Computer and Internet Use among Icelandic

Children and Adolescents

© Sigurbjörg Jóhannesdóttir, 2003

Sólveig Jakobsdóttir, phDIceland University of Education

soljak@khi.is; http://soljak.khi.is

© Sigurbjörg Jóhannesdóttir, 2003

Poster presented at NECC, Seattle, July 1st 2003

Research supported by the Icelandic Research Council

Studies 1 and 2

Online Surveys (mostly quantitative data) concerning computer and Internet use in schools and at home mostly grades 5-10

Data gathered by graduate students at Iceland University of Education (Icelandic teachers)

Study 2 part of NámUST (LearnICT) project, see http://namust.khi.is.

• Nov. 1998: 761 students in 10 schools + 1-2 staff members from each school

• Nov. 2002: 1403 students in 14 schools + 1-2 staff members from each school

Participants 1&2

Bekkur/ár

4.ár

3.ár

2.ár

1.ár

10

9

8

7

6

5

Vantar

Fjö

ldi

400

300

200

100

0

AR

1998

2002

125

163141

265

228

318

155

3432

66

188191

101

77

3521

2002: 1403 students13 primary+lower sec.*8 from capital area. *5 from other areasOne upper sec: (F) *capital area.

1998: 761 students9 primary+lower sec.*4 from capital area*5 from countrysideOne upper secondary*capital area.

Grade/year

Missing

YearNum

ber

of s

tude

nts

1. 2. 3. 4.

? Questions ?

• How can computer use and ICT have positive impact of young people’s learning, development and future?

• Which factors are influential?

We want...?

People to• Become literate – (also new types of literacy –

computer, IT, culture... ; Icelandic national curriculum describes further)

• Can use computers and ICT for the benefit of themselves and others in communications, collaboration, creative work, in learning, work, play..?

• Become better and more active citizens in a democratic society?

• Be confident, critical, positive?• Don’t suffer from problems related to computer use

(physical problems, social isolation, Internet or game addiction)?

School computer culture - Important factors

Society

Homes, family Community, school

Skills, attitudes, problems, use group differences e.g. gender,.?

Students (age, experience, ability)

Computers and access

Social factors Software, learning materials

Teachers, teaching methods, computer implementation

See SJ doctoral thesis http://soljak.khi.is/thesisvef

? Question - skills ?

Changes from 1998 to 2002?• How much do students think they

know at the end of lower secondary school – has there been an increase in number of skills?

• Are there gender-related differences in skills?

Skills grade 9-10% of students that claim they have

Innset ja for

Vista skjal

Eyða skrám/m

Prenta út

Forrita

T engjast Int

Búa t il vefsíðu

Búa t il mynd

Búa t il skyggnur

Reikna stærð

Finna upplýs.vef

Nota tölvupó

Spjalla

Nota ráðstefnu

Annað

120100806040200

AR

1998

2002

install software

save files

delete files

print

program

link to Internet

make web page

make picture

make slides

Spreads/calculate

find info on web

use e-mail

chat

use conferences

other

Year

•Sign. higher % 2002 than 1998 in all skills but one

(use spreadsheets to calculate and create

pictures).•Gender differences:

•1998 Boys sign. higher no. in all but one (save

doc.)•2002 Boys sign. higher no. in all but three (print,

use e-mail, chat).

Mean number of skills (14), differences between years

Bekkur/ár

Frhsk.10.b.9.b.8.b.7.b.6.b.5.b.

Fj.

14

færn

iatr

iða

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

AR

1998

2002

• Mean higher in every age group 2002 than 1998

• 1998: Gender diff. in every age group grade 7 and up

• 2002: Gender diff. in grades 6 and 8 and up (marginally sign. In grade 5 but not in grade 7.

• Gender differences less than before in grades 7 and 8 (strong years or permanent trend?)

Year

Mea

n nu

mbe

r of

ski

lls

Grade/year in school

Mean number of skills (14) by gender and age1998 and 2002

1998

Bekkur/ár

Frhsk.10.b.9.b.8.b.7.b.6.b.5.b.

