The use of tehnology in the activities of early and preschool children

U današnjem digitalnom dobu, može se uočiti sve češća uporaba tehnologije kod djece rane i predškolske dobi. Uporaba tehnologije dovodi do mogućih negativnih utjecaja na rast i razvoj djeteta kao što su: usporavanje dječjeg metabolizma i otežani razvoj govora djeteta, kratkovidnost, pospanost, poremećaj pažnje, razdražljivost, tjeskoba, agresivnost i mnogi drugi štetni učinci. Iako postoji zakonska regulativa koja bi trebala zaštiti djecu od negativnog utjecaja medija nažalost, bez suradnje roditelja, odgojitelja, te bliže i šire zajednice to nije u potpunosti moguće. Istraživanje je provedeno u obliku anketnih upitnika (za roditelje i odgojitelje), na društvenoj mreži Facebook. Provedeno je kako bi se pokazalo u kojoj mjeri djeca rane i predškolske dobi koriste tehnologiju (televiziju, pametni telefon i računalo) i osvijestila važnost odgojno-obrazovne ustanove vrtića u medijskom odgoju i obrazovanju djece. Istraživanje je pokazalo kako djeca u prevelikoj mjeri koriste tehnologiju od rođenja. Čak 90% njih gleda televiziju, 57% koristi pametni telefon, a 20% djece koristi računalo u svojim domovima. U dječjim vrtićima 37% odgojitelja koristi televiziju, 59% koristi pametni telefon, a 38% koristi računalo u direktnom radu s djecom, te tako pridonose negativnom trendu prerane uporabe tehnologije kod djece rane i predškolske dobi. Unatoč ovim podatcima, većina roditelja i odgojitelja smatra da su upoznati s utjecajem tehnologije na djecu rane i predškolske dobi, te se slažu kako ne žele da se tehnologija koristi više u radu s djecom unutar dječjih vrtića.Living in today's digital age, more frequent use of technology at children of early and preschool age is noticeable. Usage of technology leads to possible negative effects on child’s growth and development as are the following: slowing down child’s metabolism and harder development of speech, short sightedness, sleepiness, attention disorder, irritability, anxiety, aggressiveness and many more. Even though there are regulations in place that should protect children from negative influences of media, sadly, without cooperation of parents, educators, closer and wider communities, that is not completely possible. Research has been carried out in a form of surveys (for parents and educators), on social network Facebook. It was conducted to show at which rate children of early and preschool age use technology (television, smartphones and computers), and to bring to light the importance of the educational institutions of kindergarten at media upbringing and education of children. Research shows that children overuse technology from birth. Staggering 90% watch television, 57% use smartphones, and 20% of children use home computers. In kindergartens 37% of educators use television, 59% use smartphones, and 38% use computers in direct work with children, and so contribute to the negative trend of premature usage of technology at children of early and preschool age, they also equally agree that they don't want technology to be used at work with children at kindergartens