What Do Preschool Teachers and Parents Think about the Influence of Screen-Time Exposure on Children’s Development? Challenges and Opportunities
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Participants and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Instruments
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Sociodemographic Analysis
3.2. Descriptive Statistics
3.3. Content Analysis
3.3.1. Changes in Children’s Play Habits/Patterns
“When I started working, children played more in pretend play, in the doll’s house, building things, they were more creative and loved to play, playing the role of mother and father…”(Ed05)
“They used to play more symbolic games, in the playhouse, taking into account the experiences they saw at home and with friends...”(Ed08)
“I noticed from year to year, literally, I noticed more difficulties knowing how to play! (...) picks up and drops the toy without that ability to explore and understand what to do with it or not...”(Ed03)
“…playing, by itself, involves a certain violence, in quotes, that they see in movies, that they see on television or on the computer...”(Ed04)
“They are very aggressive when playing. (...) Influenced by the cartoons that they watch at home, movies that they have an increasing habit of clinging to the tablet, watching these movies…”(Ed05)
“In terms of playing, I think that the interests are still the same, they play in the same areas... (...) they continue to look for the same, perhaps in a different way, I think.”(Ed06)
3.3.2. Changes in Children’s Attitudes and Behaviors
“It’s hard to keep children’s attention these days.”(Ed01)
“Their interest in things is a very fortuitous, very fleeting interest...”(Ed02)
“Today they explore a bit and get tired quickly, they have to change activities and playing areas constantly because they can’t...”(Ed06)
“I think kids don’t really have that, that interest and it’s harder to get their attention…”(Ed07)
“The threshold of tolerance, frustration, is very low so they easily get frustrated, get upset”(Ed01)
“I start to notice children at an early age, with unusual areas of interest for their age, eg science, dinosaurs, speaking in other languages…”(Ed01)
“A big lack of self-regulation is also another thing we see a lot”(Ed02)
“They are much more insightful today, earlier.”(Ed06)
3.3.3. Pedagogic Strategies/Methodologies Used by Educators
“…the use of technologies too… I started to introduce PowerPoint stories, I have the computer in the classroom…”(Ed01)
“So I use a lot the CD players or the pen drive because it is one of the things that still attracts them a lot, everything that is for listening”(Ed03)
“The use of the computer, the use of the projector… because it is something that fascinates them”(Ed09)
3.3.4. Use of Technologies in the School Context
“It is much harder to keep them calm if the television is not turned on”(Ed03)
“New technologies are much more exciting for them!”(Ed06)
“I don’t think it is a direct relationship, technologies means more attention... or more... not!”(Ed01)
“When we are doing search tasks, we almost use the computer on a daily basis…”(Ed01)
“What I really use the most is the music recorder... I really use it a lot, I think I can even say daily”(Ed02)
“Not the computer! Just occasionally, for searches, for a story.”(Ed03)
“The computer and the projector are used daily…”(Ed09)
3.3.5. Specific Training in Educational Technology
“...the computer, the interactive whiteboard... especially these, in an informatic’s level, and then, certain programs that also help us to do work with the children, right?”(Ed04)
“We were forced to update ourselves about software… for example, Excel was needed to interpret and register the assessments and statistics, that’s it, more on the bureaucratic part…”(Ed05)
(about the pandemic period) “...the need for learning has increased because the need of using this kind of methods has increased.”(Ed08)
3.3.6. Children’s Learning and Language Development
“Playing is poor and socialization is compromised”(Ed01)
“The biggest difficulty at this moment, I think, is about articulation and fluency”(Ed02)
“More childlike... They use a language with more childlike terms and deficits in sentence construction.”(Ed05)
“I feel that there are more and more children with language problems…”(Ed09)
“I think that the vocabulary for some kids has increased.”(Ed01)
“There are children able to show a language development superior to their age level.”(Ed06)
“Through YouTubers, games... it’s like that, above all on YouTube, YouTube videos, on smartphone games, and, at school, they talk a lot on mobile phones.”(Ed01)
“I don’t know if I’m being fair or unfair, but I can see more negative than positive aspects in the use of technologies…”(Ed02)
