Linda Burch: Framing a New Conversation: Digital Media and Learning

© 2011 by Common Sense Media. Proprietary and Confidential.

Parent and Teacher A-tudes towards

Digital Media and Learning

(preliminary findings)

Learning From Hollywood Joan Ganz Cooney Center Annual Forum

May 17, 2011

Our Mission We are dedicated to improving the lives

of kids and families by providing the

trustworthy informa9on, educa9on, and

independent voice they need to thrive in

a world of media and technology.

Our Vision We envision a world in which every kid

knows how to make safe, responsible, and

respec<ul choices and harness the

learning poten9al of digital media in a

24/7 connected world.

Study Overview

Purpose of Research   Inform policy and program development   New educa9onal ra9ng + review system   Update to 2008 Common Sense + JGCC poll

Method   Na9onally representa9ve online survey of 1,100 parents of children

aged 2-‐17 and 300 teachers (pre-‐K to HS)   To gauge percep9ons about digital media + learning; market demand

& value proposi9on for educa9on ra9ngs   Conducted by Insight Research Group – April/May 2011

Preliminary Findings   Full report to be released later this spring

NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION

Most Parents See Learning PotenOal in Digital Media

Digital media is as important as learning tradiOonal skills

Total Parents Somewhat Agree

Total Parents Strongly Agree

Digital media gives my child the skills s/he needs for life in the 21st century


75% ��Net Agree

81% ��Net Agree

86% ��Net Agree

83% ��Net Agree

In 2008, Parents Recognized That Digital Media PlaTorms Offered Different EducaOonal Benefits For Kids

Percent Feel That Digital Media Platform Teaches…

Q. For each of the following digital media pla<orms, please indicate if you think this device currently helps teach your child the following skills:

Internet

Video Games

The Internet is about exploring interests and learning about other parts of the new world.

Video games promote cri9cal thinking as well as hand-‐eye coordina9on.

But, the Majority of Parents were SkepOcal About Digital Media’s Ability to Help Kids Learn Important 21st Century Skills (in 2008)

Percent Feel That Digital Media PlaTorm Teaches…

Q. For each of the following digital media platforms, please indicate if you think this device currently helps teach your child the following skills:

Percep9ons of digital media pla<orms “communica9on and collabora9on benefits” are low among parents.

No digital media pla<orm is perceived to teach kids how to successfully engage with others or teach social responsibility.

Further, two-‐thirds (64%) of parents disagree with the idea that because of digital media, kids can communicate beger with people.

Internet

Video Games

In 2011, Parents Think that the Internet Affords Learning Several Skills but less so other PlaTorms (Videogames, Mobile Apps)


Videogames are associated with reasoning, & to a lesser extent, crea9vity, curiosity, & collabora9on

The Internet affords informa9on, global & digital literacies, among others

However, a majority of parents don’t think digital media pla<orms help kids learn how to engage with others or develop responsibility (as in 2008)

Q: For each of the following digital media pla<orms, please indicate if you think this device currently helps teach your child the following skills [YES/NO]

Percent Feel That Digital Media PlaTorm Teaches…

Internet

Video Games

Smartphone/Tablet Apps

Parents Get Involved in their Children’s Media Use to Protect Them, but also to Help Comprehension and OpOmize Learning, Especially for Younger Kids (2011)

Q: Which of the following are the most important reasons for genng involved with your child’s digital media experience? [SELECT THE TOP 5]. * The ques9on in 2008 was worded differently – top reason for SHARING digital media experiences with your child.

Protec9ng kids from harm trumps all other reasons. In 2008, helping kids learn was the #1 reason*

For parents of tweens and teens, genng involved in kids digital lives is a way to understand their interests and a gateway to conversa9on.

-‐ Parents of children 2-‐5






65%

48%

28%

21%

20%

11%

10%

11%

10%

8%

5%

5%

6%

5%

30%

44%

58%

64%

54%

62%

58%

53%

50%

50%

44%

41%

39%

39%

5%

8%

14%

15%

26%

27%

32%

36%

40%

42%

51%

54%

55%

56%

Search for informa9on for homework or school-‐related things or par9cipate in a virtual learning environment

Use computer applica9on souware

Use the internet for pleasure (not schoolwork) or search for informa9on about personal interests

Use a video game console or a handheld video game player

Check or write e-‐mail

Watch or listen to media online

Visit virtual worlds

Use a smartphone (e.g., iPhone, Evo, BlackBerry) or an iPod Touch to play games or use other apps

Send text messages

Play online games –simple or MMOGs

Chat through instant messages

Comment on others’ website posts (like on a blogging site)

Visit or create a profile on social networking sites

Post media online

Encourage

Neutral

Discourage

Parents Encourage RelaOvely More “TradiOonal” or Familiar Uses of Digital Media and AcOvely Discourage Kids from ConnecOng to Others Online (2011)

As in 2008, parents con9nue to ac9vely discourage kids from connec9ng to others online

Q: For each of the following ac9vi9es your child may par9cipate in, please indicate whether you encourage, are neutral towards, or discourage the ac9vity NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION

In AddiOon, Some Parents Remain SkepOcal About How EducaOonal Digital Media Really Is…

While they believe digital media can offer their kids educa9onal benefits, 3/4 of all parents are skep9cal about products’ educa9onal claims and 40% don’t think it’s possible to evaluate their educa9onal effec9veness.

Q. The following statements relate to your feelings about your child’s use of digital media. How much do you agree or disagree with each of these statements? [Net Agree]

40% ��Net Agree

75% ��Net Agree

% Parents Somewhat Agree

% Parents Strongly Agree


46%

48%

51%

27%

43%

31%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

I would let my child spend more 9me online or use mobile devices if I knew they were doing

something they could learn from

I prefer to get as much detail as possible when something claims to be educa9onal (e.g.,

researching the specific types of things my child will learn)

I wish there were more resources to figure out which digital media experiences are most

educa9onal for my child

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

And Are Looking for More InformaOon & Resources (2011)

Most parents want guidance and detailed informa9on on learning poten9al from trusted resources and may let their children engage more with quality digital media if they had access to this informa9on

Q. The following statements relate to your feelings about your child’s use of digital media and how they are currently using it. To what degree do you agree or disagree with each of these statements? [Net Agree]

91% ��Net Agree

82% ��Net Agree

73% ��Net Agree


Teachers and Parents are generally on the same page

  91% of teachers agree that knowing how to use digital media is as important as tradi9onal skills (vs. 81% of parents)

  Teachers are more op9mis9c than parents about the poten9al of digital media to foster a full range of 21st century skills, including communica9on, ci9zenship, and self-‐direc9on

  Teachers see learning value in the Internet, mobile apps and tablets but like parents are more skep9cal about the learning poten9al of videogames and social networking pla<orms

  Like parents, they are enthusias9c about new informa9on and resources for judging learning value of digital media


Conclusions + RecommendaOons   We’ve moved the needle, but there is s9ll much work to be done

  Research on the added value of digital media to teach both tradi9onal and 21st century skills needs to be conducted and showcased

  New evidenOary standards to help parents and teachers make sense of products marketed as “educa9onal” need to be created

  A na9onal public awareness effort to help parents understand the full range of 21st century skills and the poten9al of digital media for learning

  Industry needs to create and ac9vely promote more learning products for digital media pla<orms – that help kids gain important 21st century skills.

  Schools should integrate digital media into the classroom and train teachers to maximize the opportuni9es for learning.

Documents

Linda Burch: Framing a New Conversation: Digital Media and Learning