Abstract
Children in many parts of the world spend increasing time using digital devices (tablets, mobile phones etc.). In the present study, the developmental consequences of interacting with and through such devices are explored from a cultural–historical perspective with a focus on the development of executive functions. What makes digital devices interesting from a cultural–historical perspective is that they are both physical tools and cognitive/psychological means. In the article, an empirical study is reported of the relationships between the frequency of using digital devices and the kinds of activities that preschool children report engaging in when using them, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the level of executive functions development. The results show that there are clear empirical relationships between the kinds of activities children engage in and their performance on executive functions tests. Frequency of use, the nature of the interaction, and adult presence seem to be factors that co-determine how children use such artifacts, and these patterns, in turn, are related to the level of executive functions development.
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Funding
This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant number 19–29-14088 мк.
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The study conception and design were developed by Veraksa N. E. and Roger S. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Bukhalenkova D. and Veraksa A. N. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Veraksa A. N., and all authors commented on previous versions.
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The study and consent procedures were approved by the ethics committee of the Faculty of Psychology at Lomonosov Moscow State University (approval No. 2018/54).
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Current themes of research
Veraksa N. E.
Vygotskian theory and educational practice. The use of play methods for the development of executive functions in preschoolers. Teachers practices for the dialectical thinking development in children.
Veraksa A. N.
Symbolic representation method in preschool age education practice. The use of play methods for the development of executive functions in preschoolers. The digitalization of education.
Bukhalenkova D. A.
The use of play methods for the development of executive functions in preschoolers. Study of the influence of the quality of teacher–child interaction on the cognitive and emotional development of preschool and elementary school students.
Säljö R.
Technologies and communicative practices in education. The digitalization of education.
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Veraksa N. E.
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Veraksa, N.E., Veraksa, A.N., Bukhalenkova, D.A. et al. Exploring the development of executive functions in children in a digital world. Eur J Psychol Educ 37, 1035–1050 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-021-00584-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-021-00584-8