“Many Brazilian videos distort children’s language…”(Ed08)
“I think parents don’t spend much time playing with them…”(Ed09)
3.3.7. Additional Information
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Li, X.; Atkins, M.S. Early Childhood Computer Experience and Cognitive and Motor Development. Pediatrics 2004, 113, 1715–1722. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Espinosa, L.M.; Laffey, J.M.; Whittaker, T.; Sheng, Y. Technology in the Home and the Achievement of Young Children: Findings From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Early Educ. Dev. 2006, 17, 421–441. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bavelier, D.; Green, C.S.; Dye, M.W.G. Children, wired: For better and for worse. Neuron 2010, 67, 692–701. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Zimmerman, F.J.; Christakis, D.A. Children’s Television Viewing and Cognitive Outcomes: A Longitudinal Analysis of National Data. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2005, 159, 619–625. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Zimmerman, J.F.; Christakis, D.A.; Meltzoff, A.N. Associations between Media Viewing and Language Development in Children Under Age 2 Years. J. Pediatr. 2007, 151, 364–368. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Van den Heuvel, M.; Ma, J.; Borkhoff, C.M.; Koroshegyi, C.; Dai, D.W.; Parkin, P.C.; Maguire, J.L.; Birken, C.S. Mobile Media Device Use is Associated with Expressive Language Delay in 18-Month-Old Children. J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 2019, 40, 99–104. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Jordan, A. The Role of Media in Children’s Development: An Ecological Perspective. J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 2004, 25, 196–206. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Radesky, J.S.; Schumacher, J.; Zuckerman, B. Mobile and Interactive Media Use by Young Children: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown. Pediatrics 2015, 135, 1–3. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Supanitayanon, S.; Trairatvorakul, P.; Chonchaiya, W. Screen media exposure in the first 2 years of life and preschool cognitive development: A longitudinal study. Pediatr. Res. 2020, 88, 894–902. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rideout, V. Zero to Eight—Children’s Media Use in America 2013; Sense, C., Ed.; CommonSense Media: San Francisco, CA, USA, 2013. [Google Scholar]
- Rideout, V.R.; Michael, B. The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age Zero To Eight; CommonSense Media: San Francisco, CA, USA, 2020. [Google Scholar]
- Pereira, C.O.; Calvete, G.; Brito, N.; Cunha, F.I.; Fernandes, A. As tecnologias de informação e comunicação nos primeiros anos de vida. Revista Saúde Infantil—Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra 2018, 40, 104. [Google Scholar]
- Póvoas, M.; Castro, T.; Mateus, A.M.; Costa, M.; Escária, A.; Miranda, C. O brincar da criança em idade pré-escolar. Acta Pediátrica Portuguesa 2013, 44, 108–112. [Google Scholar]
- Rodrigues, D.; Gama, A.; Machado-Rodrigues, A.M.; Nogueira, H.; Silva, M.R.G.; Rosado-Marques, V.; Padez, C. Social inequalities in traditional and emerging screen devices among Portuguese children: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2020, 20, 902. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Faria, H.d.C.; Costa, I.P.e.; Neto, A.S. Hábitos de Utilização das Novas Tecnologias em Crianças e Jovens: Habits of Use of New Technologies in Children and Young People. Gazeta Médica 2018, 5, 4. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- AAP. Media and Young Minds. Pediatrics 2016, 138, e20162591. [Google Scholar]
- WHO. Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Sleep for Children under 5 Years of Age; WHO, Ed.; World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2019; p. 33. [Google Scholar]
- Levin, D.E. Remote Control Childhood? Combating the Hazards of Media Culture; National Association for the Education of Young Children: Washington, DC, USA, 1998; p. 58. [Google Scholar]
- Doliopoulou, E.; Rizou, C. Greek kindergarten teachers’ and parents’ views about changes in play since their own childhood. Eur. Early Child. Educ. Res. J. 2012, 20, 133–147. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dong, C. Preschool teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices: Young children’s use of ICT. Early Child Dev. Care 2016, 188, 635–650. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dong, C.; Mertala, P. It is a Tool, but not a ‘Must’: Early Childhood Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of ICT and its Affordances. Early Years 2019, 41, 540–555. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Nikolopoulou, K.; Gialamas, V. ICT and play in preschool: Early childhood teachers’ beliefs and confidence. Int. J. Early Years Educ. 2015, 23, 409–425. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coutinho, C.P. Metodologia de Investigação em Ciências Sociais e Humanas: Teoria e Prática; Leya: Coimbra/Almedina, Portugal, 2018. [Google Scholar]
