Prof Michael Chia Presents on the Effects of Digital Media in Early Childhood

Prof Michael Chia, from NIE’s Physical Education and Sports Science Academic Group (PESS), leads a project investigating the effects of digital media in early childhood, titled “International Ipreschooler Surveillance Study Among Asians and otheRs (IISSAAR): screen media use and off-screen behaviours among preschool children living in selected urban cities in some countries in Asia and elsewhere”. Based on research findings from this project, Prof Chia has given two keynote addresses and conducted a webinar session.

On 16 January 2021, Prof Chia delivered a keynote on “Screens, sleep and stillness in Singapore” at the 2021 International Conference on Information Technology and Contemporary Sports, sharing case examples of his research in the relationships between screens, sedentary behaviour, physical activity, fitness and bodyweight status, among preschool children.

In his second keynote on 30 March 2021 at the International e-Conference of Sports Science 2021, Prof Chia spoke on how digital media engagement among preschool children in Singapore has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 measures. Titled “How Preschool Children in Singapore Fare in Terms of 24-hour Integrated Guidelines for Physical Activity, Screen Time and Sleep”, he discussed digital media parenting styles and parental interventions that may be useful in lessening the negative impact of excessive screen use among children. A recording of his keynote can be viewed here.

Prof Chia also spoke at a webinar organised by the Centre for Fathering on 8 April 2021, sharing results from IISSAAR.