Digital childcare: need of the hour for international student mothers

Abstract

Changing dynamics of society along with the evolution of technology require us to accept and embrace the benefits and applications of using digital technology in everyday life. Many international student mothers seek help from digital technology and media for engaging their children so that they can complete their tasks, despite disadvantages associated with early childhood media exposure. Their choice of doing so lies in the lack of affordable and reliable childcare options available to them as an unemployed student, balancing time constraints, as well as cultural, social and academic expectations. My research seeks to explore the use of digital technology and media as childcare assistant, and contributes towards designing safe, affordable and productive digital media applications which can act as a childcare assistant for international student mothers.