- Association, W.M. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. JAMA 2013, 310, 2191–2194. [Google Scholar]
- Bardin, L. Análise de Conteúdo; Lisboa: Edicões, Portugal, 2011; Volume 70. [Google Scholar]
- Conners-Burrow, N.A.; McKelvey, L.M.; Fussell, J.J. Social Outcomes Associated With Media Viewing Habits of Low-Income Preschool Children. Early Educ. Dev. 2011, 22, 256–273. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Özmert, E.; Toyran, M.; Yurdakök, K. Behavioral Correlates of Television Viewing in Primary School Children Evaluated by the Child Behavior Checklist. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2002, 156, 910–914. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Tamana, S.K.; Ezeugwu, V.; Chikuma, J.; Lefebvre, D.L.; Azad, M.B.; Moraes, T.J.; Subbarao, P.; Becker, A.B.; Turvey, S.E.; Sears, M.R.; et al. Screen-time is associated with inattention problems in preschoolers: Results from the CHILD birth cohort study. PLoS ONE 2019, 14, e0213995. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Twenge, J.; Campbell, W.K. Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Prev. Med. Rep. 2018, 12, 271–283. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- McQuade, L.; McLaughlin, M.; Giles, M.; Cassidy, T. Play Across the Generations: Perceptions of Changed play Patterns in Childhood. J. Soc. Sci. Hum. 2019, 5, 90–96. [Google Scholar]
- Ramasut, A.; Papatheodorou, T. Teachers’ Perceptions of Children’s Behaviour Problems in Nursery Classes in Greece. Sch. Psychol. Int. 1994, 15, 145–161. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Operto, F.F.; Pastorino, G.M.G.; Marciano, J.; de Simone, V.; Volini, A.P.; Olivieri, M.; Buonaiuto, R.; Vetri, L.; Viggiano, A.; Coppola, G. Digital Devices Use and Language Skills in Children between 8 and 36 Month. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 656. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Richert, R.A.; Robb, M.B.; Fender, J.G.; Wartella, E. Word learning from baby videos. Arch. Pediatri. Adolesc. Med. 2021, 164, 432–437. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Dong, C. ‘Young children nowadays are very smart in ICT’—Preschool teachers’ perceptions of ICT use. Int. J. Early Years Educ. 2018, 1–14. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Roseberry, S.; Hirsh-Pasek, K.; Golinkoff, R.M. Skype me! Socially contingent interactions help toddlers learn language. Child. Dev. 2014, 85, 956–970. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- McCarrick, K.; Li, X. Buried Treasure: The Impact of Computer Use on Young Children’s Social, Cognitive, Language Development and Motivation. AACE J. 2007, 15, 73–95. [Google Scholar]
- Kumtepe, A. The effects of computers on kindergarten children’s social skills. Turk. Online J. Educ. Technol.—TOJET 2006, 5, 52–57. [Google Scholar]
- Nikolopoulou, K.; Gialamas, V. Barriers to the integration of computers in early childhood settings: Teachers’ perceptions. Educ. Inf. Technol. 2015, 20, 285–301. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Categories/Themes | Questions |
---|---|
Information about the interviewed | -How many years have you been working as a preschool teacher? |
Changes in children’s play habits/patterns | -Comparing the children of today with those of 10 years ago, or when you started working, do you feel that there has been a change in the children’s playing habits? Which ones? Is there an episode that you can tell that reveals this trend? |
Teaching strategies/methodologies used | -Over the last decade, did you feel the need to change your work strategies to increase children’s motivation? What had to be modified? |
Technologies in schools | -Do you feel that children get more motivated when using technology? Do you have any examples you can tell? -Does the institution/school where you work have a computer? And internet access? And other technological devices? Which ones? -How often do you use these devices in the classroom? How do children react to these devices? |
Need of specialized training | -Do you feel that you had to make adjustments in your professional attitude or acquire more training (formal or informal) to face the new challenges posed by technology? |
