Using Design-Based Research to Support Parents' Technology Access and Their Pre-Adolescents' Critical Media Literacy

• In Event: Understandings of Family and Community Connections

Abstract

This project positioned parents as co-creators of workshops dedicated to their needs to effectively parent their children’s digital lives. Based on parent (n=19) and pre-adolescents’ (n=6) interviews, five themes articulate parents’ needs to support their pre-adolescents’ CML: 1) parents desire to better understand text forms and CML; 2) parents’ perceptions of ignorance with apps and technology; 3) parents’ desire to learn ways to ensure online safety for their children; 4) contexts and tools for navigating media; 5) equipping parents to have conversations with preadolescents. This study has the potential to inform future parent educational initiatives related to CML.

Authors

• Tiffany L. Gallagher, Brock University

• Yvonne Messenger, Brock University

• Diane Collier, Brock University

• Taylor Downes, Brock University

• Caitlin Boden, Brock University