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Technology's Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up
How children engage with technology at each stage of development, from toddler to twentysomething, and how they can best be supported.
What happens to the little ones, the tweens, and the teenagers, when technology—ubiquitous in the world they inhabit—becomes a critical part of their lives? This timely book brings much-needed clarity to what we know about technology’s role in child development. Better yet, it provides guidance on how to use what we know to help children of all ages make the most of their digital experiences.
From toddlers who are exploring their immediate environment to twentysomethings who are exploring their place in society, technology inevitably and profoundly affects their development. Drawing on her expertise in developmental science and design research, Katie Davis describes what happens when child development and technology design interact, and how this interaction is complicated by children’s individual characteristics and social and cultural contexts. Critically, she explains how a self-directed experience of technology—one initiated, sustained, and ended voluntarily—supports healthy child development, especially when it takes place within the context of community support.
Children’s experiences with technology—their “screen time” and digital social relationships—have become an inescapable aspect of growing up. This book, for the first time, identifies the qualitative distinctions between different ages and stages of this engagement, and offers invaluable guidance for parents and teachers navigating the digital landscape, and for technology designers charting the way.
What happens to the little ones, the tweens, and the teenagers, when technology—ubiquitous in the world they inhabit—becomes a critical part of their lives? This timely book brings much-needed clarity to what we know about technology’s role in child development. Better yet, it provides guidance on how to use what we know to help children of all ages make the most of their digital experiences.
From toddlers who are exploring their immediate environment to twentysomethings who are exploring their place in society, technology inevitably and profoundly affects their development. Drawing on her expertise in developmental science and design research, Katie Davis describes what happens when child development and technology design interact, and how this interaction is complicated by children’s individual characteristics and social and cultural contexts. Critically, she explains how a self-directed experience of technology—one initiated, sustained, and ended voluntarily—supports healthy child development, especially when it takes place within the context of community support.
Children’s experiences with technology—their “screen time” and digital social relationships—have become an inescapable aspect of growing up. This book, for the first time, identifies the qualitative distinctions between different ages and stages of this engagement, and offers invaluable guidance for parents and teachers navigating the digital landscape, and for technology designers charting the way.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published March 7, 2023
About the author
Katie Davis
2 books8 followersDr. Katie Davis is Associate Professor at the University of Washington (UW) and Director of the UW Digital Youth Lab. For nearly twenty years, Dr. Davis has been researching the impact of digital technologies on young people’s learning, development, and well-being. She uses the insights from her research to design positive technology experiences for youth and their families. At the University of Washington, Dr. Davis mentors undergraduate and graduate students and teaches courses on child development and technology design.
In addition to her more than 70 academic publications, Dr. Davis is the author of three books exploring technology’s role in young people’s lives: Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up, The App Generation: How Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World (with Howard Gardner), and Writers in the Secret Garden: Fanfiction, Youth, and New Forms of Mentoring (with Cecilia Aragon). In each of these books, Dr. Davis draws on her expertise in developmental science and technology design, as well as her experiences as a parent, to make sense of the often-confusing landscape of research and media messages about kids and technology.
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Washington, Dr. Davis was a research scientist at Harvard Project Zero, where she worked on the research team that collaborated with Common Sense Media to develop the first iteration of their digital citizenship curriculum. From 2018-2022, she was a visiting research scientist in the Human Computer Interaction Lab at Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany. Dr. Davis holds two master’s degrees and a doctorate in Human Development and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a 2015 recipient of a Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science.
In addition to her more than 70 academic publications, Dr. Davis is the author of three books exploring technology’s role in young people’s lives: Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up, The App Generation: How Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World (with Howard Gardner), and Writers in the Secret Garden: Fanfiction, Youth, and New Forms of Mentoring (with Cecilia Aragon). In each of these books, Dr. Davis draws on her expertise in developmental science and technology design, as well as her experiences as a parent, to make sense of the often-confusing landscape of research and media messages about kids and technology.
