TMCnet News
Parents prefer TV, movies to computer games for kidsISLAMABAD, Jul 02, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- A new study shows parents are choosing television and movies over computer games. The new survey, released by the Canadian Council on Learning, shows parents are allowing their young children significantly less time to play video and computer games than to watch television, videos and DVDs, BBC Radio reported. According to survey on Canadian Attitudes toward Learning, a majority of parents (73%) report they let their young children (aged two-to-five) watch television, videos and DVDs for more than one hour per day. However, where playing video/computer games is concerned, only 20% of parents allow their children more than one hour per day. Other findings from the study, which covered education, health family issues,45% of Canadians believe elementary and high schools are meeting or exceeding their overall expectations with respect to preparing students for work a significant decrease since 2007, when 51% Canadians expressed satisfaction. Parents whose children have not attended any form of child care (55%) are more likely to use libraries, museums and parks than parents whose children regularly attend child care services (45%). More than 60% of Canadians believe elementary and high schools are meeting or exceeding their expectations for teaching computer skills, reading, writing and math; and preparing students for further education. Respondents born outside of Canada are generally more satisfied with elementary and high schools in Canada than those born in Canada. Most Canadians (96%) agree that high school programs that include work experience should be available to all students. However, of parent respondents whose childrens schools do not offer such programs, only 36% would encourage their children to participate if they were available. Slightly more than half (51%) of non-retired Canadians have taken formal work-related training (training toward a degree, diploma or certificate related to a job or career) within the past year. Older workers are less likely to participate in formal work-related training than those in younger age groups. For example, only 35% of adults aged 55-64 had taken training within the past year, compared to 67% of adults aged 18-24. Of respondents who had not taken training within the past year, 60% would be more likely to participate in work-related training if they could get paid time off for training, and 55% would be more likely if they received financial assistance to pay for training costs. Canadians with more education are more likely to have employers who support their formal work-related training. Canadians without a high school diploma are much less likely to use the internet as a source for health-related information than those with more education. Canadians with more education are more sceptical of the reliability of certain sources of health information. Of Canadians with a university degree, 43% report not using media such as television and radio to learn about health issues due to concerns of reliability; while only 18% of Canadians without a high school diploma report concerns about the reliability of those sources. |