What kind of adults will our children become? The impact of growing up in a media-saturated world

Abstract

This article urges children and media scholars to consider the broader consequences of the ubiquitous media environment in which children live today. We consider, within a broader sociocultural context, the ways in which media and interactive technology serve as more knowledgeable others, scaffolding children's learning and development. Given this context, it is imperative for researchers to consider the consequences of living in the digital age and how broader developmental trajectories may be influenced. We call upon children and media researchers to contemplate more thoughtful research agendas that begin to assess the larger impact of media on children’s learning and developmental trajectories.