Screen time with all media is a topic that discussed a lot pertaining to kids- are they receiving too much or too little? Adults in the professional workforce get do because of work or something professionally related. However a younger (much younger!) generation is the front runner in the amount of screen time and the amount of technology they use on a day to day basis. I am talking about kids 0-8 years who make up the generation I am talking about. To view just what I am talking about, be sure to check out this link.
While I am unsure about the statistics for adults regarding their use of mobile devices, a recent study reveals that 17% of all children 0-8 years old in the United States use a mobile device everyday. The percentage of children from 0-8 years old who read is at 60%. This means that the group of children who use a mobile device daily makes up 1/3 of the same group of 0-8 year old who read. This number is truly stunning for me. I was shocked to learn that this many children 0-8 years old actually use a mobile device every day. I guess this is so shocking for me because when I was in this same age group, mobile devices were not a feasible technology for me to use on a daily basis. Even when I was 10, 12, 14 years old mobile devices were a commodity and I am sure that statistics would not be anywhere near 17% for an age range from 10-14 yard old from my generation even.
Call me old fashioned, but my kids certainly won''t be having a mobile device at any age between 0-8 yeas old. As a Communications and English writing studies double major I study a lot of literacy theories and rhetoric. I can't help but but associate kids this young getting this much screen time in the technology discourse community with lower literacy levels in the United States. These two communities (digital technologies and literacy standards) are closely related in my areas of study which makes me even more engaged in this article.
What are your thoughts on this data provided by Mashable? I feel as though it is accurate and alarming data. What do you think this says about future generations?
Please take a look at the full article on Mashable!
I agree with you that the data is shocking. When I was younger my parents simply had cell phones for business purposes and I never even touched them. I think today people are trying to accomplish so much in such a short time span that it seems easiest to hold a child's attention with a phone full of colorful graphics and noises. I think future generations will be at a major disadvantage when it comes to face to face communication and writing skills because they lack the exposure to it.
ReplyDeleteThis is crazy to think about! I definitely can see this data being correct though because I have four cousins all under the age of ten who have IPhones. When I was younger, I was fine with a Barbie doll! I agree with you that it's accurate and I think the percentage will even increase as time goes on!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog. It is a crazy thing to think about that children from 0-8 years old even know what a mobile device is! I never would believe that we would live in a generation where children are exposed to mobile devices daily. Its scary to think that these numbers for mobile devices will only increase over time.
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