engleski

The Role of Digital Tehcnology in the Lives of Young Children in Croatia

In this qualitative study, ten Croatian families from Osijek and its surroundings, having at least one child aged 6 to 7, were chosen to examine young children’s and their families' experiences with new technologies. We wanted to find out what devices children at that age used, what they used them for, what they thought and how they felt about using such devices and why they used them. Furthermore, we wanted to find out what the parents thought about the children’s engagement with digital technology – what were their perceptions of risks and opportunities, how much time they allowed their children to use the devices, to what end and why. Data collected from the parents are based on their answering the questions from the Protocol of Observation during the interview. Data collected from the children are based on observations and interviews conducted with the help of a card game and an activity book. The result of this study provided us with an insight into young children’s and their families' everyday life and how, in this context, they engage in new (online) technologies. The results show that digital technology is an integral part of the lives of the families included in the sample, but it does not dominate their daily routines. The children enjoy using digital technology, but the parents have somewhat ambivalent feelings towards such use.

young children, digital technology, qualitative study

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