EDTECH 101 – Instructional Media Resources University of the Philippines College of Education Educational Technology Department EDTECH 101 – Instructional Media Resources INTERNET ADDICTION Ferdinand B. Pitagan, PhD Professor of Education

ICT growth ICT – Information and Communications Technology fast growth worldwide -- computers, Internet, mobile phones market Providers targeting youth Schools introducing ICT in education See http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm

ICT Growth Teens - Over 90% Use the Internet for new information - Over 70% use instant messaging to keep in touch - Over 50% contact strangers on the net - Over 40% post own information online to be contacted - Over 30% experienced cyberbullying Overall - 25% of retail stock trades on the Internet - Over 90% Internet users, online shopping (Korea, UK, Germany, Japan, US) - 87% of print journalists connected to the Internet Sources - Lenhart, Simon & Graziano, 2001; Jung, 2003; 2007 Pew/Internet research; 2008 Nielsen E-Learning environments have become readily available during the last years 3

Today’s wired / wireless life ICT growth Today’s wired / wireless life A bed of roses ? A bed of thorns ? Both!!

Some facts (Japan) 20% of families with teens suffer from children’s internet dependency (2003) 35% online while resting (2004) 21% online while studying or working (2004) --- Declared Internet Addiction as an Illness http://www.johotsusintokei.soumu.go.jp/whitepaper/eng/WP2004/press_information01.pdf See (4) Trends in Internet Usage (Japan) – 1 page handout

Some facts (China) 13.7% of Chinese adolescent Internet users – about 10 million teens - meet Internet addiction diagnostic criteria (2007) Law: Restricting computer game use; discourage more than 3 hours of daily game use

Some facts (Korea) Up to 30 percent of South Koreans under 18, or about 2.4 million people, are at risk of Internet addiction (2007) Average high school students - 23 hours each week gaming << Internet addiction, one of most serious public health issues>> National level – Center for Internet Addiction Prevention and Counseling (2003) Institution/school level - 1,043 counselors in the treatment of Internet addiction; enlisted over 190 hospitals and treatment centers; prevention measures into schools

Some facts (UK and USA, 1998 - 2004) A study of 445 Internet users in UK --- Most addicts - around 30 years old women 2. A study of 496 Internet users by Young (USA) --- 396 classified as dependent users --- middle-aged women and unemployed Recent studies – Teens are in danger!! Addicts tend to use chat rooms/online dating, pornography, email, e-shopping, web surfing, online gaming http://www.johotsusintokei.soumu.go.jp/whitepaper/eng/WP2004/press_information01.pdf

Studies (ICU, 2005 a small scale study) Calling time per day none 10% 0~1min 15% 1~5hours 39% b/t 5 – 15 min Over 15 min 21% 31%, M-Emailing 20 – 50 times Number of Sending & Receiving mails per day ~5 15% 5~20 49% 20~50 31% 50~100 5% 39%, Use Mobile 1 – 5 hours Source: 2005 ETC100 class

Diagnosing Internet Addiction Complications in Diagnosing Internet Addiction Issue #1: Internet, not drugs Issue #2: Internet, Useful tool Issue #3: Difficult to diagnose (degree of dependency?)

Check Level of Internet dependency http://www.netaddiction.com/index.php?option=com_bfquiz&view=onepage&catid=46&Itemid=106

Problem Solving: Discussion

Why is this issue important? Familial problems Occupational problems Academic problems Emotional, cognitive, behavioral changes

What can you do to help Internet / Mobile dependents? Well…

Some solutions Controlled Use Time management Set goals Reminder cards Personal inventory Abstinence Clinic Support group Family therapy External stoppers