The Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child is the world’s first collaborative research centre dedicated to creating positive digital childhoods for all Australian children. We work alongside other university partners, government, industry and not-for-profits organisations to support children, families and communities navigate their own digital worlds and advocate for positive digital childhoods. We centre children’s voices and provide useful resources for parents and carers, educators, children and policymakers.
Learn more about the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child
Our work empowers people who look out for the health, education and happiness of young children. Through our research programs, we develop resources and findings that equip children with the skills they need to live their best digital lives.
Our researchers produce high-quality evidence about the positive and negative health and wellbeing effects associated with young children’s use of digital technology. By understanding children’s lived experiences, we can provide guidance to families, educators and policymakers navigating this space.
We seek to advance understandings of how children in diverse communities participate in digital learning and explore how this participation might align with curriculum guidelines and educational and learning practices.
We investigate important issues associated with children’s use of the internet and mobile technologies related to data analytics, online engagement and commercial influences. We focus on how to make online engagement safer while promoting healthy digital relationships.
Study a research degree or PhD with Deakin and enhance the lives of people through meaningful research.
We bring together the expertise of leading researchers across universities and disciplines to redefine digital childhoods and lead the conversation for a positive digital future.
Our research projects explore children’s lived experiences with digital technology and provide useful resources and environments for children to confidently navigate digital worlds.
The Australian Children of the Digital Age is a world-first longitudinal study to investigate children’s digital engagement at a population level. It tracks patterns of more than 3000 Australian families and their children from six months to six years of age to provide a big picture of digital technology use in early childhood.
Our Children’s Technology Spaces allow researchers to collaborate with children, families, industry partners, teachers, health practitioners and technology designers. We hold public events, workshops and activities where children (accompanied by family members or educators) can learn, play and connect with digital technology.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more about the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child.