Children’s language development | -Do you feel that, over the last decade, children reveal more language disorders? How would you describe these changes? -What about the vocabulary used? And sentence formation? Articulation? Socialization and interaction with peers and adults? -Do you feel that some of these difficulties may be associated with screen-time? In what way? -Do children tend to use words in other languages? Which ones? Where do you believe they get in touch with these languages? Do you have any story you would like to share that reveals this trend? |
Additional information | -Do you have any outstanding moments that you would like to share concerning your own experience within this theme? |
Age | Gender | Academic Qualification | Years as Preschool Teacher | Professional Experience | Training on New Technologies | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ed01 | 35 | Female | Higher Education | 14 | Private Education | No |
Ed02 | 52 | Female | Higher Education | 33 | 2 y Private Education + 31 y Public Education | Yes |
Ed03 | 30 | Female | Master’s degree | 8 | Private Education | No |
Ed04 | 56 | Female | Higher Education | 33 | Public Education | Yes |
Ed05 | 49 | Female | Higher Education | 26 | 8 y Private Education + 18 y Public Education | Yes |
Ed06 | 46 | Female | Higher Education | 21 | 20 y Private Education + 1 y Public Education | No |
Ed07 | 46 | Female | Higher Education | 24 | 13 y Private Education + 11 y Public Education | Yes |
Ed08 | 52 | Female | Master’s degree | 31 | 9 y Private Education + 2 y Childcare Center + 20 y Public Education | Yes |
Ed09 | 51 | Female | Master’s degree | 31 | 6 y Private Education + 12 y as Coordinator + 13 y Public Education | No |
Devices Used at Home | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Television | Computer | Videogames | Smartphone | Tablet | Internet | |
253 (95.11%) | 52 (19.55%) | 51 (19.17%) | 176 (66.17%) | 162 (60.90%) | 174 (65.41%) | |
Exposure time (hours per day) on weekdays | ||||||
Television | Computer | Videogames | Smartphone | Tablet | Internet | |
<1 h | 71 (26.69%) | 258 (96.99%) | 254 (95.49%) | 171 (64.29%) | 198 (74.44%) | 193 (72.56%) |
(1–2 h)] | 121 (45.49%) | 5 (1.88%) | 8 (3.01%) | 61 (22.93%) | 47 (17.67%) | 44 (16.54%) |
(2–3 h) | 43 (16.17%) | 1 (0.38%) | 2 (0.75%) | 24 (9.02%) | 14 (5.26%) | 21 (7.89%) |
>3 h | 31 (11.65%) | 2 (0.75%) | 2 (0.75%) | 10 (3.76%) | 7 (2.63%) | 8 (3,01%) |
Exposure time (hours per day) at weekends | ||||||
Television | Computer | Videogames | Smartphone | Tablet | Internet | |
<1 h | 23 (8.65%) | 252 (94.74%) | 233 (87.59%) | 132 (49.62%) | 163 (61.28%) | 163 (61.28%) |
(1–2 h) | 78 (29.32%) | 12 (4.51%) | 20 (7.52%) | 56 (21,05%) | 58 (21.80%) | 44 (16.54%) |
(2–3 h) | 77 (28.95%) | 2 (0.75%) | 8 (3.01%) | 41 (15.41%) | 30 (11.28%) | 27 (10.15%) |
>3 h | 88 (33.08%) | 0 (0%) | 5 (1.88%) | 37 (13.91%) | 15 (5.64%) | 32 (12.03%) |
Yes | No | |||||
TV in bedroom | 107 (40.23%) | 159 (59.77%) | ||||
Own smartphone or tablet | 83 (31.20%) | 183 (68.80%) | ||||
Programs or apps used | ||||||
Cartoon | Music videos | Other videos (tutorials, YouTubers) | Entertainment games | Educative games | Other | |
254 (95.49%) | 151 (56.77%) | 99 (37.22%) | 96 (36.09%) | 140 (52.63%) | 3 (1.13%) | |
Circumstances of use | ||||||
Whenever he/she asks | While parents are busy | Feed him/her | Put him/her to sleep | Keep him/her calm | None of the situations | |
29 (10.90%) | 159 (59.77%) | 42 (15.79%) | 14 (5.26%) | 27 (10.15%) | 65 (24.44%) |
Using Vocabulary in Another Language | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | |||
162 (60.90%) | 104 (39.10%) | |||
Second languages used | ||||
Brazilian Portuguese | English | French | Spanish | Other |
110 (41.35%) | 111 (41.73%) | 8 (3,01%) | 12 (4.51%) | 0 (0%) |
Circumstances of contact with other languages | ||||
Family | TV or videos | Youtubers | School | Other |
59 (22.18%) | 120 (45.11%) | 56 (21.05%) | 34 (12.78%) | 7 (2.63%) |
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. |
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Monteiro, R.; Fernandes, S.; Rocha, N. What Do Preschool Teachers and Parents Think about the Influence of Screen-Time Exposure on Children’s Development? Challenges and Opportunities. Educ. Sci. 2022, 12, 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010052
Monteiro R, Fernandes S, Rocha N. What Do Preschool Teachers and Parents Think about the Influence of Screen-Time Exposure on Children’s Development? Challenges and Opportunities. Education Sciences. 2022; 12(1):52. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010052
Chicago/Turabian StyleMonteiro, Rita, Sandra Fernandes, and Nuno Rocha. 2022. "What Do Preschool Teachers and Parents Think about the Influence of Screen-Time Exposure on Children’s Development? Challenges and Opportunities" Education Sciences 12, no. 1: 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010052