Mea

n F

j. 1

4 fæ

rnia

trið

a

15

10

5

0

Kyn

Stúlkur

Piltar

Mea

n nu

mbe

r of

ski

lls

Grade/year in school Grade/year in school

Gender

Girls

Boys

?

? Questions - attitudes ?

Changes from 1998 to 2002?

• What are students computer-related attitudes?

• Are there gender-related differences in attitudes?

Attitudes grades 9-10..mikilvæg fyri

..spennandi að

Mean ..of mikil..slæ

..illa við að n

..nauðsynl. tæk

mj. klár að not

gaman að prófa

gaman að nota t

líður oft óþægi

erfiðl. að skil

5,04,03,02,01,0

AR

1998

2002

Most students positive or neutral. No differences between years except in self confidence. More students 2002 think they are very good at using computers than students 1998. Gender differences: Boys more positive in 1998 in all but one question and all but two questions in 2002.

Imp./future..

Exciting to use..

Too much use bad..

Dislike using..

Necessary tools..

Very good at..

Fun to try new..

Fun to use/usef.

Often feel bad...

Difficult/underst..

Attitudes1998 & 2002gender differences grades 9-10

2002..mikilvæg fyri

..spennandi að

..of mikil..slæ

..of mikil..slæ

..illa við að n

..nauðsynl. tæk

mj. klár að not

gaman að prófa

gaman að nota t

líður oft óþægi

erfiðl. að skil

5,04,03,02,01,0

Kyn

Stúlkur

Piltar

Imp./future..

Exciting to use..

Too much use bad..

(2 q. in 2002)

Dislike using..

Necessary tools..

Very good at using..

Fun to try new..

Fun to use/useful things..

Often feel bad when...

Difficult/underst. Techn.

Gender

Girls

Boys

? Questions - problems ?

In 2002?

• Do students complain of social and/or physical problems related to computer use?

• Are there gender-related differences in problems?

Problems by grade level

•Back

•Hand/fingers

•Elbow/arms

•Shoulder/neck

•Head/eyes

•Other physical p.

•Teasing/harassment

•Sexual harassment

•Monetary fraud

•Neg. friendsh./soc.

•Neg. effects on learning

Elementary

Middle

Upper sec.

School

level

Problems by gender in grades 8-10

?

•Back

•Hand/fingers

•Elbow/arms

•Shoulder/neck

•Head/eyes

•Other physical p.

•Teasing/harassment

•Sexual harassment

•Monetary fraud

•Neg. friendsh./soc.

•Neg. effects on learning

Gender

Girls

Boys

Problems by age groups and genderPhysical problems Grow with age except pain in elbows and arms. Highest number of students complain about headache & eye problems, next pain in hands/fingers. Gender differences: In middle school more girls than boys complain about pain in hands/fingers, shoulder/neck and head/eyes.

Social/psychological/otherLess complains than over physical problems. Increase with age except teasing/harassment (in electronic communications). In middle school more girls than boys complain about sexual harassemnt. More boys than girls complain about danger of monetary fraud and potential “addiction.”

? Questions - use ?

Changes from 1998 to 2002

• How much do students claim they use computers

• Are there gender-related differences in use?

Computer use at home – % of boys in time spent

Unglst.

Tölvunotkun heima

21+16-2010-156-92-5< 2Enga

Hlu

tfal

l pi

lta

%

100

80

60

40

20

0

AR

1998

2002

The higher number of hours students report spending onthe computer every week thehigher % of boys of the totalnumber og children in grades 8-10.

Boys are also more likely to indicatehigh computer use among theirpeers/friends than are girls.

Computer use at school and home% reports using computers 2 hours+/week

School Home

Year

Grade/year in school Grade/year in school

How did I use computer last time I used it (grades 8-10 2002)?

• How long ago? Majority of boys (87%) and girls (76%) used computers less than week ago.

• For how long? Majority of boys (73%) but about half of girls (50%) used computer more than 30 min.

• Where? Majority of boys (82%) and girls (73%) used computers in their own home. School came next for the girls (16%) but friends came next for the boys (8%).

• With whom? Majority of the boys and girls used computers by themselves (70 og 74%) but about 20% with two people; 10% of boys but 5% of girls with more than 2.

