It's been a while since I contributed to the blog, but these two reports are definitely worth sharing:
and
Major Findings:
From the Overview on Teen Research:
“The teachers who instruct the most advanced American secondary school students
render mixed verdicts about students’ research habits and the impact of
technology on their studies. Some 77% of advanced placement (AP) and National
Writing Project (NWP) teachers surveyed say that the internet and digital
search tools have had a “mostly positive” impact on their students’ research
work. But 87% say these technologies are creating an “easily distracted
generation with short attention spans” and 64% say today’s digital technologies
“do more to distract students than to help them academically.”
…. According to this survey of teachers, conducted by the Pew
Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project in collaboration with
the College Board and the National Writing Project, the internet has opened
up a vast world of information for today’s students, yet students’ digital
literacy skills have yet to catch up.”
From the Summary of Findings on Reading and Library
Habits: “More than eight in ten Americans between the ages of 16 and
29 read a book in the past year, and six in ten used their local public
library. At the youngest end of the spectrum, high schoolers in their late
teens (ages 16-17) and college-aged young adults (ages 18-24) are especially
likely to have read a book or used the library in the past 12 months. And
although their library usage patterns may often be influenced by the
requirements of school assignments, their interest in the possibilities of mobile
technology may also point the way toward opportunities of further engagement
with libraries later in life.”
Combined the two reports contain over 150 pages of charts,
graphs and findings so they will take a while to get through, but should be
worth reading and discussing, especially in light of our own observations at
New Trier.
