Teenage Life Online: The Rise of the Networked Generation Lee Rainie – Director Youth.Net Conference - Singapore August 12, 2003

“Oh, like you know something the Internet doesn’t know.”

Who I am… … what we do Funded by Pew Charitable Trusts – a major U.S. foundation / charity Asked to create empirical research to help policy makers Areas of study: – –Family life- Health care – –Community- Civic and political life – –Education- Work places

Prediction 1 “I believe that the Internet is destined to revolutionize our educational system and that in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks.” the motion picture is -- Thomas Edison, 1922

Prediction 2 “The central and dominant aim of education online is to bring the world to the classroom, to make universally available the services of the finest teachers, the inspiration of the greatest leaders, … and unfolding world events which through the Internet may come as a vibrant and challenging textbook of bits traveling over wires.” by radio is of the air.” -- Benjamin Darrow, 1932 textbook called “Radio: The assistant teacher ” radio

Prediction 3 “There won’t be schools in the future…. I think the Internet will blow up the school. That is, the school as something where there are classes, teachers running exams, people structured in groups by age, [who] follow a curriculum – all of that.” -- Seymour Papert, technology expert, 1984 think the computer

Adult population is stagnant / churning Teen population grows / use ebbs and flows Adults Teens

Surf for fun Play games Instant message Health info News Pursue hobbies Listen to music Chat rooms Download music Sports news My team’s sites Auction/trading Buy products My own site Sensitive topics Research products What teenagers do online – 1 TV stars Pictures Rock stars Calendar

What teenagers do online - 2 Homework Major research projects / IM teachers Download study aids Access class Web sites Create class Web page

What teens do more than adults

What teens talk about most with friends

Source: Peter Grunwald & Associates Corporation for Public Broadcasting Survey, January 2003

Now and in the future Educational implications – –Formal – –Informal Social implications – –Privacy and identity – –Secret information – –Friendships and associations – –Family life

The Industrial Age education model the clueless, teacher-dependent pupil

The Information Age education model the net-savvy, well-connected, teacher-independent end-user

Students’ Internet metaphors The Internet as virtual textbook and reference library The Internet as virtual tutor and study shortcut The Internet as virtual study group The Internet as virtual guidance counselor The Internet as virtual locker, backpack and notebook

Student laments Assignments don’t take advantage of the Internet Classroom work hardly ever exploits the Internet The hindrances students see: – –Fear about “digital divide” – –Fear about the “dark side” of the Internet – –Techno-wariness – –Low level of support from school administrators

NET-SAVVYSTUDENT my reference materials and texts materials and texts my search engine my personal network my teachers and tutors my favorite research sites my classmates my online study aids my online tutors qualityware & communityware Underlying world view, Information Age education

Digital age shifts in learning TEXT TEXT+IMAGE BEING TOLD (authority based) DEDUCTIVE (linear) DON’T KNOW WON’T TRY INFORMATION RICH NAVIGATION MEDIA DISCOVERY, EXPERIENTIAL BRICOLAGE + JUDGMENT (lateral) DON’T KNOW – LINK, LURK & TRY literacy John Seely Brown, Social Life of Information action reasoning learning

Privacy and identity Teenagers want to set themselves apart from their parents – this is the age of emancipation – –They use technologies to be with people and do things that they would like their parents not to see – –They also like to experiment with their identities Take advantage of anonymity of online world Video game characters Customize their “tech toys”

Splitting the self How many addresses or screen names do online teens use? OneTwoThreeFour + All teens44%25%10%21% Boys39%26%11%24% Girls50%23%9%19% Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project Teens and Parents Survey, Nov.-Dec Margin of error is ±4%.

Access to ‘secret information’ Teenagers use the Internet to find secrets and learn sensitive information – –Health information – –Sexual information – –Tips on how to handle difficult social situations (bullies, etc.) – –Insights on how to be attractive to romantic partners – –Subjects that are forbidden in their homes

Friendships and associations Use communication tools to stay in constant touch with their friends – –A new intimacy and “presence” – “ultra- connectedness” – –New levels of spontaneity – –“Smart mobs” – –New arrangements for etiquette and norms New tools to expand their social networks – –The possibility of more “weak” ties

New life at home Family accommodation to the new technologies – –Where is the computer? – –Who can go online when and for how long? – –Is it being used for “good” or “bad” reasons? – –Teens as tech support – family learners A one-time generational event

Implications -- Blurred boundaries Private / public Home / work / school Identity – male/female, young/old, passive/aggressive, playful/vengeful Producer / consumer Entertainment / information Single tasks / multitasks Right / wrong

A new challenge – more stress Higher levels of intrusion in personal life “Always on the job” “Always available” New surveillance possibilities – loss of privacy

What today’s youth can do for us all Develop new sense of community – especially by using online groups Help “sort out” the Web – find information, allow interactions Help define and teach media and technology literacy Help create new social norms – define how it is proper to behave with new information technologies Help elders adapt to new technologies and the coming era of ubiquitous computing (cars, homes, clothes, wallets, appliances)

“People tend to overestimate the impact of new technologies in the short run and underestimate their long-term impacts.” Prediction 4 -- Mary O’Hara Devereaux Institute for the Future

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