ICT-usage among kindergarten children in a disadvantaged small settlement in eastern Hungary

Abstract

Information and communication devices do not have a long history, but during these last few decades, they have brought about changes in many areas through the development of technology. The changes induced by the digital age can be clearly observed in the activities of children, who are active users of ICT devices from early childhood. What impact does this have on their lives? The aim of our research is to explore the digital device usage habits of preschool children and their effects on their development in a disadvantaged small settlement in Eastern Hungary. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the parents of preschool children (N2=15) and the kindergarten teachers educating them (N1=6). Based on our research, the majority of preschool children living in disadvantaged small settlements grow up in households where ICT devices are available in every family. Children are most often surrounded by televisions, touch-screen phones and tablets. The preschool children involved in the research use these devices mainly for entertainment and recreation, watching stories, videos, and listening to songs for an average of an hour on weekdays and longer on weekends. Parents and kindergarten teachers also perceive the effects of device use on children, which manifests itself inter alia as aggression, impatience, and attention problems.