10 Things to Know About How Teens Use Technology (PEW)

Purcell, K. (2013, July 10). 10 things to know about how teens use technology. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media//Files/Presentations/2013/KPurcell%20ACT%202013_PDF.pdf

This presentation covered 10 things that adults should know about teens and technology trends.  

1) Although Facebook use has slowed among teens, other social networking sites have increased use, especially Twitter.  My opinion is that as parents learn to use and monitor social networks, those networks will be abandoned by teens who will move on to other networks.

2)  Teens today are sharing more personal information about themselves than they have in the past.  Shared information includes pictures of themselves, phone numbers, and school names.

3)  Teens today are aware of online privacy.  Most teens using Facebook have their settings on private.  However, on other social networks, like Twitter, most teens have their settings on public.  Teens from higher income families are aware and concerned about third-party access to their information, but teens from low income families are not.

4)  Today's teens are taking an active role in maintaining a good online reputation.  Most teens, especially girls, have deleted friends or blocked them from their accounts.

5)  Most parents are concerned about their teens online use, and help to keep their reputations clear so their future is not hurt by the social networks.

6)  The education of most teens today includes the use of digital tools.  Interactive whiteboards, e-readers, tablets, and cell phones are all being used in the classroom to met educational goals.  

7)  Although technology has changed the way teens conduct research, it may be for the better.  "Googling" gives teens a vast array of information that can be easily found.  Technology makes research easier for teens to find the information, but it is still up to the teen to decide how to use that information.

8)  Digital tools can benefit students' writing skills.  Although there are concerns about informal language and poor grammar and spelling, digital tools allow students to be more creative and make writing more personal.

9)  Are "Digital Natives" really that unique?  Studies show that they are not.  Teens or "Digital Natives" just have different tools at their disposal than what we had.

10)  There is a digital divide in education and technology.  High and low income schools are not on an even playing ground.  Low income schools do not generally have the technology to implement that a high income school does.  Even then, the discrepancy between high income students and low income students having the technology at home is huge.  

A lot of this information I had already read and been familiar with.  However, I think this is a great presentation.  I would love to show this presentation to the school board in my district.  We are in great need for better technology, and this presentation is an amazing example why.  I work at a very low income Title I school and (even in 4th grade) I can see the divide in education and technology(number 10).  Looking around our district it is amazing to see what the newer schools have, for example Smartboards, Elmos, document cameras, two computer labs.....My school is 58 years old and low income.  We are lucky if the television works for announcements in the morning.  The announcements on CCTV that our school just started last year,while others have been doing them for years.  I think using technology is great, and I think the 10 things mentioned in the article are very important to be aware of, but my heart will always go back to disparities between higher and lower income students.

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