3 Ijaest Volume No 3 Issue No 2 Youth Learning and Technology 89 110

8/7/2019 3 Ijaest Volume No 3 Issue No 2 Youth Learning and Technology 89 110

1/22

YOUTH LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY

An Exploratory Study Of

Youth Learning and Technology in Lebanon

What do we actually know about youth and technology in Lebanon?

Khayrazad Jabbour

[email protected]

Hammana, Lebanon

70-238 095/ 05 -530-249

Khayrazad Jabbour / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIESVol No. 3, Issue No. 2, 089 - 110

ISSN: 2230-7818 @ 2011 http://www.ijaest.iserp.org. All rights Reserved. Page 89
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


2/22

An Exploratory Study of Youth Learning And Technology In Lebanon

What do we actually know about youth and technology?

Khayrazad Jabbour

[email protected]

Hammana, Lebanon

70-238 095/ 05 -530-249

Abstract

This study investigates the use of Information Communication Technologies - ICT- by young people in Lebanon. The investigation examines their activities and the gap in ICT at home and at school.Data for the study was obtained from questionnaire surveys of grade 9 and 12 students; in addition, teachersurveys and student interviews were added to the data results. The survey was conducted in the spring of2010 in the schools located in Mount Lebanon. This article discusses: (1) how often and for what purposes dopupils use ICT at home, and at school; 2) to what extent are the differences between the uses of ICT at homeand at school; 3) Investigate ICT and media creator skills among pupils. The paper then goes on to discusswhat role ICT should play in education and addresses the question of whether young people are ready to

contribute to their own learning. Analyzing the data from the survey indicates a great gap between ICT practices at home and school; where all the ICT functions important to younger generation exist outsideschool doors, as well as most of the ICT learning. This article proposes that schools should bridge this gap by

shifting their center of attention from supporting the development of ICT skills towards supporting ICTmediated activities. This article concludes by suggesting that schools should look at students roles ascontributing agents towards their own learning.

Keyword: Lebanon, Student, Survey, ICT, School, Home, Survey.

Introduction

Information Communication Technology- ICT- has had a profound effect onalmost every aspect of our lives, and most importantly it has had a great impact on our

young generation. It has shaped and changed their activities in various ways. YoungLebanese pupils spend a great deal of their free time using ICT. Technology tools suchas the Internet, digital games, digital audio/video, cell phones, camera phones, email, IM-

instant messaging, social networking, YouTube and other technology tools which have


mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


3/22

become the cornerstones of a teenagers everyday activities. Because of the massiveamount of time teenagers spend using ICT; they expressed a high degree of comfort and

in many ways they quickly adapt to learning how to use new ICT to great extent morethan their parents generation.

Since the students are the central focus of education and because they spend greatdeal of their free time using ICT; it is increasingly important for educational institutions

to expand their understanding of teenagers ICT activities, and to examine thetechnological skills within our youth culture, in order to gain a valuable knowledge of

issues that might shape, support and nurture future education.

Technology can be the central means for significant educational reform andimprovement. Its role in the classroom is very important if properly used. Technology

offers a broad range of highly effective tools we can use to support and enhance learning.Bringing technology skills into the classroom is developed into one of the most

controversial issues. There have been huge effort and investments in order to bring ICTinto schools; however, education continues to stay the same in Lebanon, while students

are engaged in a world of rapidly evolving technologies. It seems that schools are having problems incorporating and making use of technology within the current educational

practices; many schools have not been able to provide fruitful technology learningenvironments.

The objective of this study is to try to give some general descriptions of the use of

technology by the youth of Lebanon. There is no way to provide a complete description

of their entire ICT activities. The discussion will outline some very general factors of

how technology impacted their activities, behaviors and their skills. Thus gaining insight

and an understanding of issues that will influence future learning.

The following questions form the central part of this study:

1. How often and for what purposes do students use ICT at home, and at school?2. To what extent are the differences between the use of ICT in the home and at school?3. What role should ICT play in education? Should educational institutions move from

supporting the development of technological skills towards supporting technologymediated teaching activities?

4. Can teenagers make a contribution to their own learning? To look at young peoplesroles as contributing agents in order to close the gap between ICT practices at home

and school.




4/22

Research Design

The data for this study was collected in the spring of 2010. The two schools in

which this study was conducted are located in Lebanon. The schools operate under atraditional teaching program from kindergarten to grade 12. Around 500 students were

enrolled in each school; with two classes per level and an average of 15 students perclass.

