The Use of Computers in School and the Skills of the “Net Generation”

Shedding Light on Myths About Digital Natives?

Results of IEA‘s „International Computer and Information Literacy Study“

(ICILS) 2013 Dirk Hastedt, IEA

15th December 2015

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IEA

• Non-governmental research organization

• Founded in 1958, more than 30 research studies of cross-national achievement

• Large-scale comparative studies of educational achievement and other aspects of education, e.g. TIMSS, PIRLS ICCS, ICILS, TEDS-M

• 70 member country institutions, about 100 participating countries in IEA studies

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ICILS: Participating countries and scope

Australia, the City of Buenos Aires (Argentina)*, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Korea, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway (Grade 9), Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)*, Ontario (Canada)*, Poland, the Russian Federation, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkey

*Benchmarking participants

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Computer and Information Literacy

An individual’s ability to use computers to investigate, create and communicate in order to participate effectively at home, at school, in the workplace and in the community.

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Computer and Information Literacy

Strand 1 collecting and managing information

Aspect 1.1: Knowing about and understanding computer use; Aspect 1.2: Accessing and evaluating information; and Aspect 1.3: Managing information

Strand 2 producing and exchanging information

Aspect 2.1: Transforming information; Aspect 2.2: Creating information; Aspect 2.3: Sharing information; and Aspect 2.4: Using information safely and securely

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The assessment modules

Module Description and Large Task

After-school exercise

Students set up an online collaborative workspace to share information and then select and adapt information to create an advertising poster for the after-school exercise program.

Band competition

Students plan a website, edit an image, and use a simple website builder to create a webpage with information about a school-band competition.

Breathing Students manage files and evaluate and collect information to create a presentation to explain the process of breathing to eight- or nine-year-old students.

School trip

Students help plan a school trip using online database tools and select and adapt information to produce an information sheet about the trip for their peers. The information sheet includes a map created using an online mapping tool.

CIL Scale Summary

Demonstrate familiarity with the basic range of software commands, recognize potential for misuse of computers

L1

Critical perspective and autonomy when gathering information or creating information products

Complete basic and explicit information gathering and management tasks, simple information products that show consistency of design, and show awareness of mechanisms for protecting personal information

L2

Search for and locate information, plan use of information when creating information products

Work independently using computers as information-gathering and management tools, recognize the nature and quality of information reflects the characteristics of people who created it

L3

Precision, efficiency and control when gathering information or creating information products

Evaluate the reliability of information based on its content and probable origin, create information products targeted for audience and purpose

L4

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“Digital Natives”

Today’s students – K through college – represent the first generations to grow up with this new technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age. Today‟s average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV). Computer games, email, the Internet, cell phones and instant messaging are integral parts of their lives. (Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants By Marc Prensky)

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Easy item

10

Easy item - results

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

11

Difficult item

12

Difficult item - results

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

13

Complex tasks

14

Complex tasks

15

Proficiency levels

9 5 6 2 5 12 9 11 7

15 18 8

64 67

17 4

15 8 6 7 4

31 19 18 20

13 19

21 27 25 22

30 30

28

23 24

23

17

23

19 24 24 18

34 36 42 42

48

46 40

41 42 45

39 40

47

11 8

38

46

37

41 45 40

42

27 30 30 29 34 27 25 21 21 24

15 13 16

2 1

21 30

23 29

23 25 32

7 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 2 4 5

0

20

40

60

80

100

Below level 1 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

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Some myths…

Mostly girls score higher

0

10

20

30

40

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… and another myth…

Equipping schools with computers will automatically lead to innovative and modern teaching methods.

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Teachers’ use of ICT in class

Software tool Mean (%) Min (%) Max (%)

Word processing or Presentation Software 30 13 47

Computer-Based Information Resources 23 16 32

Tutorial Software or [Practice Programs] 15 7 28

Interactive Digital Learning Resources 15 8 21

Communication Software 10 3 17

Multimedia Production Tools 8 1 17

Graphing or Drawing Software 7 3 20

Spreadsheets 7 3 16

Data Logging and Monitoring Tools 6 2 13

Digital Learning Games 5 2 9

E-portfolios 4 1 10

Social Media 4 1 18

Concept Mapping Software 4 0 9

Simulations and Modeling Software 3 0 6

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Some diversity in the extent of using computers in lessons

National averages for students’ use of computers for study purposes overall

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… but even more differences in learning ICT in schools

National averages for students’ learning of ICT tasks at school

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Are we creating a digital divide?

If computer literacy competencies are required in life but also in learning in schools, but these competencies are not taught in school – will only students from privileged homes be successful?

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…consequently, students’ CIL competencies are strongly dependent on their background characteristics

Score difference between students with parents having

Lower secondary education or below and

Tertiary University education

On average: 90 score points! (= 90% of the standard deviation)

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ICT Literacy can be learned in school Countries

Regression coefficient for learning ICT in school and

students’ ICL score

Australia 10.3 (2.8)

Chile 11.1 (3.4)

Croatia 5.7 (4.1)

Czech Republic 3.0 (2.7) Korea, Rep. of -5.0 (4.2)

Germany -5.4 (5.3)

Lithuania -1.7 (4.0)

Norway 4.0 (2.5)

Poland 0.5 (4.0)

Russian Federation -1.1 (3.8)

Slovak Republic 4.4 (2.9)

Slovenia 7.3 (2.9)

Thailand 12.1(7.2)

Turkey 11.5 (8.1)

ICILS 2013 average 4.1 (1.2)

Countries not meeting sample requirements

Denmark 2.3 (3.1)

