Early years digital media literacy review

This project will explore how digital literacy support can be improved for families of under-5s in the UK.

Why is this important?

Young children are increasingly engaging with digital media; 87% of parents say their 3–4 year old children go online at home or elsewhere. The ability to use, understand, and create media and communications in a variety of contexts is essential for children and young people in a connected society. However, there is not the same level of evidenced support available for families as there is with other areas of the media.

Official guidance for under-5s often focuses on screen time restrictions rather than the content that children are accessing. Existing research on under-5s is focused on the effect digital media may have on child development, not on how children’s development can be supported to include and benefit from digital media and technology.

What does it involve?

The research team will address the question of whether there are potential opportunities and challenges for improving support for digital media literacy for families of under-5s in the UK. The research will consider:

1. What initiatives are currently available for families to improve digital media literacy for under-5s?
2. What evidence is available on the effectiveness of these initiatives?
3. What evidence is available on the effectiveness of initiatives for families of older children?
4. What research may be beneficial to support digital media literacy initiatives for families of under-5s?
5. Who are the relevant stakeholders that could support, amplify, and inhibit initiatives?

A rapid review of the availability and effectiveness of existing initiatives will be conducted by Professor Lucy Betts and colleagues at NTU Psychology. Following the review, there will be an expert workshop to reflect on the findings and develop a series of recommendation about what further research might be beneficial, who the relevant stakeholders are and contribute to the longer-term development of support for parents in developing children’s digital media literacy.

How will it make a difference?

Findings will be shared primarily through the open-access literature review and a short report outlining future research priorities. Parent Zone’s networks will be used to disseminate the outputs and ensure it reaches the key stakeholders.