The study consisted of Class-based review where questionnaires were distributed

in the classroom and completed during a lesson. A total of 100 pupils completed thequestionnaire about the use of ICT by young people at home and at school in the spring

of 2010. The classes concerned were (Brevet) year nine; and the Baccalaureate II(Terminale) year twelve. We have chosen to explore grade nine (Brevet) year nine; and

the Baccalaureate II (Terminale) year twelve, because Lebanese students sit for twomajor official exams: the Baccalaureate I (Brevet) grade nine; and the Baccalaureate II

(Terminale) grade twelve. Due to these two major official exams, the pedagogies in gradenine and twelve are more centered on teaching to the test. In addition, teacher surveys

and student interviews were added to the data results. Permission to carry out the surveyswas obtained from the director of the school.

Data collection

In order to understand teenager access and usage of ICT at home and at school, Ihave conducted two surveys of ICT usage in the home and school for the students and the

teachers. I have also conducted home-based interviews with teenagers and their families.

Student Survey:

The instrument used in the study was a questionnaire that investigates youthaccess and use of ICT at home and at school. Also it investigates modern technology

skills and activity within youth culture; and the difference between ICT practices atschool and home. The students questionnaire consisted of a total of 41 questions

concerning young peoples computer ownership, access and use of technology at homeand school. It also consisted of questions on internet access and usages. The

questionnaire was initially tested with colleagues; then the implement and analysis werepiloted in spring 2010.

This study questionnaire concentrates into five blocks:

Technology use at home (26questions)o Computer ownership, the response categories were Yes; No; how many__o Internet access, the answer categories were Yes; Noo Internet applications ownership including(email, MSN, Facebook), the

response categories were Yes; No




5/22

o The amount of time they spend using digital technology at home, the responsecategories were on weekdays ___, on weekends___

o Learn to use computer, the response categories were School, Family, selfLearner, Friends

o How frequently young people used a computer and internet application athome for a range of activities at home. The same scale was used for eachquestion; the response categories were daily; weekly; monthly; once or twicea year; and never.

Student media creator skills and activities (6 questions), the same responsecategories was used for each question Yes; No

Places student use Technology regularly, (1 question) Subjects that use Technologies at school, (1 question),the response categories were

Art, English; Math; Science; French; and Technology

Technology to support student learning (5 questions) the same response categorieswere used for each question Everyday; 2 to 3 times a week; Not very often; Most

days; Once a week; and Not at all

Student reflection with technology at school (3 questions), ), the same responsecategories were used for each question are: Strongly agree; Agree; Neutral;Disagree; Strongly disagree

The instrument was given to the students in their respective classrooms and they were

allowed sufficient time to respond to all questions on the instrument. The exact wordingof these questions is appended.

Teacher surveys:

For the next phase of the project, the teachers questionnaire consisted of a total of

fourteen questions of the usage of ICT to support learning at school. This studyquestionnaire concentrates into five blocks:

Teaching setting (5 questions) Integration of Technology in the Classroom setting (2 questions), the same answer

categories were used for each question Yes; No

The how much time students spend using digital technology at school, (2 questions) Designing Learning with Technology (13 questions), the same scale of was used for

each question; the response categories were daily; weekly; monthly; once or twice ayear; and never.

How ICT is used to support student learning (1 question include 14 check boxes; plus1 question include 3 check boxes)

Teacher professional development training (1 question), categories used for thequestion were Yes; No

Teacher reflection about the influence of technology on student learning. (1questions), categories used for the question were Greatly, Somewhat, Not at all.

(see Appendix A).




6/22

Home interview:

The third phase of the project was a home based interview and observations withteenagers and their families. Teenagers and their families were selected for home

interviews. Twelve interviews were conducted with twelve families. The interview

included a discussion about the history and current ICT practices at home and at school.It is on the data from students and from teacher surveys, also from the home interviewsconducted that this paper will draw to explore the following themes:

1. How often and for what purposes do school pupils use ICT at home and at school;examine modern technology and media creators skills among pupils;

2. The differences between of the ICT usage at home and at school;3. What role should ICT play in education; are teenagers ready to play a role in their

own learning.

