- According to a study by two teachers from the universities of Lyon 3 and Paris 8, children aged 6 to 12 spent an average of 7 hours a day behind a screen during confinement.
- A large part of this time was devoted to school activities and educational uses.
- The screens have also made it possible to recreate family ties, as during evenings watching television.
Seven hours a day. This is the average time spent by children aged 6 to 12, behind a screen during the confinement period. A figure that comes from a national survey conducted jointly by Catherine Dessinges and Orélie Desfriches Doria, lecturers at the universities of Lyon 3 and Paris 8, and whose partial results were published this week.
“Seven hours is an important exposure time. Much more than usual, Catherine Dessinges notes straight away. During the school period, children spend an average of one to two hours a day behind a screen. But there we were in an exceptional context ”. Nothing surprising in short. But the investigation could twist the neck with a few clichés or misconceptions.
# investigation on #digital practices #of #children between 6 and 12 years old. @B_Passante @ margelyon3 @cyberbasebron @mshlyon @Jeunesetmedias @unaf_fr @academielyon @ 2vanssay @ArSaintMartin https://t.co/51rU4MBwiD
- Catherine Dessinges (@CathDessinges) May 8, 2020TV to reweave family rituals
“We realize that, during this time, 4 hours were spent for school and recreational uses. This means that there has been educational continuity. The second lesson that we draw from this is that screens have been used a lot for qualitative and social purposes. They were a communication interface, ”she explains. WhatsApp made it possible to communicate regularly with distant relatives. Just like Skype or Zoom. Television, for example, was the way to get together as a family. The stream mode (replay or platform that offers audiovisual content) was favored by 80% of respondents. Much more than ordinary TV channels. It made it possible to "reweave intergenerational ties".
“The programs were chosen with the family. People have turned to classics of French cinema or popular culture, continues Orélie Desfriches Doria. This has made it possible to educate and increase the culture of children. Among the responses, it was discovered that most parents took the time to take breaks, explain to their children what they were watching, and answer their questions. The evening movie viewing has even (re) become a ritual.
The little-known impact among the working classes
“Television has been reintroduced into the homes of less well-off families. Previously, these families were often scattered and distant due to the workload. But during the confinement, the TV became the common fund of conversations even when activities were limited outdoors, adds Catherine Dessinges. The evenings behind the screen were organized like outings to the restaurant, they became appreciated moments ”. And the parents, strongly reluctant to use screens before confinement, would have reviewed their judgment for the most part, according to the two sisters.
Finally, the use of screens did not prevent other cultural activities during confinement. Sports and reading on paper come second in the responses provided by respondents. One nuance, however: the study does not include the working classes, who were few in number to respond. “The respondents are people naturally concerned about the place of screens in their homes. It was much more difficult to reach the lower classes, who do not have the cultural habits of answering this kind of questionnaire, ”explains Orélie Desfriches Doria. The two teacher-researchers would like to continue their survey of these audiences, hoping to obtain more resources for this. A survey still available here.
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