Main aspects of parents’ choice of digital games for the development of older preschoolers
This work is licensed under a Сreative Commons Atribiution - NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Abstract
Background. The use of digital games in the family microenvironment can be associated with both the discovery of new educational resources and the emergence of risks in children’s development during the preschool stage. Therefore, the issue of parents choosing educational digital games for preschoolers is important and relevant, but remains understudied.
Objectives. The study aimed to identify and analyze the main aspects of parents’ choice of digital games for the development of older preschool-age children.
Sample. The study involved 153 parents (Mage = 38.32, SD = 4.73; 132 mothers, 21 fathers; 91.5% with higher education) of older preschool children (Mage = 6.28, SD = 0.75; 67 boys, 86 girls) living in Moscow.
Methods. Parents were surveyed using a specially designed questionnaire, which included questions about their preferences for digital games for their children’s development. Qualitative and quantitative analysis methods were used to process the data (Jamovi 1.6.23 statistical package).
Results. Parents’ choice of educational digital games is characterized by a variability in the information and opinions they consider. Most parents cited one to three significant factors for their choice. An analysis of the specifics of their choices revealed three groups of parents. In Group I, parents’ experience and knowledge were the determining factors in their choice. In Group II, parents considered expert recommendations, their child’s opinion, their child’s age, and the advice of friends and acquaintances. Parents in Group III always considered their child’s age when making their choice, often relying on their experience and knowledge.
Conclusions. The results of the study confirm the importance and need to study the phenomenon of digital parenthood and develop recommendations for parents on the choice and use of digital games for the development of older preschoolers.
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