Key Findings

This section summarizes data from the surveys. It intends to detect how often and

for what purposes do school pupils use ICT at home and at school; also it investigates

modern technology and media creator skills among pupils. We then go on to discuss any

differences between ICT use in the home and school. Data shows that young people in

Lebanon are highly engaged participants in the ICT world. Then again, the data also

presents findings that show theres a substantial discrepancy between how students use

technology at home and at school. Below are key findings on how pupils are using

technology their favorite activities and their interactive communication habits and

how their use of the technology differs from those of their schools.

Key Findings of Student Survey, Youth technology Activities at home:

Lebanese youth are no strangers to the computer technology (100%) report that theyhave a minimum of one computer at home; and 8 in 10 young Lebanese (80%) said they

have as a minimum two computers at home. In addition almost all - (97%) say they have

internet access at home, figure (1).




7/22

Fig. (1) (Computer in household -2010)

The entire group of Lebanese student who participated in this study stated that they

use a computer every day; almost 9 in 10 young Lebanese - (89%) say on averagethey spend one to two hours every day on schooldays using computer, and (11%) say

they spend at least three hours every day. On the weekends, the majority - (91%) ofthe Lebanese youth spend as a minimum two hours using a computer, figure (2).

Fig. (2) (Daily ICT use among teens at home-2010)

Young people are learning quite a lot through engaging with technologies in theirinformal learning environments. They often learn how to use technologies on their

own and through their friends. More than half of the Lebanese youth (55%) say theyhave learned how to use technology by experimenting and exploring on their own,

with another (22%) saying that they have learned how to use it through their friends.So it is mostly through their leisure time activities that technology use really

flourishes among the youth. Smaller numbers of young people say they have learnedhow to use technology from their family (9%), with another (14%) saying they have

learned how to use it through their school, figure (3).




8/22

Fig. (3) (Teens Learn How to Use ICT-2010)

When asked about their computer activities, the majority of the young people

mentioned they spend a great deal of their free time using technology for leisure

activities, please see figure (4).

Fig. (4) (Teens ICT Activities - 2010)

Among the survey result:




9/22

Music, movies, or videos: Almost all young Lebanese (98 %) say they areusing the ICT for entertainment for instance music, movies, and video; (43%)

use it daily, (46%) use it a couple of times a week. Only (2%) of young

Lebanese say they never use computer for music, movies, or videos activities.

Email: The majority (94%) of the young Lebanese say they have their own personal email address. 8 in 10 young Lebanese (80%) say they use their

email every day or at least a couple of times a week to keep up with their

friends. Only (6%) of young Lebanese say they never use Email.

IM: More than 9 in 10 young Lebanese (86%) have used an instant messaging-IM (Chat rooms) that allows those online to hold conversations with other

users instantaneously, all of them reported they use their own MSN account.

Many online teens use instant messaging frequently. (54%) of those who use

instant messaging services say they instant message every day, with another

(23%) instant messaging a couple of times a week. Only (14%) of young

Lebanese say they never use IM. Games: Almost 9 in 10 young Lebanese - (89%) say they use the computer for

downloading or playing games; (40%) of those play games on a daily basis;

with another (32%) playing games a couple of times a week. Only (11%) of

young Lebanese say they never use a computer for games.

Facebook: More than 9 in 10 young Lebanese (91%) report that they have aFacebook account; (62%) of those say they use Facebook every day; with

another (23%) using it a couple of times a week. Only (9%) of young

Lebanese say they never use Facebook or MySpace.

As homework help tool: Nearly 8 in 10 young Lebanese (79%) say they usethe ICT to help them do their homework; just (12%) say they use it every day;with another (42%) using it a couple of times a week for homework help.

(21%) of young Lebanese say they never use a computer as homework help

tool.

Blogs: 6 in 10 young Lebanese (60%) say they use the Blogs. Of those (11%)use it on a daily basis, 39% use it a couple of times a week. (40%) of young

Lebanese say they never use blogs.

YouTube: Almost 9 in 10 young Lebanese (86%) report that they have usedYouTube; (15%) of those say they use it every day, with another (34%) using

it a couple of times a week, and (26%) using it on a monthly basis. Only

(14%) of young Lebanese say they never use YouTube.

Key Findings of Computer Applications:

Word processing: 4 in 10 young Lebanese (40%) report that they have usedword processing applications; with only (8%) using it once a week, (26%)




10/22

using it once a month, (6%) using it once or twice a year; and (60%) say they

never use word processing applications.

Spreadsheets: 4 in 10 young Lebanese (40%) report that they have usedspreadsheet applications; with only (8%) using it once a week, (26%) use it

once a month, (6%) use it once or twice a year; and (60%) say they never use

spreadsheets application.

Databases: no more than (3%) say they use database applications once ortwice a year and (97%) say they never use it.

Power Point Presentation software: Among students, we have (40%) who saythey use Power Point Presentation software, but only (3%) use it once a week,

(11%) use it once a month, (26%) use it once or twice a year; and (60%) say

they never use Power Point Presentation application software.

Graphical applications: More than (71%) of students reported that they usegraphical applications, and only (6%) use it daily, (6%) use it once a week,

(17%) use it once a month, (43%) use it once or twice a year; and (29%) saythey never use it.

Key Findings of Teen Content Creators:

Among internet-using teens, a large percentage - (86%) create content for the

internet; these are called Content Creators or Media creators. A media creator issomeone who created a blog or webpage, posted original artwork, photography,

stories or videos online or remixed online content into their own new creations. Mostof the young people report having done one or more of the following content-creating

activities, please see figure (4).Among the survey result:

(86%) of young Lebanese teens say that they have posted photos online;

(66%) of teens state that they have posted stories online;

(37%) have posted their artwork online;

(49%) have posted video or a song online; and

(46%) of young people say that they have created or help in creating a webpage

and (31%) a blog.




11/22

Fig. (5) (Content Creators Teens Activities 2010)

Key Findings of Kids Technology Activities at School:

From the survey result there is evidence of a divide between the use of ICT in the

home and at school, with the latter being the arena where technologies are used the least,Figure (6).

Fig. (6) (Teens ICT Activities at School 2010)

No more than (37%) of the students report that their teacher uses ICT to teach them.Only (8%) report that their teacher uses it only once a week; (29%) of these students

report that their teacher hardly ever uses ICT to teach them; and (63%) of the students

report that their teacher did not use ICT to teach them at all.

in 10 young Lebanese (40%) report that they have used word Only (34%) of the students report that they are using Computer at school. (28%)

report that they are using it only once a week, (6%) report not very often; and (66%)

say not at all.




12/22

Nearly all students report that they are seldom or almost never using email messageswith their teacher. (14%) say not very often, and (86%) say not at all.

Nearly all students report that they seldom or almost never look at the school website,(49%) say not very often, and (51%) say not at all.

Key Finding of Student Reflections:

More than (54%) percent of teens who took part in the survey reported that schoolwould be more interesting using computer, (40%) were neutral, and (6%) strongly

disagree.

(29%) agree that using computer helps them to improve on their schoolwork; (51%)were neutral, (20%) disagree.

However only (14%) of young people agree that they have learned new skills in how to

utilize the computer since last year in the school. (31%) were neutral, and (54%)disagree.

Key Finding of Teacher survey:

Schools placed their computers in the computer labs only, no computers in theclassrooms, networks were found to be only in the computer lab.

(100%) of all time spent by students on their school computers is to instruct themabout ICT skills rather than using ICT for other instructional goals.

Students on an average spend less than an hour on a computer a week. This time iscommitted to teaching students how to use computer applications for example Word

processing, Spreadsheets, Graphical applications, Power Point, Databases programs,

also general computer education and basic keyboarding skills.

Computer education is becoming isolated set of skills to be mastered. Computereducation is insignificant to schools.

The technological infrastructure is fairly primitive. Not only is much of the hardwareobsolete, but many students do not get to use the technology that is in place.

Students did not use technology in either mathematics, science or language (French,English, and Arabic) courses during the 2009-10 school year.

Key Finding of Home interview:




13/22

The third phase of the project was a home based interview and observations with

young people and their families. Young people and their parents shared their experienceswith their current home and school uses of ICT and practices, the social context of their

computer use, and their presentation and reflections. To better understand youths and

parents viewpoints; twelve young people and their parents were interviewed. Theinterviews lasted approximately an hour.

The general fact is that Students visit the computer lab once a week for 50

minutes. In the computer Lab, the students work on various application programs skill;the activities were criticized as overly prescriptive. There are considerably higher usage

of computer at home than at school, and it mostly used openly without fear or restraintfor entertainment.

In this section I report some of the young peoples comments:

Every teen we spoke with, described school use of computer as insignificant for the

following reasons:

1. Most of the teens we interviewed explained that they use computer for only one houra week, within formal lesson time in the lab.

2. Teens commented that all the application skills that they learn at school they neveruse them it life, and they always end up failing to remember them. Example ofapplication is MS office.

3. The grade does not have a lot of weight in the report card, and this made student feelless interested in working or studying effectively.

4. They only use computer in IT classes, it is not integrated into other classes.5. Most of the time they had to work 2 to 3 students on one computer, because several

computers will be not working in the computer lab.

On the other hand young peoples perceptions of the home computer and internet as awindow into their personal realm is something which creates a revolution in the way

young people communicate and do things. They say that they use the computer forleisure activities; for example chatting to friends online using MSN; playing games or

media activities like music and video. Furthermore young people are using the internetas the most popular method of getting information, and to keep up with the current news

of subject that interest them. Young people often acted as experts within their family onthe use of computers, most of the parent stated that their kids taught them how to use

computer.

Some of the young peoples comments through the interviews:

I taught myself, when I was in school I didnt learn much about computers

I was interested to learn how to use a computer, I asked my friend and he

showed me how make my own email account; It was easy after that, I learned awhole lot on my own




14/22

Computer education is useless subject, they teach us stuff that I have never andwill never use

It is not good subject; there are no practical use it for

The computer classes at school taught us about Microsoft applications. I learnby myself mostly. My dad always asks me, how come I am so good, because mydad knows much less than me.

At first I use to play around on my cousin computer, I was very young, then

when I got to school, we were always given a period of computers, where welearnt the basics, My mom learned it from me

Most of the time I use it to chat with my friends using MSN I have aFacebook account, where we can upload pictures, create a diary and view other

peoples postings ... I have about 500 friends on Facebook

Gap Between ICT Practices At School And Home

The next question of this study aimed to determine the difference between ICT

practices at school and at home. Also it aimed to explain the role technology in

education, and are our teens ready to play a part to their own learning?

Schools perform a significant role in teaching valuable skills to students, such asLanguage, Arithmetic, Science, Art, Sports etc. While there have been huge efforts inbringing technology skills into learning; nevertheless data indicates that it has not been

able to provide successful technology learning. A great gap opening up between ICTpractices at home and at school; in which all the functions important to teenagers take

place outside school doors, as well as most of the ICT learning. ICT setting, engagementand motivation of young at home are extremely different from it at schools. In general,

teen engage excitedly with technology activities outside school doors; while findingtechnology in schools boring and disappointing.

ICT setting, practice and motivation of teenagers at home are very different from

that at schools. In general, teens engage excitedly with technology activities outsideschool; while finding technology in schools boring and disappointing.

Schools provide ICT training in a limited area called the computer lab where

pupils can use technology only under restricted conditions for only one to two hours a

week. And much of the teaching consists of formal ICT education premeditated by the

curriculum; with a focus on developing skills on how to use a specific application and its




15/22

functionality; without being implanted or linked to useful function or practice. The ICT

concept at school is becoming another isolated skill to be mastered by memorizing.

Students did not use technology in either mathematics, science or languages courses

during the 2009-10 school year. In this paradigm, knowledge taught in the Brevet-year

nine of study may become obsolete in -Baccalaureate II Terminale-year twelve. Thats

why students consider ICT education insignificant. The majority - (86%) reported that

they have learned their ICT skills through engaging with technologies in their informal

learning environments outside school. Only (14%) reported that they have learned new

ICT skills in the school.

ICT Skills Among Students

Students who participated in this study reported that they use computer every dayat home. Most of them spend a great deal of their free time using ICT. They engage withtechnology in a very playful, exploratory attitude for leisure activities. The data results

indicate that young people viewed technology as an enabling tool. Their main use oftechnology was connecting people, ideas and resources. A remarkable percentage of

teens - (91%), participate in online social networking; and (86%) engage in ContentCreator activities, where they create, share online contents, or combine content into new

ones; also they engage in other various types of practices. In the internet communities, ateen does not need to have high technical knowledge to produce interesting videos,

writing, maintaining a blog or creating a photo collages.

Because of the intensified use of technology; this age group expressed a high

degree of comfort and quickly adapt to learning how to use new technologies to a greater

extent; not only as a consumer of information but also as inventors of knowledge. Then

again, these activities and experiences take place entirely outside schools; only through

their informal engagement with ICT. Teenagers have in their hands powerful learning

tools that they do not use in schools. And by failing to acknowledge this, we are boring

our children and doing them a great disservice. Pupils favor exploring, producing,

discovering, acting as a team, and controlling the processes of dealing with technology,

and schools are depriving them of these processes.

Todays technology offers students all kinds of new, highlyeffective tools they can use to learn on their own from the

Internet with almost all the information, to search and researchtools to sort out what is true and relevant, to analysis tools to

help make sense of it, to creation tools to present ones findingsin a variety of media, to social tools to network and collaborate

with people around the world. (Prensky, M., 2008).




16/22

Most young people are developing these skills and capacities outside the contextof school, through their engagement in various informal technology mediated activities.

From this point of view, youth and their special ways of learning are seen as a source forfuture innovations within education and the organization of workplace learning, as their

ways of learning and engaging with technologies has an imminent transformative

potential that can update and change our current educational practices; if given theopportunity.

Role of Technology in the Classroom

To successfully fulfill educational needs in the 21st century, educationalinstitutions need to be able to respond effectively to the rapid technology changes. ICT

knowledge and Skills learned at school may have become obsolete before they evengraduate from school. Schools and educational institutions should consider shifting their

focus from supporting the development of technological skills towards supportingtechnology mediated learning activities. The role of technology in the classrooms should

be to support students teaching themselves, with teachers guidance. To look at young peoples roles as socially contributing agents in their own learning by bringing their

informal learning forms into the school context. On the basis of this we can createschools which better accommodate to the potentials and ICT-capabilities of our youth.

We want to nurture, support and develop our teenagers skills and capacities, such as being able to transform, create and produce knowledge. Schools need to take the

challenge to transform learning into knowledge creation and production rather thanknowledge reproducing. This also means that schools, and polices need to change from

focusing mainly on the attainment of knowledge; towards learning styles that focus onintegrate technology into lessons for rich Learning and to encourage the promotion

knowledge and skills that student can apply to real-world situations. To explore the useof ICT tools into the classroom as a integration tool to engage students in learning

Problem Solving ,Information Processing ,Collaboration ,Communication, AuthenticResources , Real-World Activities project-Based. The focus is integrating technology

tools into learning and into the curriculum, rather than acquisition of technologyknowledge and skills. The computer is a great tool for information processing. To

unfold students potential by stressing primarily on the ability to produce knowledge byexperiences at each level to build their skills to be able to address issues, by searching for

information, making an assumption, seeking evidence, evaluating, solving problems,making decisions, and communicating their ideas. The responsibility for unfolding thepotential of teenagers relies on teachers, schools or educational institutions, and on policy

makers.




17/22

Conclusion

Digital technologies and the internet have gradually transformed several aspects

of social and cultural life. In todays world, everything is constantly changing, and it ischanging swiftly. To keep up, our educational system needs to be constantly updated and

upgraded. While there have been huge effort to bring ICT into learning, it seems thatmany educational institutions have not been able to provide fruitful, engaging and

challenging learning environments. ICT Skills learned at school may have becomeobsolete before pupils even graduate from school. Young Lebanese spend a great deal of

their time using ICT; and in many ways they have e-skills and quickly adapt to learn howto use new technologies to greater extent. The data from the survey indicates a great gap

opening up between ICT practices at school and home. Schools should bridge this gapby consider shifting their focus from supporting learners development of technological

skills towards supporting learning technology mediated activities. From this perspective,teens and their special ways of learning and engaging with technologies are seen as a

potential for future innovations within education; if given the opportunity.

References

Kent, N. and Facer, K. (2004). Different worlds? A comparison of young peoples homeand school ICT use, Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004 Journal of Computer

Assisted Learning 20, pp440455

Prensky, M. (2008). The Role of Technology in teaching and the classroom, Published inEducational Technology, USA.

Castells, M. (1996, 2000 (second edition)). The Rise of the Network Society. Oxford,

UK, Blackwell Publishers.

Duimel, M. and de Haan, J. (2009). Instrumental, information and strategic ICT skills ofteenagers and their parents, EU Kids Online conference, London.

Dirckinck-Holmfeld, L. & Ryberg, T. (2005 forthcoming). Power Users of Information

and Communication Technology an emerging research agenda. In J. Malyn-Smith & C. Parker (Eds.), Power Users of Technology Symposium, August 6

-11th

2005. San Jos, Costa Rica: Educational Development Center.

Konkola, R., Tuomi-Grhn, T., Lambert, P., & Ludvigsen, S. (2007). Promoting learningand transfer between school and workplace. Journal of Education & Work,

20(3), 211-228.

Penuel, W., Kim, K., Michalchik, V., Lewis, S., Means, B., Murphy, R., Korbak, K.,Whaley, A., and Allen, J., (2002) Using Technology to Enhance Connections




18/22

Between Home and School, A Research Synthesis, Planning and EvaluationService, U.S. Department of Education. USA.

Colley A. & Comber C. (2003) Age and gender differences in computer use and attitudes

among secondary school students: what has changed? Educational Research

45, 155165.

Kerawalla L. & Crook C. (2002) Childrens computer use at home and at school: context

and continuity. British Educational Research Journal 28, 751771.

Facer K., Furlong J., Furlong R. & Sutherland R. (2003) ScreenPlay: Children andComputing in the Home. Routledge, London.

Arnseth, H. C., & Ludvigsen, S. (2006). Approaching institutional contexts: systemic

versus dialogic research in CSCL. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 1(2), 167-185.




19/22

An Exploratory Study Of Youth Learning And Technology In

Lebanon

What do we actually know about youth and technology in Lebanon?

Done by: Khayrazad Jabbour

The data for this study was collected in the spring of 2010. A total of

100 pupils completed the questionnaire from Brevet- year nine; and theBaccalaureate II (Terminale) year twelve. The two Schools in which this

study was conducted are located in Lebanon. The schools operate under atraditional teaching program from kindergarten to grade 12. Around 500

students were enrolled in each school; with two classes per level and anaverage of 15 students per class.

How many computers do you have at home

One Computer 20%

Two Computers 49%

Three Computers 20%

4 or more 11%

Do you have Internet at home

Yes 97%

No 3%

Do you have your own personal email address

Yes 91%

No 9%

Do you have your own MSN account

Yes 91%

No 9%

Do you have a Facebook accountYes 89%

No 11%

Where did you learn your ICT skills and knowledge

Self 55%




20/22

Friend 22%

Family 9%

school 14%

Pupils ICT activities

Daily Weekly Monthly

1 or

2 ayear

Never

music,videos 43% 46% 3% 6% 2%

Email 51% 29% 11% 3% 6%

IM/Online Chats 54% 23% 9% 0% 14%

Games 40% 32% 11% 6% 11%

Facebook 62% 23% 6% 0% 9%Homework 12% 42% 25% 0% 21%

YouTube 15% 34% 26% 11% 14%

Blogs 11% 39% 7% 3% 40%

Graphical appl 5% 6% 17% 43% 29%

Word processing 0% 8% 26% 6% 60%

Spreadsheets 0% 8% 26% 6% 60%

PowerPoint 0% 3% 11% 26% 60%

Databases 0% 0% 0% 3% 97%

Desktop publishing 0% 0% 0% 0% 100%

Number of hours pupils use the computer per day

weekday Weekend

1 hour 43% 9%

2 hours 46% 11%

3 hours 9% 17%

4 hours 1% 23%

5 hours or more 1% 40%

Places pupils use the Internet regularly

Home only 73%

Home and

Computer/internet/Coffeyshops 25%

Computer/internet/Coffey 2%




21/22

shops only

Media Creator: teens that use the Internet could be considered media

creators

Yes No

posted photography 86% 14%

posted stories 66% 34%

posted video or song 49% 51%

creating webpage 46% 54%

posted artwork 37% 63%

creating Blog 31% 69%

Teacher use ICT to teach

Not very often 29%

Once a week 8% Never 63%

Student use ICT at school

Not very often 6%

Once a week 28%

Never 66%

Email Between Student and Teacher

Not very often 14%Once a week 0%

Never 86%

Post discussion for school work

Not very often 0%

Once a week 0%

Never 100%

look at school website

49%

0%

51%

Computer make schoolwork more interesting

Strongly agree 23%




22/22

agree 31%

neutral 40%

Disagree 0%

Strongly disagree 6%

Computer helps me do better on my schoolwork

Strongly agree 15%

agree 14%

neutral 51%

Disagree 17%


Learned new skills in how to use the computer since last year in the school

Strongly agree 0%

agree 14%

neutral 31%

Disagree 40%



3 Ijaest Volume No 3 Issue No 2 Youth Learning and Technology 89 110

Documents