Urban adolescent students and technology: access, use and interest in learning language and literacy

Abstract

Adolescents today have vastly different opportunities to learn and process information via pervasive digital technologies and social media. However, there is scant literature on the impact of these technologies on urban adolescents with lower socioeconomic status. This study of 531 urban students in grades 6-8 used a self-reported survey to collect information about (1) students' access to and frequency of using desktop, laptop and tablet computers, and mobile phones, (2) their ownership of mp3 players, iPods, touch pads, cellphones, and smartphones, (3) whether they had accounts with any of 10 communication and social media platforms, and (4) their interest in using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and text messaging for language and literacy learning purposes. Students reported significantly more access to these technologies at home than school. Grade 8 students had the most access to cellphones and laptop computers, and were most likely to own smartphones. English language learners indicated a significantly higher interest in using social media for language and literacy learning than their native English-speaking peers. The results indicate a great potential to integrate technology strategically with language instruction for urban adolescent students with linguistically diverse backgrounds. The educational implications of these findings are discussed.

An Evaluation of Oral Language: The Relationship between Listening, Speaking and Self-efficacy

“…However, this research shows that if the time spent watching TV increases students' self-efficacy regarding all their verbal communication skills are negatively affected. It is known that digital technologies, social media, and time spent in virtual environments and using software applications are attractive to young people and can provide extensive education opportunities across different times and distances [26]. However, in their studies of university students Stankovska, Angelkovska, and Grncarovska, suggest that overuse of the internet may lead to poor performance at school, social isolation, depression and loneliness, and they determined a potential negative relationship between internet use and loneliness (r = .009, p> .01); and between internet addiction and high academic performance (r = .002, p> .01) [27].…”

Investigating ICT skills and the use of audio media in distance education among teachers and students: the case of Mountains of the Moon University in Uganda

“…The reported recreational and relaxation benefits associated with iPods have clearly created a new culture infused with music among college students (Hoover, et al, 2010). In the recent research of Li (2015), findings indicate a widespread use of computers, cell phones, and social media, as well as frequent access to the internet among urban adolescents from lower social economic status families. About 70% of the respondents used cellphones on a daily basis, and over 55% used desktop and laptop computers every day or at least once every 2-3 days.…”

Teen Culture, Technology and Literacy Instruction: Urban Adolescent Students’ Perspectives

“…Group differences in technology adoption associated with age have been reported among youth. A self-report survey conducted among 531 middle school students showed that 8 th graders (14year-olds) reported significantly more access, more frequent use, higher levels of ownership of technology devices and social media accounts than 6 th and 7th graders (12-13 year olds) (Li, Snow, & White, 2014). Livingstone and Helsper's (2007) study with 1,511 students aged 9-19 in the U.K. showed 74% of them had Internet access at home.…”

“…A study of 518 Belgian 16-to 19-year-old students also showed that "socioeconomic status affects computer ownership only moderately" (Van Braak & Kavadias, 2005, p. 43). Our recent survey study with 531 middle school students aged between 12 and 14 in a U.S. public school located in a lower income neighborhood also revealed that the digital divide related to social economic status (SES) is disappearing, as these low-income urban teens' access to technology devices was comparable to that in the general teen population (Li, Snow, & White, 2014).…”

“…The enthusiasm with which urban teens, including English language learners, embrace opportunities to use and learn about new technologies stands in stark contrast to their low motivation in school, related to academic underachievement and challenges in learning literacy skills (Li, Snow, & White, 2014). Literacy, in this article, refers to the ability to "read and write across a wide variety of disciplines, genres, and materials with increasing skill, flexibility, and insight" (Snow & Biancarosa, 2003, p. 5).…”