• Do what? Most commonly play (87% boys but 53% girls). 20% of girls but a few % of boys said they had used computers for learning. 12% of girls but 6% of boys had been looking at information/materials. 10% of girls but 1% of boys in electronic communications..

?Questions- important factors?

– Which factors correlate with computer-related skills?

– Final words?

Correlation sign: purple = for both girls and boys; blue =for boys only; pink for girls only

bold = highly correlated/significant

School district/school

Homes

Peer culture

Community

Society

Student

Social factors

Teachers, teaching methods, computer use

Software (9+types), learning materials

Technology, access

Student computer-related skillsCorrelation with factors 1998

23.6.2003 - v123

Total no. of students

No of s's in classes

Schedule

Teacher collaboration

Teaching methods in general

Teacher cont. ed. wherefrom

School support for t's ed.

Technology committe in school

ICT policy

Monetary support f technology

Amount of use

Computer, web, chat, e-mail

Conference

Video games

Last use

No. of software types

Access

No. of computers

Internet connection

LocationIn own room

Who uses computers at home

Self

Father, mother

Brother

Computer use

Video game use

Age

Ability

Attitudes

Confidence/v good at

6 q's: future imp. +

2 q's

Dislike using comp.

Indep. vs. peer use

Preference for indep. vs. peer use

Adults present during comp. use

Amount of use

Computer, web, chat, conf.

E-mail

Video games

In which subjects

For home learning

Special subject (ICT)

Teacher ed./prep./technological

Free access

Location

Library

Teacher's room

Other location

No. of comp.

Computer:stud. ratio

Internet access

Grades 8-10

Correlation sign: purple = for both girls and boys; blue =for boys only; pink for girls only

bold = highly correlated/significant

School district/school

Homes

Peer culture

Community

Society

Student

Social factors

Teachers, teaching methods, computer use

Software (9+types)

Technology, access

Student computer-related skillsCorrelation with factors 2002

23.6.2003 - v127

Total no. of students

No of s's in classes

Schedule

Teacher collaboration

Teaching methods in general

Teacher cont. ed. wherefrom

School support for t's ed.

Technology committe in school

ICT policy

Monetary support f technology (neg., low)

Amount of use

Computer, web

Video games; net games

Last use for how long

Comp./vid.games, how long ago

Chat, e-mail, conf., blog

Software types (9+)

Access

No of computers

Internet

Computer for self

LocationOwn room

Sister

Who uses computers

Mother, self

Nobody special

Sister, father

Computer use

Video game use

Age

Grades

ProblemsSocial

Attitudes

Confidence/v good at

7 q

2 q

Time it takes me..

Indep. vs. peer use

Preference for indep. vs. peer use

Adults present during comp. use

Amount of use

Web

Computer

Net-games

Other

For home learning

No. of subjects

Special subject (ICT)

Teacher ed./prep./technological

Classroom t.

S's collaboration in smaller/larger groups

Free access

Location Teacher's room

Computer:stud. ratio

Internet access

Grades 8-10

CommentsThe studies involved show e.g. the following:• Higher number of students’ skills, more confidence among students.

Gender differences appearing later? Computer access much higher at schools and homes and some indicators in schools that they are more ready for development and changes (less traditional methods) and they play a larger role than before in computer-related skills development.

• On the other hand, there are large gender differences in grades 9-10 in relation to skills, attitudes, and computer access at homes. Also, students complain about problems, mostly physical but also social. Computer use varies by school but on average student say they use computers for two hours or more per week only in about two subjects. Besides special ICT/computer classes most commonly in foreign languages, Icelandic and math. Computer use in schools may not have increased significantly but changed to involve more web use.

Study 3

Qualitative 2001-2003+ (ongoing)Observations and short interviews concerning Internet use,

age mostly ca. 7-20.

• Goal: examine how Icelandic children and adolescents are using the Internet

• Spring 2001 (58), 2002(102), 2003 (114), or a total of 274 individuals observed by about 67 graduate students located around the country. Results from 2003 unavailable so far.

