Developing a measure to understand young children’s Internet cognition and cyber-safety awareness:...

Developing a measure to understand young children’s Internet cognition and cyber-safety awareness: a pilot test

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LNM members Susan Edwards (ACU) and Michael Henderson (Monash) along with colleagues, Andrea Nolan, Helen Skouteris, Ana Mantilla, Pamela Lambert & Jo Bird have a new paper out in the international journal Early Years.

Link: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WXbZzfugJ7qNnXy7Uy7f/full

Abstract – Advancements in technology have increased preschool children’s access to the Internet. Very little research has been conducted to identify pre-school-aged children’s understandings of the Internet and ramifications of being ‘online’. Without an understanding of children’s thinking about the Internet, it is difficult to provide age- and pedagogically appropriate cyber-safety education. This study developed and pilot-tested an interview schedule that focuses on the Internet thinking and cyber-safety awareness of Australian children aged 4–5 years. The schedule is informed by sociocultural theory, cyber-safety education research and approaches for researching with young children. The schedule shows potential to elicit children’s understandings of the Internet and cyber-safety awareness. Adjustments are required to allow more contextualised responses from children.

Keywords: Cyber-safetyearly childhood educationonline