Findings from Shared Intelligence / ASCEL libraries, children and digital research

Children, digital technology and librariesBen Lee, Shared Intelligence

Big technology trends (from our SCL research)

Trends relating to children and technology

The ASCEL focus groups in Summer 2014• Under 5s• 5s – 7s• 7s – 11s

Trends from our SCL research

Speed and scale of change

Continued shift from paper to digitalAcademic writing

School textbooks

Consumer fiction

The rise of images over text

The re-emergence of make it yourself

From “going online” to always on

Digital divide - 11m Britons still not online

Tinder FoundationA Leading Digital Nation by 2020 (2014)

And as with many things, it costs more to be poor when connecting up

digitally

For children

Three quarters of children have access to a touchscreen device at home

National Literacy TrustParents’ perspectives: Children’s use of technology in the Early Years (2014)

The kids are all wired

OFCOM Communications Market Report (2014)

Learning through games - “gamification”

Online teaching materials are commonplace

Re-boot of Computer Science in schools

1985 2015

Summer 2015 BBC giving a Micro Bit to every Year 7 child

Ability to create their own…

NeverSeconds

Campaigns

Self-published books

Blogs

Films

Milton Keynes Junior Filmmakers

For poorer children e-books can succeed where paper books fail

Research by Robert Chisnall and Caithy Martin, Manchester Academy with RM Books (2014)National Literacy Trust - Parents’ perspectives: Children’s use of technology in the Early Years (2014)

But a barrier may be the limited confidence of professionals

• Staff in early years settings with lower OFSTED ratings are less likely to have access to touchscreens; and those that do are less likely to use them

• Staff in early years settings who use touchscreens least are also those where staff report lower confidence with those devices themselves

• Staff in early years settings using touchscreens least also believe their children are less confident

National Literacy Trust 2014

And digital devices in themselves do not guarantee impact

iPads for every pupil in LA

One Laptop Per Child

Although some are brilliant

Prof Sugata Mitra, Newcastle Universitywww.hole-in-the-wall.com

But despite fast thumbs, they are still children

“…digital natives – with fast thumbs able to summon up the knowledge of the world in an instant, build a million dollar company from their bedroom, or topple a corrupt regime

with a tweet. Yet far from being at the forefront of the digital revolution many young people remain on the lower

‘rungs’ of digital understanding.” iRights.uk

ASCEL focus groups

Took place in Summer 2014• Under 5s (72 children, in 3 authorities)• 5s – 7s (54 children, in 4 authorities)• 7s – 11s (73 children, in 4 authorities)

ASCEL asked for help from: Essex, Hull, Gateshead, Lancashire, Bexley/Bromley, Kingston, Staffordshire

Questions and process designed by Shared Intelligence, focus groups conducted by ASCEL members

Digital technology for play, discovering the world, and sometimes for creating and making pictures, photos and music.

But digital technology does not reach into every hour of the day and parents are

trying to keep it that way.

Under 5s

Under 5s

For them technology is everywhere and they can use almost all of it. But just as in their offline world - they do not yet understand everything they come across, or the risks.

When we explained about research, one boy replied simply

“why didn’t you just look all that up on the internet?”

7-11s

7-11s

5-7sIn-betweeners. Their interaction

with technology is bound up in the

transition from the world of early

childhood - to that of school, structure,

new friendships, and more

responsibility.

The lives of today’s children are not dominated by digital information, but they

are immersed in it.There are real risks that some children will lose out, not through lack of ability but lack

of opportunity.But those who are given opportunities,

guidance, and encouragement will achieve things with digital knowledge which even

today seem impossible.Why….?

…because

Cheaper &

Faster

Broadband

More data

Cheaper, faster, smaller, more powerful

So….We tried to come to some conclusions but what do you think?

How does this research help you?What could you do?

Thanks

Children, digital technology and librariesBen Lee, Shared Intelligence