• Results presented here from 2002 – types of webs• http://soljak.khi.is/netnot

Participants 2002

Aldursbil

Eldri en 25 ára

20-25 ára

16-19 ára

13-15 ára

10-12 ára

6-9 ára

Co

un

t

20

10

0

Kyn

Kvk.

Kk.

4

23

1716

6

4

2

5

13

9

16

Gender

Girls

Boys

6-9 10-12 13-15 16-19 20-25 25+

Age Range

Types of Internet Use

AR: 2002

Forritaflokkur

ÖnnurN-skap

N-samskN-leik

N-upplN-nam

Missing

Hlu

tfa

ll (%

)60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Staðsetning

Skóli

Heimili

Location

Year 2002

Missing Learning Info Games Comm. Creative Other

Type of Activity

SchoolHome

Popular websites????????????????

86 individuals under 20

They visited 59 webs that were recorded plus a few unrecorded

Popular websites????????????????

• Entertainment and sports• 62% visited such webs

• Nobody under 10• Girls more entertainment• Boys more sports

Example: Girl, 11, at school

• Student turned on the computer and went straight to the Word program. Did this quickly, with confidence and without error. When she had done that she called the teacher and asked whether she could go on the Net. She typed in the Disney url and looked at many pictures. Asked the girl by her side how she should write Britney Spears. Then went to that web page and looked at pictures there and said: “This is a lot of fun.”

Popular websites????????????????

• Games• 52% participants used

those

• Not much gender difference

• Most popular among 10-12 year olds

Example: boy, 8, at school• Is in a game, talks a lot to himself. E.g., “beware

dumbhead... I am the dog.” Is always moving around, does not sit straight on the chair, talks to the game, has headphones, hits the keys hard on the keyboard, talks a lot to himself, tells what is happening in the game: “hey leave me ... I deserve to kill you. Focuses and does not let others in room disturb him. Person sitting beside him complains he is being noisy. Sits on his leg “go away, go away, stupid, stupid, stupid.” Teacher scolds student for not being too noisy. Student scratches his neck “go away.. Go away... Go away you stupid.” Talks constantly to the games (mixture of Icelandic and English). Uses arrows and mousekeys. Looks tired when he is done with the game, stretches, sits up in the chair, scratches neck. Starts another game, calls the teacher but still continues to find another game on Cartoon Networks.

Popular websites????????????????

• Information -related• 31% participants used

those

• School webs, 9% • More girls than boys and

more prominent among 13 years and older

• Example, boy, 11, at school• When he get to go anywhere he likes on

the Net he visits websites he has already seen and says “Cool” when he finds a page with e-mail adresses and is called tony.hawk. Looks at the next person and asks: “Where is this game?” when he is in a soccer/ball? game. Finds the game soon. Sees that his friend is now on a web side about cars and asks where that page is. Appears not to figure it out and goes to leit.is and types in the search word “cars”. Searches but has difficulties finding pages. Finally, finds a sites, which the person sitting next to him asks him about. Has good control of mouse and moves it with short movements.

• Communications• 22% of participants

• More girls• Most after 13 years of

age

Popular web sites????????????????

Example, girl, 19, at home.Goes to Yahoo and gets the e-mail, has very long password but types it in quickly. Knows the web environment she is working in well. Takes a test that a girl friend sent her. “Ahh.. where did this go, desktop, I cannot look at this. No went wrong.” Goes to a page uconics.com and looks at jokes. Laughs. She taps her feet the whole time. Says “Oh I need to hurry am going out” Closes (disconnects?) stands up and leaves.

Popular websites????????????????

• Search machines/webs• 19% of participants used

those

• Mainly an Icelandic one leit.is (16%)

Some results/conclusions• Most Icelandic children and adolescents have used the

Internet at home and at school although use at schools appears limited among younger than 16 years old. However, many are acquiring experience in information search and use of the Net in various types of projects and subjects.

• Often the Internet appears to be used with or without the permission of the teacher for games mixed with or after other types of use (more work/project related). High use of games could have the affects, particularly on boys, to find other type of Internet use boring.

• Study not conclusive but provides a kind of a window - provides hints about trends and ideas about further research regarding ever-changing technology environment and use of the Internet.

• Research on-going –see:http://soljak.khi.is/netnot