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Washington, Dr. Davis was a research scientist at Harvard Project Zero, where she worked on the research team that collaborated with Common Sense Media to develop the first iteration of their digital citizenship curriculum. From 2018-2022, she was a visiting research scientist in the Human Computer Interaction Lab at Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany. Dr. Davis holds two master’s degrees and a doctorate in Human Development and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a 2015 recipient of a Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 15, 2023
I was intrigued with the title and the description of the book and since I have two teenaged boys at home, I could see a possible use of the contents of the book. I was not disappointed. Katie does a swell job of running through all stages of a "child" and her interaction with technology. Any parent would be able to situate their child in a specific chapter and see what research shows about technology and its impact on them.
Katie brings in solid research for everything she writes - this can be seen by the enormous citation/endnotes list at the back of the book. She also summarizes neatly the use of the book at the end - for different categories of people including academics and researchers! Which was very useful
I recommend this book for all tech lovers and parents who are worried about the impact of tech on the kids.
Katie brings in solid research for everything she writes - this can be seen by the enormous citation/endnotes list at the back of the book. She also summarizes neatly the use of the book at the end - for different categories of people including academics and researchers! Which was very useful
I recommend this book for all tech lovers and parents who are worried about the impact of tech on the kids.
June 26, 2024
This book reads a bit like a textbook and is a bit dry at times. But I learned several things I can take with me to inform how we approach technology usage with our toddler as he grows.
Her primary theme is that tech benefits children and adolescents the most when is self-directed (without too many proddings and leadings from the tech design) and community-supported (interactive and able to be experienced with others.)
She also posits that tech design should be created with human development theory in mind to promote child wellness rather than the financial bottom line.
She also covers a lot of existing social issues that tech doesn’t cause but still magnifies.
Lots of practical suggestions for parents, teachers, and designers.
Her primary theme is that tech benefits children and adolescents the most when is self-directed (without too many proddings and leadings from the tech design) and community-supported (interactive and able to be experienced with others.)
She also posits that tech design should be created with human development theory in mind to promote child wellness rather than the financial bottom line.
She also covers a lot of existing social issues that tech doesn’t cause but still magnifies.
Lots of practical suggestions for parents, teachers, and designers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2024
A must read for anyone interested in the intersection of tech and children, and for (would be) parents
November 20, 2022
I read the ARC version via Netgalley.
Well, I thought this one is going to be kinda a light reading cause the blurb is promising. But its not. Well i think the problem is me lol.
In other hand, this book is full of references and the way author wrote her words and sentences we could know that she is an expert. I would love to recommend this book as your reference when you write your thesis or doing your research related to children growth in technology era cause the detail in this book is a chef kiss.
Well, I thought this one is going to be kinda a light reading cause the blurb is promising. But its not. Well i think the problem is me lol.
In other hand, this book is full of references and the way author wrote her words and sentences we could know that she is an expert. I would love to recommend this book as your reference when you write your thesis or doing your research related to children growth in technology era cause the detail in this book is a chef kiss.
May 31, 2023
I found "Technology's Child" to be a well-researched and balanced book that provides valuable insights and practical advice for parents, educators, and technology designers. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the impact of digital media on children's development and how to create a healthy relationship between children and technology.
December 2, 2022
For many families, their children are interacting with technological devices from a young age. Technology's Child by Katie Davis is a nonfiction book focusing on technology, children, and parent involvement. Ranging from smartphone games to AI running the house, children have access to too much technology. The book focuses on three Ds concerning children and their exposure to a wide range of technologies.
These Ds are:
1. What's going on developmentally (does experience with technology aid in the development of top-down skills?)
2. Going deeper (are children learning interactions and social skills?)
3. Design considerations (most technologies targeting children have inbuilt design abuses. They keep in control or distract children.)
There are many benefits to reading this book as a parent in the digital age. Firstly, the book contains valuable information drawn from research and observations. Secondly, the book helps make decisions concerning the choice of technology and age appropriateness. It will help in deciding the screen time allowed for children and real-world interactions.
Specific things made me enjoy the book. Clear language is used with clarified descriptions. I am sure even nontechnical people will understand it. The book is realistic in every sense.
This book is a reference material that cannot be read in a single sitting. Despite this, I found nothing to dislike about it.
I rate Technology's Child by Katie Davis 5 out of 5 stars.
