You've Got a Friend in Me: A Qualitative Analysis of Children's Perception of Digital Media

Abstract

This paper investigates children’s perception of digital media with a particular focus on their interpretation of the delineation between living and non-living entities. Children are increasingly using digital devices in their daily lives, yet very little is known about how they perceive this aspect of their regular environment. This study is situated within the context of child development, new media studies, and Canadian Education History, and uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as the core of its conceptual framework. The methodology of this study involves triangulating ten semi-structured interviews with children between the ages of 7-9 (n=10), surveys given to their parents, and a document analysis of the Ontario science and technology curriculum. The key findings of this study are that children do not delineate between living and non-living entitles in the same way as adults, and the Ontario curriculum does not sufficiently address digital media in elementary school children’s education.