PhD in Psychology, Leading Researcher, Laboratory of Giftedness Psychology, Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia
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.
Background. The relevance of the study is determined, on the one hand, by the significance of the problem of parent-child play interaction as an important aspect of family education, and on the other hand, by the insufficiency of its studies in the modern conditions of rapidly occurring profound changes in society, affecting the family microenvironment.
Objectives. 1) To identify and analyze the characteristics of play interaction between senior preschoolers with their parents, taking into account the possibilities of using digital devices. 2) To study the influence of the frequency of joint computer games in a family setting on the intellectual and creative development of children.
Sample. The study involved 180 preschoolers aged 6-7 years (Mage = 6.8, SD = 0.34; 88 boys, 92 girls), as well as their parents, mainly mothers. All preschoolers and their parents were the residents of Moscow. Most children (92.78%) attended preschool educational institutions.
Methods. A survey of parents was conducted. To diagnose children’s development, the following methods were used: a test method for diagnosing intellectual abilities (MEDIS); structured observation and expert assessments of children’s participation in a game lesson to reveal creative and intellectual potential. Methods of qualitative and quantitative data analysis were used (Jamovi 1.6.23 statistical package).
Results. In most families, play interaction between modern senior preschoolers and parents is implemented both in the form of traditional games (board, outdoor, role-playing, etc.) and computer games. However, the frequency of their use varies. In general, traditional games are chosen more often than computer games. At the same time, mothers are more likely to play traditional games with their children than fathers. When using gadgets, the opposite trend is observed: fathers are more likely than mothers to play computer games with their children. Preschoolers who rarely played computer games with their moms or dads had higher intellectual test scores.
Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to expand scientific understanding of the play interactions between modern senior preschoolers and parents. The need for psychological and pedagogical support for parents in choosing and organizing joint games with children is highlighted. The data obtained can be used in the development of recommendations to parents on the creation of a developing family microenvironment, in particular, on its digitalization.
Relevance and purpose of the study. Studying the impact of digital technologies on the development of preschool children is one of the topical areas of modern psychology. Digital devices become part of the microenvironment of a child’s development from the first years of their life. However, their impact on a preschooler, is associated, on the one hand, with the discovery of new opportunities, and, on the other hand, with the emergence of risks and difficulties, is a great challenge for parents, teachers, and psychologists. In this regard, the study was aimed at identifying the features of the use of digital devices (tablet / computer) as components of the family educational microenvironment and studying their influence on the intellectual development of older preschoolers.
Sample consisted of 200 preschoolers aged 6-7 years, their parents (mainly mothers) from Moscow city.
Methods. Methods of express diagnostics of intellectual abilities /MEDIS, (E.I.Scheblanova, I.S.Averina, E.N.Zadorina); expert evaluation of intellectual and creative activity, creative thinking of preschoolers in a specially designed game lesson; the survey of the parents about the use of a tablet / computer at home for the development of a child (frequency, time, programs / games); and methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis (statistical package SPSS Statistics 22).
Results. It was revealed that in the families of the majority of preschoolers (96%) digital devices (tablet / computer) are used for their development, but the intensity (time) of use was different: 20-30 minutes for almost half of the older preschoolers, and 30-60 minutes for a little fewer children; but for individual preschoolers, the time exceeded one hour. The analysis of the number of children’s interactions with digital devices (as part of the family educational environment) during the week showed that a significant part of the children were divided into two approximately equal groups (about 40% in each): the frequency of using a tablet / computer in the first group was 1-2 times a week, in the second – 3-4 times a week. There were significantly fewer preschoolers who used a tablet/computer 5-7 times a week – about a fifth. Among the computer programs / games used at home for the development of older preschoolers, those that develop logical thinking turned out to be the most in demand: three quarters of children use them. Approximately half of the children learn programs/games that develop memory, counting and reading skills. The comparison of the children’s intellectual indicators, taking into account the frequency of using a digital device, showed that preschoolers who spend at a tablet/computer 1-2 times a week have a higher level of the development of intellectual abilities than their peers who use this digital device more often.
Conclusion. The peculiarities of the use of a tablet/computer by preschoolers as a component of the family educational microenvironment may determine the variability of the indicators of children’s intellectual development. These features must be taken into account when developing recommendations for parents on the digitalization of the family microenvironment.