Readers interested in technology, children's growth, and nonfiction will enjoy this book. This publication will be beneficial to future researchers on technology for kids. I highly recommend that parents read this book.
These Ds are:
1. What's going on developmentally (does experience with technology aid in the development of top-down skills?)
2. Going deeper (are children learning interactions and social skills?)
3. Design considerations (most technologies targeting children have inbuilt design abuses. They keep in control or distract children.)
There are many benefits to reading this book as a parent in the digital age. Firstly, the book contains valuable information drawn from research and observations. Secondly, the book helps make decisions concerning the choice of technology and age appropriateness. It will help in deciding the screen time allowed for children and real-world interactions.
Specific things made me enjoy the book. Clear language is used with clarified descriptions. I am sure even nontechnical people will understand it. The book is realistic in every sense.
This book is a reference material that cannot be read in a single sitting. Despite this, I found nothing to dislike about it.
I rate Technology's Child by Katie Davis 5 out of 5 stars.
Readers interested in technology, children's growth, and nonfiction will enjoy this book. This publication will be beneficial to future researchers on technology for kids. I highly recommend that parents read this book.
March 19, 2023
The cover and description of the book really drew my attention when I requested Technology’s Child, as I am a mom of a one year old and constantly questioning many of the decisions I have to make as a parent, but in particular determining how much technology to expose my little one to, and how much I should allow myself to be on technology.
To be honest I was hoping for a more succinct summarized read with the research referenced, or even handy-dandy quick notes that would be easier to digest and remember. I picked this up many times to read and while I found it interesting, I had difficulty remembering much of what I’d read previously and what the takeaway is. It seems like balance is key, and like all things, too much technology can and will be damaging.
I liked the 3 D’s approach used throughout the book to analyze each section - what’s going on DEVELOPMENTALLY, dig DEEPER, and DESIGN considerations. And some parts I found very interesting - for example that a toddler playing an alphabet game on an iPad is seemingly educational, but the toddler actually is more focused on the game and touching and moving pieces, than the letter itself or the sound the letter makes.
Also found this quote interesting: “there is research showing that parents who are distracted by their mobile devices display less sensitivity to their children. This research shows that parents whose attention is focused on their phones engage in less conversation with their children, show less responsiveness to their children’s bids for attention, and sometimes display greater hostility when their children do get their attention.”
This is intuitive, but helpful to read and see written.
All in all I have a few takeaways and it was a well informed and well researched book.
To be honest I was hoping for a more succinct summarized read with the research referenced, or even handy-dandy quick notes that would be easier to digest and remember. I picked this up many times to read and while I found it interesting, I had difficulty remembering much of what I’d read previously and what the takeaway is. It seems like balance is key, and like all things, too much technology can and will be damaging.
I liked the 3 D’s approach used throughout the book to analyze each section - what’s going on DEVELOPMENTALLY, dig DEEPER, and DESIGN considerations. And some parts I found very interesting - for example that a toddler playing an alphabet game on an iPad is seemingly educational, but the toddler actually is more focused on the game and touching and moving pieces, than the letter itself or the sound the letter makes.
Also found this quote interesting: “there is research showing that parents who are distracted by their mobile devices display less sensitivity to their children. This research shows that parents whose attention is focused on their phones engage in less conversation with their children, show less responsiveness to their children’s bids for attention, and sometimes display greater hostility when their children do get their attention.”
This is intuitive, but helpful to read and see written.
All in all I have a few takeaways and it was a well informed and well researched book.
July 13, 2023
This is a very timely and relevant book for parents, teachers and anyone who interacts daily with kids.
The pandemic has blasted away rules of screen time, when less was better. As a parent of a toddler with family spread across the globe, I lost the battle of zero screen time ages ago. So, I wanted something that will help me implement "controlled" digital interaction. This book truly addressed many of the questions I was exploring. What kinds of content would help my child explore within controlled bounds? What is the true impact of screen time, not just hearsay from parents or well-wishers who conclude all social media is bad because they never had those choices while raising their kids.
I loved that the book is divided into sections based on age ranges, from toddlers to tweens and adolescents.
