IL-Media Literacy
Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Duggan, M., Cortesi, S., &
Gasser, U. (2013, March 13). Teens and Technology. Retrieved from Pew
Research Internet Project:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/03/13/teens-and-technology-2013/
Because facts from the Pew Research
Internet Project article, “Teens and Technology,” were referenced in another
article, I just had to do some fact-checking. It turns out, the facts cited in “4
Powerful BYOD Apps for the Disconnected Classroom” on Edudemic.com were
accurate! If you are a straight-to-the-source reader, you are likely to spend
more time than you expected at the Pew Research Internet Project website.
One of the items of interest around
teen habits is that they predict future adult behavior. Not surprising, right?
Among the many, many facts presented in this report that are relevant for youth
and teacher librarians, one very interesting fact is that 74% of teens
access the Internet using mobile devices at times, and that 25% of teens are
accessing the Internet mostly or exclusively by phone. So, the reality of
implementing a 1:1 BYOD technology environment is a real possibility.
The digital divide still exists, and
starkly, for teens who live in a lower-income or lower-educated household. For
teachers and school librarians, this would mean that some devices would still
need to be provided at school. However, providing some instead of all devices
takes a lot of financial pressure off of schools. In terms of addressing the
digital divide, a BYOD environment makes sense.
The trouble with statistics is, like
technology, they are out of date the moment they come out. The data collected
for this 2013 report was collected July through September 2012. However, there
is a clear trend toward the use of mobile devices that is likely to continue
for some time. Figuring out how to use students' devices that they are already
bringing presents itself as an important next step towards a 1:1 technology
environment in schools.
