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Screen Time May No Longer Be an Appropriate Measure for Technology Use

• For many years, "appropriate" technology use by young children has been defined largely by the amount of time a child spends using technology.
• In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that screen time be limited to two hours a day for children over age two, and that no screen time be allowed for children younger than that.
• However, these guidelines were established when television was the primary form of technology that most young children consumed, and the guidelines were intended to limit the passive, sedentary patterns of use that typically accompany television viewing.

Technology and Use Patterns Have Changed

• A more comprehensive definition of developmentally appropriate technology use by young children would be useful. This definition should consider what technology and content are used, how they are used, and why they are used — all in addition to how often they are used.

Six Considerations in Redefining Technology Use

• Is it purposefully integrated to support learning?
• Is the use solitary or taking place with others?
• Is the activity sedentary or mobile?
• What are the content and features of the media?
• Are the device's features age-appropriate?
• What is the total screen time involved?

Conversations about what constitutes "developmentally appropriate" use of technology in early childhood education have, to date, focused largely on a single, blunt measure — screen time — that fails to capture important nuances, such as what type of media a child is accessing and whether technology use is taking place solo or with peers. Using screen time as the primary measure of developmentally appropriate use has become increasingly inappropriate as new technologies are ever more rapidly introduced and integrated into all aspects of life, and as we learn more about the potential benefits of technology. The authors challenge the traditional emphasis on screen time and discuss how to move toward a more comprehensive definition of developmentally appropriate technology use for young children.

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