Rita Brito

The role of parents in the engagement of young children with digital technologies: Exploring tensions between rights of access and protection, from ‘Gatekeepers’ to ‘Scaffolders’

This study investigates the role played by parents as mediators of young children’s access and engagement with digital technologies. In Belgium, Germany, Latvia and Portugal, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 families in each country, including one child between 6 and 7 years old. Our findings show that parents of young children mainly play the role of ‘gatekeepers’ when it comes to facilitating and constraining access to and use of digital technologies. Parents’ perceptions of the efficacy of digital technologies as responsible entertainment and as educational tools influence the technologies available at home and accessible to the child. These perceptions in turn impact parents’ mediation strategies with regard to children’s actual use of digital technologies, with restrictive mediation – of time and less of content – and supervision applied most. The power exerted by parents over access and use may be understood as a limitation of the children’s rights. On the other hand, parents are not always concerned with the right of protection as they believe – sometimes incorrectly – that they are in control of the content their children are exposed to.

Young children, digital media and smart toys: How perceptions shape adoption and domestication

Abstract: Contemporary homes are filled with digital technologies, and children are exposed to them almost since birth, initiating their first digital experiences at very early ages (Chaudron et al., , Young children (0–8)). This trend is expected to become stronger, as our future has been envisioned around the concept of the IoT (Internet of Things), and the first smart toys are arriving at the homes of digitally savvy families. This study focuses on the digital practices of young children, looking particularly at smart toys, aiming to: a) explore how smart toys are being adopted by families, considering the perceptions of children and parents about drivers and barriers to adoption; and b) understand the domestication of smart toys. Our research is exploratory and builds on the theoretical framework, methodological protocols and ethical guidelines of the international projects “Young Children (0–8) and Digital Technologies” (Chaudron et al., , Chaudron et al., Young children (0–8); Dias and Brito, 2016, 2017, Criancas (0 a 8 anos)) and “Media and Social Discourses around Young Children and IoToys” (Mascheroni & Holloway, 2017). Our methodology is qualitative, based on visits to families including interviews with children and parents and participant observation. We selected a purposive sample of 21 medium‐ or high‐income and digitally savvy families in Portugal. Concerning drivers and barriers for adoption, most children identify several smart toys and express interest in having them. Parents are motivated by the amount of satisfaction that the toy will afford the children and the added‐value in terms of learning or developing skills. However, most parents prefer mechanical toys, sports or outdoors activities and the high price is an obstacle. Concerning domestication, smart toys are still scarce in homes and perceived as novelty, thus being in a very early stage of domestication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusão Digital de Pessoas Idosas: Um Estudo de Caso utilizando Computadores Desktop e Tablets

Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar os resultados da interacao de um grupo de idosos utilizando computadores pessoais e tablets em projeto de inclusao digital e foi realizado na Faculdade de Arquitetura, Artes e Comunicacao, UNESP, campus Bauru. Participaram nestas Oficinas 18 pessoas idosas, com idade entre 60 e 75 anos, todos alfabetizados e com escolaridade e classes sociais heterogeneas. A metodologia utilizada foi pesquisa de campo exploratoria e com abordagem qualitativa. O estudo foi dividido em duas fases. Na primeira todos os participantes aprenderam informatica basica, como navegacao e comunicacao na internet, e edicao de textos, utilizando computadores desktop. Na segunda fase, 13 idosos continuaram utilizando os desktops, enquanto os outros cinco idosos utilizaram os tablets. Entre os resultados obtidos com os uso dos tablets neste projeto, os usuarios idosos destacaram a facilidade de executar as tarefas neste dispositivo, pela facilidade de uso, o manuseio, a mobilidade, a sua leveza e o acesso aos aplicativos nestes dispositivos.

RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA: INCLUSÃO DIGITAL DE IDOSOS FREQUENTADORES DE UM CENTRO-DIA NO DISTRITO LISBOA – PORTUGAL

Esta investigacao resulta da experiencia de inclusao digital realizada na cidade de Lisboa, Portugal, com um grupo de idosos que frequentam o Centro-dia. Participaram neste estudo 20 idosos, com idades compreendidas entre os 60 a 80 anos de idade, todos alfabetizados. Foram oferecidas oficinas de informatica basica, com cinco encontros semanais de tres horas durante um mes. Como instrumento de coleta de dados foram utilizados questionarios. Entre os resultados encontrados pela equipe de pesquisa, ressalvam-se as suas preferencias pelas Tecnologias de Informacao e Comunicacao, nomeadamente a Web, com destaque para as pesquisas online e a utilizacao o correio eletronico. Foram igualmente constatadas dificuldades desses grupo de idosos em interagir com ferramentas de bate-papo.