a day ago
Do Irish students feel schools are helping them master computer skills?
Analysis: How young people use technology will determine their futures so schools, teachers, parents and families all have a role to play
By Míde Griffin, Trinity College Dublin
We all know teens on TikTok are good at technology, but there's more to digital skills than swiping like a pro on a smartphone. Children must be actively taught how to use computers, for studying, working, and navigating the internet safely.
But do young people in Ireland believe school is helping them learn those skills or not? Recent research uses data from the Growing Up in Ireland study to answer this. This long-running research interviewed 9-year-olds, their parents, teachers and principals in 2007. They followed up again at ages 13 and 17.
The study shows that three-in-four 17-year-olds felt that secondary school was at least some help in learning computer skills. This isn't bad, but it does leave one-in-four students who believe school was "no help" in this regard. Given the importance of these 21st century competencies for young peoples' futures, it's important to know who is saying that school helps digital skills development and who says it doesn't.
From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, calls for more computing skills to be taught in Irish schools
Computer facilities at school
Perhaps students' views on school computer learning depends on their school's computer facilities? However, the study finds that the quantity and quality of computer facilities in schools didn't seem to matter, though students who were taking computer studies aged 13 were significantly more likely to say that school had helped them learn. Having dedicated computer classes unsurprisingly helps pupils build these critical skills.
What about technology outside of school? Maybe computer whizzkids at home are bringing those skills into the classroom and others get left behind? The study shows those with no home computer aged 9 were more likely to believe school had provided computer skills aged 17, compared to those who had a home computer. It also matters how they used it. Using the internet for 'fun' made children less positive about school computer learning, but using it for 'school projects' made them more positive about how much they built these skills at school.
On the other hand, using the internet too much is probably not helpful. Children who had symptoms of ' excessive internet use ' were less likely to say school helped them learn computer skills, which could be because of behavioural problems impacting learning attitudes.
From RTÉ Radio 1's News At One in 2021, Dr Vivienne Patterson from the HEA on a new report, which shows that computing courses have the highest drop out rate at third-level
Does family backgound matter?
Family background certainly matters. Students from less educated and lower socio-economic status families were more positive in their perception that school provides computer skills. This is good because previous research shows that students from worse-off backgrounds often report lower computer confidence than those who are better-off.
Other research suggests that parents with less education and lower incomes may struggle to manage their children's online activity. The positive finding in this study could be because students who have fewer technology and/or other resources at home benefit more from computer learning in school.
Together with other results in the study, this seems to suggest that the Irish education system has not done a bad job in terms of reducing the "digital divide" between more and less privileged students. 17-year-olds who had gone to schools serving a population with lower-socio economic status ("DEIS" schools) were no less likely to say school provided computer skills, and there was no difference between private (fee-charging) schools and public ones either. DEIS schools get additional resources, including for technology, which seems to be helping to level the playing field.
What about the type of school?
Students in vocational and community schools were significantly more likely to say school has contributed to their computer learning. This makes sense as the Leaving Cert Applied and the Leaving Cert Vocational Programme focus more on practical and career-oriented skills, although differences between school types have lessened over time.
Interestingly, school gender mix appears to matter for how students feel about learning computer skills. Girls in girls' schools were more likely to say school helped them learn about computers compared to boys in boys' schools or those in mixed schools. This is on top of the fact that girls were more positive in general about school's benefit in computer skills. This also accounts for how positive a person is about school's role in teaching other skills, and their personality traits.
From RTÉ Archives, Dympna Moroney reports for RTÉ News in 2002 on a secondary school in Limerick making information technology a key part of students' studies.
So why might girls, especially those in girls' schools, say they benefit more from school in their computer skills development? Previous research shows girls have more positive attitudes to computer learning than boys, but girls underestimate their actual skill. It could be that girls in girls' schools experience less " stereotype threat". That is, girls mightn't be as impacted by negative gender stereotypes about computers when there are no boys around. Or it might be that girls have different aspirations or expectations around computer learning due to societal gender norms. More research could look at why this is happening and encourage more girls into tech, the highest paid sector in Ireland on average.
Children don't lick computer skills up off the ground - or off the touchscreen for that matter
A drawback of the study is the data on 17-year-olds is from 2015, already a decade ago. Technology changes quickly and traditional surveys are designed for quality, not speed. A different approach might be needed to keep up with young people's views today.
Children don't lick computer skills up off the ground - or off the touchscreen for that matter. Mere access to technology, either at school or at home, only takes them so far. How young people use technology will determine their futures, so school and teachers, parents and families, and the norms we create as a society all play a role in shaping that future.
