PEW Report: 13 Things to Know About Teens and Technology

Rainie, L. (2014, July 23). 13 things to know about teens and technology [Slide Presentation]. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/07/23/13-things-to-know-about-teens-and-technology/

13 Things to Know About Teens and Technology 
from Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

This presentation about teens and technology was extremely relevant as a future librarian, and helpful information for all educators to know.  Rainie provides some interesting data on the internet use of teens.  He states that 95% use the internet, and 75% of teens have broadband access at home.  These numbers seem high to me when I consider our entire country and the many different types of households and lifestyles we have in the United States.  However, he also points out that 75% are able to connect to the Internet on their phones, and I believe smartphones are helping to level the playing field as far as internet connectivity at home.  Many of my students and their parents don't have computers, but do use their phones to get on the Internet and study at home.  He also states that around 81% use social media, which makes what we have learned in this course even more important.  Incorporating social media tools into our libraries and classrooms will help us reach and engage with our students. 

There were some interesting implications of technology which Rainie pointed out, one being that 87% of teachers believe that technology use is leading to shorter attention spans.  Another is that while teachers believe the Internet is leading students to more resources than ever before, 76% believe search engines are conditioning students to expect to find information quickly and with little effort.  I do agree with both of these findings, and I have seen it in my classes.  When thinking about the students I started teaching until now, I feel that students need more "brain breaks" or at least need more transitions in activity to hold their attention.  When we are researching, I've also observed some students to give up when their first query in a search engine does not work.  It is a great teachable moment regarding information literacy, especially since Rainie also points out that 83% of teachers feel that students are overwhelmed with the amount of information available today.  This really makes a librarian's role in modeling and helping teach information literacy a critical need for schools. 

The article also discusses the division of media "zones," including:

• Stacks - used for learning, information that can be read using a desktop or laptop, encompasses a large amount of media time (25% to 33%)
• Signals - used to gain real time awareness, headlines that can be accessed via a smartphone or tablet, only makes up a small part of media time (5%)
• Snacks - used to entertain, gamified information full of links, takes up about 10% of media time
• Streams - used to catch up or check in on information, news and social updates on any type of device, takes up a large amount of media time (25% to 33%)
• Socials - used to interact with friends, a form of entertainment for any device, and makes up about 10% of media time

What surprised me the most about the way teens are spending their time with media was the amount of time devoted to socials and stacks.  I had imagined that the times of these two would be flip-flopped, and teens would be spending the majority of their time using social media and/or gaming.  I am pleasantly surprised to learn that teens are using much of their time to read and learn using digital tools.  It seems that about half the time teens use digital media, they are either reading and learning or catching up on information through streams.  This research demonstrates that teens are truly interested in learning and that educators can really use digital media to engage teens and enrich their learning experiences.  I feel that the research presented in this article makes a very strong case for the necessity of a certified librarian and would be great in helping advocate for the profession.  As teens continue to use and prefer digital tools in accessing information, they need explicit instruction in how to do so effectively, safely, and responsibly. 

Page count = 55 
(Total count = 95)