Communication as an intergenerational Barrier

University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

Abstract

In the article we use the data from specific research entitled “Media Education in the Family” and conducted by the Department of Social Pedagogy, College of Education, University of Hradec Králové, in 2012. The survey focused on mapping the state of media education in the contemporary Czech families. Specifically, we asked families with children at the age from six to fifteen. The data collection was conducted by questionnaire method. Our group of researchers created two different forms of questionnaires, the first one for parents and the second one, which was modified into appropriate form for children. Questionnaires were given to both parents (if they lived both in the household) and to one child in each family. The children were divided into groups according to their age: the first age group from 6 to 8 years, the second group from 9 to 11 years and the third group from 13 to 15 years. Into these age categories (quotas) were included families with a child at a given age. Parents separately completed a questionnaire. The researchers had to do a controlled interview with children due to possible misunderstanding of the questions by the youngest respondents. Then the researchers filled in answers from children to the appropriate questionnaire. Totally 1, 306 questionnaires were received from parents and 566 from children after exclusion of improperly completed questionnaires. All data relate to families in Czech society, but we think that many of the characteristics could occur in families from other countries as well. This is caused mainly by a global expansion in electronic media.