Hong Kong SAR 31.7 (6.9)

Benchmarking participant not meeting sample requirements

Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

10.5 (2.8)

Ontario, Canada

5.5 (3.9)

… to varying degrees of success…

Searching information on the internet

96% Percentage of teachers agreeing

that ICT enables students to access better sources of information

92% Percentage of students agreeing to

the statement “I enjoy using the internet to find out information”

63% Percentage of teacher with strong or

some emphasis on students’ capability in assessing information

efficiently

32% Percentage of teachers who

participated in an introductory course on Internet (e.g. compiling

internet searches, digital resources)

52% Percentage of students searching

the internet at least once a week for information for study or school work

Country

Enables Students

to Access Better

Sources of

Information

Australia 95

Chile 97

Croatia 95

Czech Republic 97

Germany -

Korea, Republic of 95

Lithuania 97

Norway (Grade 9) -

Poland 96

Russian Federation 89

Slovak Republic 98

Slovenia 93

Thailand 99

Turkey 98ICILS 2013 average 96

Denmark 98

Germany 90

Hong Kong SAR 97

Netherlands 91

Norway (Grade 9) 97

Switzerland -

Countries not meeting sample requirements

I Enjoy Using

the Internet to

Find out

Information

93

93

95

94

98

88

90

96

96

96

91

84

94

9092

98

-

93

71

-

89

Accessing

Information

Efficiently

76

72

62

64

-

62

40

-

61

68

66

67

59

5663

78

36

53

49

72

-

Introductory Course

on Internet Use

(e.g., Compiling

Internet Searches,

Digital Resources)

23

33

61

16

-

31

30

-

12

46

26

19

59

2232

19

8

20

8

16

-

Searching for

Information for

Study or School

Work

65

49

44

48

38

30

62

55

74

72

42

38

51

6352

65

-

37

50

-

33

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Collaboration using ICT

78% Percentage of teachers agreeing that ICT helps students learn to collaborate with other students

Country

Helps Students

Learn to

Collaborate With

Other Students

Australia 72

Chile 90

Croatia 79

Czech Republic 62

Korea, Republic of 69

Lithuania 80

Poland 85

Russian Federation 84

Slovak Republic 77

Slovenia 67

Thailand 90

Turkey 79ICILS 2013 average 78

Denmark 70

Germany 50

Hong Kong SAR 85

Netherlands 52

Norway (Grade 9) 61

Countries not meeting sample requirements

Collaborating

With Others

Using Shared

Resources such

as (Google Docs)

48

54

39

29

35

47

60

43

38

45

45

4144

49

24

45

34

34

Sharing

Digital

Information

With Others

53

55

49

33

50

29

36

43

42

32

49

5043

54

15

38

27

47

Enabling Students

to Collaborate with

Other Students

(within or outside

school)

7

12

3

3

8

5

5

10

3

5

18

77

4

2

5

2

5

44% Percentage of teachers

expressing confidence in collaborating with other using

shared resources

42% Percentage of teachers giving strong or some emphasis on their students capabilities in

sharing digital information with others

7% Percentage of teachers often

enabling students to collaborate with other students

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What impacts ICT use at school?

Country

Teachers’ ICT self-efficacy

Teachers’ Positive views of

ICT

Teachers Collaborate on ICT use

Lack of ICT resources at

school

Australia 0.20 0.17 0.19 0.02 Chile 0.32 0.14 0.16 0.01 Croatia 0.43 0.18 0.12 -0.05 Czech Republic 0.31 0.12 0.16 0.00 Korea, Rep. of 0.33 0.29 0.16 -0.01 Lithuania 0.32 0.06 0.16 -0.06 Poland 0.36 0.02 0.33 -0.06 Russian Federation¹ 0.33 0.06 0.22 -0.09

Slovak Republic 0.36 0.11 0.20 -0.03 Slovenia 0.29 0.17 0.19 -0.03 Thailand 0.34 0.13 0.21 -0.05 Turkey 0.28 0.15 0.23 -0.21

ICILS 2013 average 0.32 0.13 0.19 -0.05

Regression coefficients on ICT use in schools

Teachers’ confidence in using ICT Country All Teachers Under 40 40 and over Difference Australia 55 (0.2) 57 (0.2) 53 (0.3) -4 (0.3) Chile 52 (0.4) 55 (0.3) 48 (0.6) -7 (0.7) Croatia 47 (0.3) 52 (0.4) 43 (0.4) -8 (0.6) Czech Republic 50 (0.3) 53 (0.3) 47 (0.3) -6 (0.4) Korea, Rep. of 53 (0.3) 55 (0.3) 52 (0.5) -4 (0.6) Lithuania 50 (0.3) 55 (0.5) 48 (0.3) -6 (0.7) Poland 51 (0.3) 54 (0.4) 50 (0.4) -5 (0.5) Russian Federation¹ 49 (0.4) 52 (0.5) 48 (0.4) -4 (0.5) Slovak Republic 50 (0.2) 53 (0.3) 47 (0.3) -6 (0.4) Slovenia 50 (0.3) 54 (0.5) 47 (0.3) -7 (0.5) Thailand 45 (0.6) 48 (0.6) 42 (0.8) -7 (0.7) Turkey 49 (0.5) 50 (0.5) 45 (1.0) -5 (1.0)

ICILS 2013 average 50 (0.1) 53 (0.1) 47 (0.1) -6 (0.2)

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Scale has a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10

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Maybe a focus on teacher training – especially for more experienced teachers – can help improve teacher’s self confidence and create more positive views…

… as well as create a cooperative environment for ICT use in schools…

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?