I like that the author presented a balanced approach to say what types of digital interactions can magnify emotional vulnerabilities and which ones can actually support emotional development and positive psychology.
The rules of parenting have changed and this book is a helpful guide that use a science-based approach rather than orthodox norms. The book will help you make informed choices as applicable to your stage of Life and your child's personalities.
The pandemic has blasted away rules of screen time, when less was better. As a parent of a toddler with family spread across the globe, I lost the battle of zero screen time ages ago. So, I wanted something that will help me implement "controlled" digital interaction. This book truly addressed many of the questions I was exploring. What kinds of content would help my child explore within controlled bounds? What is the true impact of screen time, not just hearsay from parents or well-wishers who conclude all social media is bad because they never had those choices while raising their kids.
I loved that the book is divided into sections based on age ranges, from toddlers to tweens and adolescents.
I like that the author presented a balanced approach to say what types of digital interactions can magnify emotional vulnerabilities and which ones can actually support emotional development and positive psychology.
The rules of parenting have changed and this book is a helpful guide that use a science-based approach rather than orthodox norms. The book will help you make informed choices as applicable to your stage of Life and your child's personalities.
February 17, 2023
I find this book insightful and reliable for me, especially that I work in the education field. Since the sudden shift in conducting online classes, it has been a challenge to me to try out different approaches that would be applicable and effective to my students’ learning. I am a firm believer that play is the highest form of learning. Children learn best through interest and inquiry-based learning experiences. Thanks to Katie Davis for helpful suggestions to recognize and work with an approach to make richer and more meaningful learning experiences in the classroom with technology use and support.
Overall, this book is recommendable for people associated to children. The book is comprehensive which includes the process of child development on each stage; as well as their interaction with various technologies. It also addresses individuality of these young people to help us formulate evidence-based decisions when it comes to children and technology. Finally, it also guides its readers to identify supportive developmentally technology experiences to reach the full potential of children.
Overall, this book is recommendable for people associated to children. The book is comprehensive which includes the process of child development on each stage; as well as their interaction with various technologies. It also addresses individuality of these young people to help us formulate evidence-based decisions when it comes to children and technology. Finally, it also guides its readers to identify supportive developmentally technology experiences to reach the full potential of children.
September 10, 2023
I finished all nine chapters of this book. Admittedly, chapter 6 would be most relevant to me, as a daddy of a daughter in her tween years.
That’s very detailed discussion on whether smartphone is a digital blankie, and how much ownership we should let the tween handle (autonomy versus parental control).
All parents should read and learn how to face and support connection overload and approval anxiety.
That’s very detailed discussion on whether smartphone is a digital blankie, and how much ownership we should let the tween handle (autonomy versus parental control).
All parents should read and learn how to face and support connection overload and approval anxiety.
Read
December 18, 2023Actionable, clear and ever so relevant
Like all parents, I want to better understand my child's relationship to technology and foster healthy opportunities for growth at developmentally appropriate ages. This book gave me what I need to be able to do just that. I also feel more equipped to be an advocate for design that centers child learning. Very useful and interesting read featuring the most current research.
Like all parents, I want to better understand my child's relationship to technology and foster healthy opportunities for growth at developmentally appropriate ages. This book gave me what I need to be able to do just that. I also feel more equipped to be an advocate for design that centers child learning. Very useful and interesting read featuring the most current research.
May 13, 2024
The author leans too far towards technology openness and allowance for my personal liking. My husband and I are taking a much more cautious approach with introducing technologies to our kids. Our different outsets made it hard for me to engage in the book.
Want to read
December 22, 2022 I've received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, for review consideration.
RTC
RTC
July 22, 2023
As a researcher, this was a phenomenal overview of the space adapted to be useful to families as well.
May 2, 2024
Reviewed for Foreword Books INDIES Awards.
A great review of how children and teenagers of all ages can and do interact with technology. Katie Davis blends her own experiences with her child with peer-reviewed evidence to create a compelling and interesting overview of the realms of childhood development and technology.
A great review of how children and teenagers of all ages can and do interact with technology. Katie Davis blends her own experiences with her child with peer-reviewed evidence to create a compelling and interesting overview of the realms of childhood development and technology.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews