5,364 research outputs found

    Second annual progress report

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    Stakeholders’ forum general report

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    EU Kids Online III: a thematic network to stimulate and coordinate investigation into the use of new media by children

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    Children and The Internet in Ireland: Research and Policy Perspectives

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    For good or ill, the internet is now very much part of children’s lifestyles today. Indeed, it is hardly possible to approach contemporary childhood – its possibilities and its risks – without understanding the degree to which information and communications technologies (ICTs) are embedded in every aspect of young people’s lives. For policy makers, the fast pace of change in the technology sector represents an additional challenge and effective interventions to protect children as well as promote positive opportunities sometimes struggle to keep up an environment that continues to evolve rapidly. There is also a tension between some of the competing responses that children’s use of the internet evokes: whether children are viewed as ‘digital natives’ or as helpless victims of online threats, there is a difficult balancing act between promoting use of the internet as something positive and beneficial for young people’s futures, whilst seeking to minimize risks they may encounter in an environment that is difficult to regulate

    Growing up Online: Some Myths and Facts About Children\u27s Digital Lives in Ireland Today

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    Digital technologies and the widespread adoption of the internet have given rise to an unprecedented social transformation that is having a profound impact on childhood today. While debate continues on the precise nature of its effects and the extent to which we can refer to a distinctly different ‘digital’ generation, there is growing consensus that the centrality of new modes of sociality and new ways of communicating online in children’s lives today are shaping new contours of risk and of opportunity. This paper examines some of the myths and the facts about children\u27s use of the internet in Ireland today as revealed in the EU Kids Online survey of children’s use of the internet across Europe. It also explores ideas of media ecology and how they may help us understand the opportunities, challenges and risks of growing up in today\u27s digital environment. Does the concept of media education that evolved in the era of Telstar have the same relevance for the children of Facebook? What are the implications for policy makers today and how can we ensure that the information society remains an inclusive and positive phenomenon in the lives of children

    Parent-child interactions: what is the role of smartphones?

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    Background The importance of parent-child attachment in supporting child wellbeing and development has been well-documented in the literature. However, modern technologies may act as a barrier to parent-child interactions. Currently, literature suggests many parents identify decreased feelings of social connectedness and lower levels of attention quality when using their smartphones while caring for children. However, no research to date has explored children’s perspectives of parental smartphone use. Aims This research explored the perceived impact of parental smartphone use on children, by gathering both children’s and parents’ perspectives. Two principal research questions identified were: 1. How do children perceive parental smartphone use? 2. What are parents’ experiences of using smartphones when caring for children? Methods Children’s perspectives were elicited using a Short Story Methodology, with children asked to complete one of three story variations. Parental perspectives were gathered using an online questionnaire, consisting of both open and closed ended questions. Closed ended questions were taken from the Distraction in Social Relations and Use of Parent Technology (DISRUPT) scale (McDaniel, 2016), while open-ended questions asked parents about their experiences of their smartphone use when spending time with children. Descriptive analyses were performed on the quantitative data, while the qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results Children identified negative emotional responses in relation to the disrupted parent child interactions. Children also discussed negotiations that occur with caregivers when interactions are disrupted. Parents identified a number of ways in which smartphones intrude on family life, as well as external pressures and personal factors which cause them to engage in smartphone use. Conclusions Exploring the impact parental screen time has on children may provide valuable insights when examining the ecological factors that may be influencing child development. For educational psychologists, these factors are important to consider when supporting children and their families.N

    Play and Technology:a Study Of ICTs In Play Activities Of Irish Children (4-8 and 8-12)

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    Defined in the Ireland’s national play policy as ‘freely chosen, personally directed, intrinsically motivated behaviour that actively engages the child’ (NCO, 2004, p.10), play now more often than not is a technologically-mediated activity. This paper focuses on the role of technology in play and explores the impact of technological change on children’s play activities. Drawing on our study commissioned by Ireland’s National Children’s Office, we present a detailed exploration of the play activities of Irish children, identifying the range of technologies accessed by children and how they are used in their daily play patterns. The project provided children with an opportunity to express their views and the research presents children’s perspectives on the meanings, interpretations and value placed on technology-based play. We also document the views of parents and teachers on the opportunities and dangers involved. Research findings evaluate the extent of the penetration of technology into children’s lives and look at the wider implications for physiological and behavioural development, education and lifestyle. These draft research findings offer valuable comparative data with which to identify the most important issues for future research and greatly complement existing research within this underdeveloped field

    Improving Children’s Wellbeing through Media Literacy Education: an Irish Study

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    This study reports the findings from a pilot RCT, which determined the effect of 4 lessons of a media literacy intervention on children’s wellbeing. Data was collected from children aged 8-11 in 7 primary schools in Ireland (nPaired data=324). On average teachers in the treatment group delivered 150 minutes of a newly launched media literacy intervention. By means of a pen and paper based questionnaire, changes in children’s wellbeing were recorded. The impact of covariates of gender and screen consumption on children’s wellbeing was also explored. Findings indicate scope to improve children’s wellbeing. The study determines that 4 media literacy lessons, delivered as a component of the wellbeing curriculum, had a statistically significant positive effect on children’s wellbeing. Girls are reporting higher levels of wellbeing and screen consumption was found to be negatively correlated with wellbeing. Experimental studies on the impact of media literacy lessons on children’s wellbeing are sparse. The findings demonstrate the positive contribution media literacy lessons can make to primary curriculum, and add to the body of research that advocates for compulsory media literacy teachings in primary curriculum

    My feed does not define me: the role of social networking site usage in adolescent self-concept

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    Introduction: Adolescence is a critical period of self-concept development. However, with the prevalence of social networking site use amongst this age group, this development is now occurring in a completely different context when compared to previous generations. Aims: This study aimed to investigate 1) the intensity of adolescent social networking site use, 2) discrepancies between adolescent and parent estimations of their social networking site intensity and their actual social networking site usage, 3) the relationship between social networking site usage and adolescent self-concept and 4) whether this relationship is mediated by adolescents’ social comparison tendencies. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of adolescents (N = 86, Mage = 16.8) and their parents completed a web-based questionnaire composed of reliable and validated measures including the Social Networking Intensity Scale and the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Participants also recorded their social networking site usage for one week using a recording application installed on their device. Results: Data analyses included descriptive statistics, a Hierarchical Multiple Regression and a One-Way Analysis of Variance. Results showed that participants spent an average of 1 hour and 35 minutes on social networking sites per day. The most popular sites amongst participants were Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp and the most common uses included talking with friends and family, finding entertaining content and feeling involved with what is going on with others. A significant difference was found between self and parent-reported social networking site usage and actual social networking site usage. Time spent on social networking sites or social networking site intensity did not predict adolescents’ general self-concept. Discussion: The results of this study did not provide evidence as to an association between social networking site intensity and adolescent self-concept. Results, implications and limitations are discussed in relation to previous literature and theory, educational psychology practice and policy.N
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