital parenting during the COVID-19 lockdowns: how Chinese parents viewed and mediated young children's digital use EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE, 2021.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2021.2016732
Garcia-Prieto, V; Aguaded, I and Garcia-Rojas, AD. Diversity and public television: analysis of subtitling as an accessibility service COMMUNICATION & SOCIETY-SPAIN, 2022.
https://doi.org/10.15581/003.35.2.121-135
Dong, Chuanmei; Cao, Simin; Li, Hui; . Profiles and Predictors of Young Children's Digital Literacy and Multimodal Practices in Central China ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN DECISION PROCESSES, 2000.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2021.1930937
Gou, H and Perceval, G. Does digital media use increase risk of social-emotional delay for Chinese preschoolers? JOURNAL OF CHILDREN AND MEDIA, 2022.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2022.2118141
Turco, RG; Lesaux, NK and Jones, SM. Home literacy in the digital era: The role of mobile screen media frequency in a US state BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, 2022.
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13259
Wang, GX; Zi, YH; (...); Liu, Y. The Effect of Physical Exercise on Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Fitness among Preschool Children: Study Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, 2022.
Cites in Scopus
Llorent-Bedmar, V., Cobano-Delgado Palma, V., Navarro-Granados, M. . The education of Muslim women in Daesh’s and Al Qaeda’s online magazines), Discourse, .
https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2019.1709157
Dong, C., Cao, S., Li, H. . Profiles and Predictors of Young Children’s Digital Literacy and Multimodal Practices in Central China), Early Education and Development, .
https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2021.1930937
García-Prieto, V., Aguaded, I., García-Rojas, A.D.. Diversity and public television: analysis of subtitling as an accessibility service), Diversity and public television: analysis of subtitling as an accessibility service, .
https://doi.org/10.15581/003.35.2.121-135
Cao, S., Dong, C., Li, H.. Digital parenting during the COVID-19 lockdowns: how Chinese parents viewed and mediated young children’s digital use), Early Child Development and Care, .
https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2021.2016732
Wang, G., Zi, Y., Li, B., (...), Ren, C., Liu, Y. . The Effect of Physical Exercise on Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Fitness among Preschool Children: Study Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, .
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106331
Gou, H., Perceval, G. . Does digital media use increase risk of social-emotional delay for Chinese preschoolers?), Journal of Children and Media, .
https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2022.2118141
Turco, R.G., Lesaux, N.K., Jones, S.M. . Home literacy in the digital era: The role of mobile screen media frequency in a U.S. state), British Journal of Educational Technology, .
Cites in Google Scholar
Wang, G., Zi, Y., Li, B., Su, S., Sun, L., Wang, F., ... & Liu, Y. (2021). The effect of physical exercise on fundamental movement skills and physical fitness among preschool children: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-149945/latest.pdf
Genta, M. L. (2021). Bambini digitali?: Cosa significa davvero mettere in mano ai nostri piccoli cellulari e device. Rischi e opportunità da 0 a 6 anni. FrancoAngeli.
Beltrán Macias, G., & Calderon López, E. D. C. (2020). Diseño de arquitectura empresarial en el sena en procesos de economía naranja bajo marco togaf.
https://repository.unad.edu.co/handle/10596/36328
Llorent-Bedmar, V., Cobano-Delgado Palma, V., & Navarro-Granados, M. (2020). The education of Muslim women in Daesh’s and Al Qaeda’s online magazines. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 1-15.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01596306.2019.1709157
Alternative metrics
How to cite
Gou, H., & Dezuanni, M. (2018). Towards understanding young children’s digital lives in China and Australia. [Hacia la comprensión de las vidas digitales de los niños en China y Australia]. Comunicar, 57, 81-90. https://doi.org/10.3916/C57-2018-08