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Theorising the Benefits of New Technology for Youth: Controversies of Learning and Development

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Theorising the Benefits of New Technology for Youth: Controversies of Learning and Development Theorising the benefits of new technology for youth: Controversies of learning and development The first of four reports in the ESRC Seminar Series: The educational and social impact of new technologies on young people in Britain Report of the seminar held on Wednesday 12 March 2008 Department of Education, University of Oxford 2 Contents 4 Executive summary 5 Seminar introduction: setting the scene Sonia Livingstone, the London School of Economics and Political Science 9 The views of young people Chris Davies, University of Oxford 11 Paper 1: Theories of youth development: controversies of age and stage John Coleman, University of Oxford Discussant: Rebekah Willett, Institute of Education, London 18 Paper 2: Developing the technological imagination: theorising the social shaping and Consequences of new technologies Neil Selwyn, Institute of Education Discussant: Bill Dutton, Oxford Internet Institute 30 Paper 3: Theories of formal and informal learning in the world of web 2.0 Charles Crook, University of Nottingham Discussant: Diane Levine, BECTA Plenary Panel Chair: Ingrid Lunt, University of Oxford Steve Crane, Hewlett Packard Bridget Somekh, Manchester Metropolitan University Judy Wajcman, Oxford Internet Institute 38 Seminar participants 39 Speaker biographies 3 Executive summary This report covers the content of the first seminar in the Chris Davies, in his presentation of the views and series, funded by the ESRC and entitled ‘The educational practical experiences of young people, highlighted the and social impact of new technologies on young people continuing differences between the use of technology in Britain’. in the home and at school. Although based on a small sample, his findings demonstrated the limitations that The seminar series was conceived as a multi-disciplinary characterise in young people’s use of ICTs in the school initiative, bringing together academics, policy makers and setting, especially when compared with the flexibility and practitioners from many different backgrounds, in order positive attitudes shown by adolescents when using to consider the ways in which new technologies were these same technologies at home. affecting young people, and in particular to look at ways in which new technologies were having a positive effect John Coleman’s paper, looking at ages and stages, on the lives of adolescents in our society. examined how lifespan developmental theory, rather than Piagetian cognitive development theory, is best suited It will consider the benefits of new technologies for to understanding the social and emotional character of young people, exploring the ways in which society can adolescence today. By critically discussing the major ensure that information and communication technologies parameters of development, he emphasised how (ICT) contribute to positive educational outcomes these interact with the opportunities provided by new and examining how an multi-disciplinary framework technologies, and thereby making the use of the internet could assist in developing a new understanding of this and of mobile phones especially attractive to young people. important topic. Neil Selwyn’s paper drew particular attention to the This, the first seminar in the series, had three main goals. differing ways that technological determinism has been First, we wanted to consider ages and stages, and to used in discourses on youth and new technologies, think through whether, and if so, how the particular contrasting this with a social constructivist approach to concerns of adolescence mesh with the opportunities technological affordances. Arguing that there is no one afforded by new technologies. Secondly we were ‘correct’ theoretical stance when looking at young people interested in technological determinism, and wanted to and technology, he reminded the audience that a full have an opportunity of looking at questions relating to analysis of the ways in which a technology is used by a constructivism and determinism in the context of youth young person requires a deep understanding of the social today. Finally we wanted to look at formal and informal and interpersonal circumstances in which technologies education and ask, what is the role of ICT in learning, exist, and through which they attain their meaning. however that is defined. In the third paper, Charles Crook examined theories of The seminar consisted of a welcome and introduction formal and informal learning, especially in relation to web from Sonia Livingstone, a short paper from Chris Davies 2.0, suggesting that it would be a mistake to believe that on the views of young people, and then three papers, this new medium offers a replacement for interactions each dealing with one of the topics outlined above. Each that characterise traditional educational practice. As paper had a discussant, and at the end of the seminar he put it: ‘These new media merely change the nature there was a panel debate and open discussion. A lively of the arena into which those interactions socialise us’. and enthusiastic expert audience contributed to an Following his overview of four influential theories of informative and enjoyable seminar. learning – behaviourism, constructivism, cognitivism and In her Introduction Sonia Livingstone argued for the the socio-cultural perspective – he concluded in favour importance of a wider and more critical discussion about the latter as the only approach that provides both a the ambitious hopes society holds out for ICTs, along socio-cultural framework for learning and a recognition of with a recognition of some of the constraints associated the interpersonal relations that mediate learning. with new technologies. She identified several unresolved questions so as to set out a research agenda for the future. 4 Introduction Sonia Livingstone, London School of Economics and Political Science Welcome Overview This report contains the presentations • What are the benefits of new and discussions held at the first in a new technologies for children and series of seminars funded by the ESRC young people? to consider ‘The educational and social 2 impact of new technologies on young • How can society ensure ICTs contribute people in Britain’ during 2008 – 2009. to positive educational outcomes? The series is organised by John Coleman, • What can a multidisciplinary research Chris Davies and Ingrid Lunt, from the framework offer practitioners? Department of Education at the University These are the kinds of questions we set of Oxford, and Sonia Livingstone, ourselves to address as we designed from the Department of Media and this seminar series. The first question Communications at the London School of is theoretical and empirical – how do Economics and Political Science. we conceptualise, measure, investigate For the first seminar, participants and understand the possible benefits were specially invited from a diversity (educational and other) of which of disciplines (psychology, education, technologies for which children, under sociology, information systems and what conditions, and why? media studies) and a range of stakeholder The second question is normative – groups (academic, industry, policy) to what positive educational outcomes are consider ‘Theoretical frameworks for the at stake, how do they relate to other social shaping and social consequences possible benefits of using ICTs, which of new technologies for children and segments of society are responsible for young people’. ensuring these benefits? The seminar structure, participants and The third question is a meta-question speaker biographies are in the appendix of – how should these questions be this report. Further seminars in the series addressed, by whom, and is it really the 1 are planned as follows: case that a multidisciplinary research • Seminar 2: Changing spaces: framework is the best way forward? young people, technology and learning (7 July 2008) A wider discussion • Seminar 3: Social and digital skills: All of these, and related questions, are new challenges for young people part of a wider, societal discussion. (21 October 2008) Consider the following quotations: ‘ICT can improve the quality of teaching, 1 For updates and reports, see • Seminar 4: Questions of identity: young http://www.education.ox.ac.uk/ people’s perspectives on the appeal of learning and management in schools and esrcseries/home/index.php new technologies (February 2009) so help raise standards. That’s why ICT is at the heart of the DCSF’s commitment to 2 Information and Communication • Final conference: The educational and improving learning for all children.’3 Technologies social impact of new technologies on young people in Britain (May 2009) 3 See http://www.teachernet.gov. uk/wholeschool/ictis/ 5 ‘We have to find a way to make access Today in Britain, nearly every child uses the universal, or else it’s not fair. More than a internet and other online technologies – million children – and their families – have no most of them at home and school, some access to a computer in the home. I want only at school, some elsewhere also. a home computer to be as important as Not just computers on desks, ICTs are having a calculator or pencil case is… The becoming embedded in the fabric of every so-called “digital divide” cannot be allowed activity – they are part of the infrastructure to reinforce social and academic divisions.’4 that supports learning, communication, participation. For example, the UK Children ‘Becta leads the national drive to inspire Go Online survey found that 60 per cent and lead
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