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ERIC Number: ED667235
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 196
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5169-3601-2
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
The Social Practices of Mobile Technology in Two Families with Preschool-Aged Children: A Comparative Case Study
Denise M. Daley
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, State University of New York at Buffalo
Technology use among preschool-aged children (3 to 5 years old) is increasing significantly. Most of this use occurs at home, however, there is little research that investigates how it is affecting family relations and dynamics. This comparative case study explores the social practices of mobile technology in two families with preschool-aged children. The research questions are: (1) What is the role of parents in their preschool-aged children's interactions with mobile technology at home? (2) How do preschool-aged children technically, socially, and physically navigate interactions with, around, and through mobile technology? Bourdieu's social practice theory is used as a lens for analyzing the data. Two families, a divorced, college-educated, middle-class mother and her five-year-old and three-year-old daughters, and two cohabitating working-class parents and their four-year-old daughter and three-year-old son participated in this study. Approximately twelve hours of interviews, observations, and video tours were conducted with the parents and their children in their home over a two-year period. Data analysis involved a recursive process. In order to understand the parent participant's perspectives and children's technical navigations, values coding was used. Process coding was used to analyze the parent's guidance efforts as well as the children's social navigations. Temporal and spatial analysis of the coded data was used for examination of the home technology environment and the children's physical navigations. Findings show that although all of the parents in this study highly valued learning and education, there were significant variations in their beliefs about how knowledge was transferred. This influenced their perspectives and impacted how they guided their children's interactions with mobile technology. The application of Bourdieu's lens revealed the parent's deeper motives related to the transfer of capital and the prospect of preserving or elevating their children's social class position. Regardless of the parent's intentions, all of the preschool-aged children in this study strongly desired mobile technology for its perceived ability to satisfy their evolving and diverse interests and capabilities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A