Online teens say their schools don't
use the Internet well
78% of
middle and high school students use the Internet
But the most Internet-savvy among them complain
that their teachers don't use the
Internet in class or create assignments that
exploit great Web material.
PRESS RELEASE, August 14, 2002 - See:
http://www.pewinternet.org
for full report.
Washington (August 14,
2002) - Millions of teenagers increasingly
use the Internet for their schoolwork, but
they say that educators often don't know how,
don't want, or aren't able to use online tools to help
them learn or enrich their studies.
The students argue that the
nation's multi-billion dollar effort to wire
schools is at risk of being squandered
unless there was a similar commitment to
improve connectivity in classrooms, help all students
master computer skills, teach more
sophisticated Internet literacy, make sure
that high-quality information is
available to them, and - most important
of all - create assignments that take advantage of the
wonderful Web resources they have
found on their own.
These findings are
highlighted in a new study for the Pew
Internet & American Life Project by the American
Institutes for Research (AIR), a widely respected
research organization based in Washington, D.C. The
report is entitled, "THE DIGITAL DISCONNECT: The
widening gap between Internet-savvy students and their
schools," and is based on the results of 14 focus
groups with 136 middle and high school students around
the nation and in reports from close
to 200 teenagers who responded to an online
survey. "Internet-savvy
students are far ahead of their
teachers and principals in taking advantage of online
educational resources," said Lee
Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet &
American Life Project. "Many believe they
may have to raise their voices to force
schools to change to accommodate them better. And
their voices should be added to
policy discussions.
Educators have a choice:
Either they need to adapt or they will be
dragged into a new learning environment."
Students use the Internet
dozens of ways to help them in school. They
see the Internet as a virtual textbook and
reference library, a virtual tutor and study
shortcut, a place to conduct virtual study groups, a
virtual locker, backpack and
notebook, and as a virtual guidance
counselor when they are deciding about
careers and colleges.
However, the students
repeatedly said that the quality of their
Internet-based assignments was often poor
and uninspiring - if online assignments were
even made at all.
"They want to be assigned more-and more
engaging-Internet activities that are relevant to
their lives," noted Douglas Levin, the director of the
research study for the American
Institutes for Research. "Many students
maintain that this would significantly
improve their attitude toward school and
learning."
The students said the
single greatest barrier to Internet use at
school is the quality of access to the
Internet at most of their schools. And while
many recognize the need to shelter teenagers
from inappropriate
material and adult-oriented commercial ads,
they complain that blocking and filtering
software often raise barriers to students'
legitimate educational use of the Internet.
Online students are also worried about the
"digital divide" and say they are
painfully aware of the advantages they enjoy
compared to those who do not have easy
Internet access outside of school. They also
urged that policy makers address the more subtle
inequities among teenagers that manifest themselves in
differences in the quality of student Internet access
and use.
"These kids think it's a
pity their schools don't 'get it' the way
they do about how to use the Internet,"
argued Sousan Arafeh, the deputy project
director for AIR for this study. "Most teens
use the Internet for school
assignments and in other learning situations,
but they say their Internet use occurs mostly outside
of the school day, outside of the
school building, and outside of the
direction of their teachers. Clearly, that
has to change."
The American Institutes for
Research (AIR) is one of the largest applied
behavioral and social science research
organizations in the world. Since its
founding in 1946 as an independent, not-for-profit
corporation, AIR has been conducting
research and providing analysis and
technical assistance in support of programs
to improve the condition of individuals,
groups, and organizations.
The
Pew Internet & American Life Project creates and
funds original, academic-quality research that
explores the impact of the Internet on children,
families, communities, the workplace, schools, health
care, and civic and political life.
The project is an independent, nonpartisan
organization fully funded by The Pew
Charitable Trusts.
|