Comparing findings: New Pew Internet report and our middle school studies

Mon, 12/20/2010 - 6:10pm |

Michelle Read

A new Pew Internet report came out yesterday. Generations 2010 looks primarily at the Internet uses of adults from ages 18+, dividing the population into traditional generational chunks. However, in some areas, the report looks at the uses of teenagers ages 12-17 as well. In comparing their report to our findings we see some similarities and a few surprising differences in what our young teenagers report.

In one of two major research projects, TechEdges is collecting data through surveys, interviews and focus groups from students, teachers and leaders in middle school settings to find out just how students are using technology both in and out of school. One area looks specifically at activities being undertaken by these preteens and young teens, ages approximately 11-14. Thus far data has been collected from two sites.

The first site, Saguaro MS, was surveyed in May 2009. It is one of two middle schools in the district. The rural school district serves a 74% Hispanic, 20% African-American, 7% White, 1.5% Asian, and .3% Native American student population. Seventy-four percent of the students are economically disadvantaged and 12% have Limited English Proficiency. Saguaro MS is representative of the district’s demographics.

The second site, Porter MS, was surveyed in May 2010. It is one of 22 middle schools in a medium sized metropolitan school district. Porter MS itself sits in an affluent neighborhood. However, due to unique transfer guidelines many of its students come from considerably less affluent neighborhoods around the city. Porter MS serves 40% Hispanic, 9.5% African-American, 47.9% White and 1.5 Asian. Approximately 39% of the students are economically disadvantaged.

In regards to Social Networking, students from both of our sites reported very similarly to those Pew surveyed. Pew found that 73% of teenagers were using the Internet to access social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, while students at Porter MS reported 70% and students at Saguaro reported 65%.

In several instances, Porter MS students reported using these online activities more than either Saguaro students or those surveyed by Pew. For example, more Porter students (81%) reported engaging in instant messaging than either Saguaro (55%) or children surveyed through PEW (67%). While Porter MS students reported reading blogs more (67%) than what Pew found (49%), Saguaro students did so less (32%). Similarly, more Porter students reported using email (92%) than Saguaro students (74%), which was in line with Pew’s findings at 73%.

In regards to online games, both of our groups of students report playing games online considerably less than Pew findings at 78% with Porter reporting 49% and Saguaro 40%.

In contrast, Pew only found that 8% of the teenagers they surveyed visited virtual worlds in 2010, while our samples at both locations showed that considerably more did so (Porter, 31%; Saguaro, 20%).

Although our sample was comprised of preteens and young teenagers, their online activities match similarly with Pew's sample, ages 12-17, with a few exceptions. These exceptions could be attributed to age, especially in the case of online gaming where older teens might make for the majority of users in the Pew report.