Affiliations: School of Occupational Therapy & Social Work,
Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia | School of Physiotherapy, Curtin Health Innovation
Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia | Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of
Occupational and Public Health Sciences, University of Gävle, SE-801 76
Gävle, Sweden | School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin
Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Marina Ciccarelli, School of
Occupational Therapy & Social Work, Curtin Health Innovation Research
Institute, Curtin University, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Tel.:
+61 8 9266 3692; Fax: +61 8 9266 3636; E-mail: m.ciccarelli@curtin.edu.au
Abstract: Objective: School children use information and communication
technology (ICT) on a regular basis for a variety of purposes. The purpose of
this study was to document how school children spend their time and the
different types of ICT they use. Methods: Nine Australian primary school
children were observed in their school and away-from-school environments during
one school day to record their ICT usage, comparing self-report exposures with
direct observations. Self-reported discomfort scores were obtained throughout
the day. Results: Paper-based ICT (Old ICT) was mostly used for
productive occupations at school, while electronic-based ICT (New
ICT) was mostly used during leisure in away-from-school locations. Tasks
involving no ICT (Non-ICT) accounted for the largest proportion of time
in both locations during self-care, leisure and instrumental
occupations. End-of-day self-reported time performing different occupations was
consistent with data from independent observations. Self reported time using
Old ICT and New ICT was marginally over-estimated, and time spent
using Non-ICT was marginally under-estimated. Conclusion: The children in this study used a variety of ICT in the performance of daily
occupations in their natural environments. New ICT use was primarily for
leisure, but time spent was less than reported in other studies.
Discomfort reports among the participants were low. Participants' self-reports
of occupations performed and ICT use was reliable and could be useful as an
exposure assessment metric.
Keywords: ICT, tasks, variation, direct observation, self-report
