Abstract
Amid the dramatic change of media environment surrounding children, such as the dissemination of smartphones among them, this research project team conducted an extensive survey to study the whole picture of children’s media use, specifically what kinds of media and digital devices they use on a daily basis and how they utilize digital materials for learning at home. This is the third installment of this three-part series. Based on the results from the previous quantitative research, this paper presents the findings from the online in-depth interviews with children and parents that we conducted as qualitative research.
Looking at the use of media devices and content at home, different time zones have different characteristics, and the usage varies depending on the level of children’s development. It is also indicated that surrounding environment, such as parents, impacts children’s media use, which is especially notable for young children.
Regarding the triggers for children’s use of media content and devices, the initial contact differs between TV programs and online videos, and the media use of elementary school children and above becomes more complex as their interests expand, but the introduction of smartphones in a leapfrogging manner is not observed; children and parents rather try to utilize various devices in the home for different purposes.
The interviews also find that elementary school children and above live busy lives as, apart from their media use, they spend more time on after-school activities/lessons and school clubs and that family rules on the use of online videos change according to the changes in children’s lives.
As to the use of digital devices and materials for learning at home, elementary and junior high schoolers mainly use the devices distributed as part of the government’s initiative “GIGA School Concept,” but at around junior high school age, children start using their purchased devices and looking for apps and YouTube videos that seem to be useful for learning. Among them, NHK’s educational services are highly appreciated by the types of schools we surveyed, but their use varies according to children’s willingness and interests and their family circumstances.
