by the Editor     Families are in a transition period, one in which parents recognize the importance of technology in their children's learning and future success, but don't always grant them access to the newer forms of media transforming their own adult lives.

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop has released two reports -  Families Matter: Designing Media for a Digital Age, documenting how digital technology is changing the rhythm of family life – and – Always Connected: Young Children’s Media Use on the Rise.

The 'Families Matter' report profiles how parents' personal experiences with media are one of the key factors shaping the approaches they take in guiding their children's media consumption. A survey of 800 parents of young children (ages 3-10) found that nearly two-thirds limit media consumption on a case-by-case basis.  Of parents surveyed, 57% recognize that digital media presents ways for children to converse and connect with friends and family, but two-thirds of parents may restrict their children from chatting online and visiting social networking sites.

The study also revealed that only half of parents are playing with their kids on newer tehnology such as video game consoles, preferring to spend more time with their children engaged in more traditional activities including watching television, reading books and playing board games. More than half of parents are concerned about the effect of media usage on their children's health, but fewer than 1 in 5 parents think their kids spend too much time with digital media.

More findings on families and digital media:

• More than a third of parents have learned something technical from their child.
• Lack of exercise and online privacy are parents' greatest concerns.
• The majority believe that video games help children foster skills that are important to their academic achievement.
• Rule setting peaks at age 7. Parents with children older than 7 are more likely to set parent controls on their computers.

The ‘Always Connected’ report examines the media usage patterns of young children. Among the report’s findings is evidence that media consumption patterns change considerably around age eight as children are developmentally able to engage in activities for longer periods of time, have more advanced motor skills and are developing more complex social relationships. Results also show that television is still the most frequently used medium, but mobile devices are becoming increasingly more popular with children.

More findings on young children and digital media:

• Children are using media more than ever before on a variety of platforms. Almost 25 percent of young children (ages 0 to 5) use the internet at least once a week and just under half of all 6-year-olds play video games.
• In addition, media multitasking is becoming predominant with about 36 percent of children ages 2 to 11 using television and the internet simultaneously.
• Television continues to be the favourite medium. Almost nine out of ten children over age 5 are viewers. They are watching at least three hours of television a day.

Based on the findings, the Cooney Center and Sesame Workshop offer several recommendations in the report for parents, researchers and developers.

Tips for parents

Guide the media balancing act

As digital media’s place in young children’s lives has become ever-present, adults should direct children’s media usage.

“My mother used to say that too much of anything isn’t good for you, whether it be eating only protein, shooting hoops all day or “always being connected” to the digital world. There is no escaping the fact that parents need to moderate children’s media use and the content they choose,” said Dr. Lewis Bernstein, Executive Vice President, Education, Research and Outreach, Sesame Workshop. 

Unite generations in learning together

Studies have shown the positive impact of viewing television together as a family, on children’s learning and healthy development.  

“In the digital age there is a new fact of life: young children are active participants in the technological innovation that shapes family experiences. Promoting a healthy, educationally sound media diet will require a new commitment­ - starting at home…,” said Dr. Michael Levine, Executive Director, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.

Find ways to bridge home and school learning

Children spend a significant portion of their time outside of school using media .  Technology can be used to enhance and connect education into a more continuous experience.  If parents monitor and guide their children's media diet, it can become an educational experience for all.

"When it comes to digital media's influence on children, the study found that the more things change, the more they stay the same," said Dr. Michael H. Levine, Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. "Kids need guidance to understand the critical skills and approaches to learning that are required in a ubiquitous media environment… families still matter most.”

Reader question:  'Tell us how technology affects your family life!' ... comments section below.

About the research group

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop is an independent, non-profit research group that is fostering innovation in children's learning through digital media. The center conducts and supports research, creates educational models and interactive media properties, and builds cross-sector partnerships. It is named for Sesame Workshop's founder, who revolutionized television with the creation of Sesame Street. Core funding is provided by the generous support of Peter G. Peterson and Sesame Workshop. Link: http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/

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