This paper focuses on the ties between social and digital inequalities among Argentinean youth. It uses a qualitative approach to explore different aspects of the everyday lives of adolescents, such as sociability, leisure time and family use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), in order to assess the impact of the Connecting Equality Program (Programa Conectar Igualdad, PCI) on reducing digital inequalities and fostering social inclusion. In particular, the paper explores what were the existing conditions of access for students and their families when the PCI was first implemented? What influence does the implementation of the PCI have on the individual, family and scholastic appropriation of ICTs? How does the use of computers and the Internet vary among youth? Has this large-scale incorporation of netbooks in schools, and especially homes and free time changed it in any way? Does the appropriation of ICTs through student participation in the PCI contribute to material and symbolic social inclusion? To answer these questions, we compare the processes of ICT appropriation among lower and middle class adolescents, focusing on the distinctive uses and meanings assigned to computers and the Internet by boys and girls in their daily lives. For this purpose we analyze data collected through semistructured interviews in two schools in Greater La Plata, Argentina during 2012. The main findings show that in terms of access, skills and types of use, the implementation of the PCI has had a positive impact among lower class youth, guaranteeing access to their first computers and promoting the sharing of knowledge and digital skills with family members. Moreover, evidence of more diverse and intense use of ICTs among lower class students reveals the development of digital skills related to educational activities. Finally, in terms of sociability, having a personal netbook enables access to information and cultural goods which are very significant in generating ties and strengthening identities and social integration.

Comunicación (TIC) con diversos aspectos de la vida cotidiana contemporánea constituye un fructífero campo dentro de los estudios sociales. Las constantes indagaciones sobre las formas de uso, de socialización, de significación y de representación ubican a las TIC como centro de grandes interrogantes de la investigación en ciencias sociales en el siglo XXI. Este artículo tiene como objetivo componer una agenda para la investigación de las TIC en relación con el género, los niños, las niñas y los juegos. Si bien estos ejes han sido estudiados, las intersecciones y las articulaciones que identificamos en los últimos proyectos nos abrieron nuevas perspectivas para la indagación. ¿Qué hacen los niños y las niñas con los dispositivos con los que se vinculan? ¿De qué formas el género se constituye como una variable interviniente en las dinámicas, personajes, acciones y roles que se pueden (o no) asumir durante las interacciones lúdicas? En el artículo se presentan los diferentes elementos de una agenda de trabajo con los principales ejes, problemas, hipótesis y metodologías sobre las cuales se proyectan nuestros trabajos actuales y futuros 1 como forma de contribuir al campo en el que se enmarcan.

archivos analíticos de políticas educativas Revista académica evaluada por pares, independiente, de acceso abierto y multilingüe

The objective of this article is to explore the gendered characteristics of digital parenting and parental mediation through a qualitative study developed with families and children in Argentina. Diverse typologies have recently been elaborated to better understand parental mediation of digital screens. Quantitative studies have correlated different styles of parental mediation with sociodemographic variables and have also assessed their effectiveness in preventing several online risks. In this paper we use qualitative data from a research developed using the technique of technobiographies to construct an in-depth approach to children’s practices and representations with multiple voices involved (parents, teachers, school authorities). As we show, different types of parental mediation are associated to mothers or fathers, following more broader gender ideologies and stereotypes. With insights from different families, we built research questions that state that there is a gendered division of digital parenting.