UK’s young digital britons want more technology in the classroom

16/06/2009

"Young people will be at the heart of the digital economy so it’s promising to see school children embracing digital technologies not just as a form of entertainment, but as a way to learn."

Four in five (83%) secondary school students in England and Wales would like to see their teachers embrace new technologies in the classroom according to new research by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.

The research, carried out by Ipsos MORI, questioned 2,447 young people aged between 11 and 16 years old and reveals that over half of the students surveyed want teachers to use computers and the internet to help advance learning techniques (55% and 51% respectively).

Two in five (40%) students also believe that an increase in the use of DVD players and iPods or mp3 players would help learning, while similar proportions would be interested in greater use of smart boards, games consoles and mobile phones.

The findings suggest that many students would endorse Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent call to replace text book learning with new technologies.

Commenting on the research, Jonathan Kestenbaum, NESTA's Chief Executive says 'Young people will be at the heart of the digital economy so it's promising to see school children embracing digital technologies not just as a form of entertainment, but as a way to learn. This doesn't mean we have to rip up text books 'California-style', but rather look at innovative ways of learning which will best prepare children for the future.'

Young people have traditionally been the first to adopt the usage of new technologies. A recent Ofcom study[1] reported that 81% of boys and 77% of girls aged 12-15 in the UK have access to the internet and the majority (70%) use it every day.

The gender split was reflected in this survey with boys showing more interest than girls in an increased usage of computers in the classroom (58% vs 53%) and a definite age split, with older pupils aged 15-16 far less taken with the idea of increased technology usage than their younger peers. For example, 46% of 11 year olds would prefer more use of DVD players in class compared with a third (32%) of 15-16 year olds.

Contact:

For further information, please contact Jan Singleton at the NESTA Press Office on 020 7438 2606 or Jan.Singleton@nesta.org.uk

Notes to editors:

[1] The Communications Market 2008, Ofcom

About NESTA:

NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, an independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative.

With the largest portfolio of early-stage businesses in the country, it is a leading authority on how to grow new ideas. It also stimulates imaginative solutions to pressing social issues and shapes policy to help the UK meet its national innovation challenges. www.nesta.org.uk 

About the Ipsos MORI Survey

Research was conducted by Ipsos MORI between 9th January and 3rd April 2009 with a sample size of 2,447 pupils aged 11-16 in maintained secondary schools throughout England and Wales.