Exploring children’s digital lives

Jacquelyn Harverson’s PhD, ‘Childhood digital technology use and associated well-being implications’ explores the complex relationship between young children’s digital technology use and their psychosocial well-being.

Jacquelyn’s PhD sits in the School of Psychology but is co-supervised in partnership with the School of Education, reflecting its interdisciplinary emphasis on childhood development, digital play and evidence-based guidance for educators and families. Here she discusses her vision for her research outcomes, her experience juggling family life and a PhD and the benefits of pursuing an interdisciplinary project at Deakin.

Why did you choose this PhD topic?

Across four studies, I’ve examined the complexity of children’s digital experiences, taking into consideration factors such as time spent, context, activity type, and device type, to understand how each may relate differently to children’s well-being.

I chose this topic because digital technology is deeply woven into young children’s lives (I see this firsthand as a parent myself), yet parents often carry significant guilt about their children’s tech use. However, technology isn’t going anywhere, if anything it is becoming more heavily integrated into children’s lives, and I find the predominantly negative framing in guidance and public discourse unhelpful for families. My research aims to identify the positives — beneficial types of use that can help families navigate our tech-saturated world with confidence rather than worry.

What are you hoping to achieve?

I hope my research contributes to shifting the conversation from deficit-focused discourse to a more balanced perspective on children’s digital technology use. I want to help parents and educators identify positive ways to integrate technology into young people’s lives, supporting children who are growing up in an inherently digital world.

Why did you decide to do your PhD at Deakin?

I undertook my PhD with Deakin because of both the expertise available and flexibility that was offered within the graduate research pathway. I was already connected with Dr Sharon Horwood in the School of Psychology, an expert in human—computer interaction, through my honour’s year, and she introduced me to Professor Louise Paatsch in the School of Education. While my research sits within Psychology, I felt that Deakin encouraged me to pursue an interdisciplinary project. Working with experts across Health and Education has provided a really rich research experience, and I have no doubt that this will likely broaden my future career opportunities beyond what a single-faculty approach might have offered.

The flexibility of online study has also been crucial. Throughout my PhD, my children have progressed through primary school, and as a childhood development researcher, I practice what I preach, prioritising presence and strong relationships during my children’s early and middle childhood years. Remote study has allowed me to pursue my research without missing precious time and experiences with my children.

How has your experience with your supervisors been?

I feel very fortunate to have had a wonderful experience with my supervisors. My supervisors, Professor Louise Paatsch, Dr Sharon Horwood and Associate Professor Jeromy Anglim, each bring distinct strengths and perspectives, which has helped me develop my own capabilities and push boundaries in my work. My team has provided me support the entire way through the graduate researcher journey, with consistent contact being key as my three supervisors are geographically dispersed across campuses.

What has it been like completing your PhD while juggling study, work and life?

There have definitely been ups and downs, but it has overall been a pretty positive experience. I approach my PhD like a job, which has been helpful for maintaining structure and boundaries (especially important when working remotely from home as I do). This has also helped when fitting in casual work – to make sure that I get the hours done! Working in other research teams alongside my PhD has complemented my graduate research experience I think – as I have been able to continue developing and diversifying my knowledge and skill set.

Keeping my weekends for family time and maintaining flexibility to be there for my children has also been a really essential part of the journey for me. In some ways, completing a PhD alongside raising a young family has forced me to take breaks and avoid becoming all-consumed by the thesis, which is probably a good healthy outcome.

What has been a highlight of your PhD?

A highlight of my PhD has been my involvement with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child. Being accepted as a student researcher has significantly expanded my access to resources and expertise, and created valuable connections with leading researchers and stakeholders across my field.

Once you have completed your PhD what are your next steps and challenges?

That’s the big question! Ideally, I’d like to continue my current research trajectory, addressing the gaps that have emerged through my thesis work. I think the challenge will be in navigating a shifting academic landscape – research funding is tightening, and practices and priorities are evolving as technology advances, so it may be challenging to find the right place for me.