Friday, November 28, 2008
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
All those hours that teenagers spend socializing on the Internet may not be such a bad thing after all. America’s youth are actually developing important social and technical skills online – often in ways adults do not understand or value. These findings were the result of the most extensive U.S. study on teens and their use of digital media, commissioned by the MacArthur Foundation.
Mizuko Ito, lead researcher on the study, Living and Learning With New Media, said that although it may look as though kids are wasting a lot of time hanging out online, whether it’s on MySpace or sending instant messages, their participation, however, is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world. And more important, these young people are learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, how to create a home page.
Moreover, Ms. Ito, a research scientist in the department of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, said that some parental concern about the dangers of Internet socializing might result from a misperception.
“Those concerns about predators and stranger danger have been overblown,” she said. “There’s been some confusion about what kids are actually doing online. Mostly, they’re socializing with their friends, people they’ve met at school or camp or sports.”
The study, part of a $50 million project on digital and media learning, used several teams of researchers to interview more than 800 young people and their parents and to observe teenagers online for more than 5,000 hours. Because of the adult sense that socializing on the Internet is a waste of time, the study said, teenagers reported many rules and restrictions on their electronic hanging out, but most found ways to work around such barriers that let them stay in touch with their friends steadily throughout the day.
“Teens usually have a ‘full-time intimate community’ with whom they communicate in an always-on mode via mobile phones and instant messaging,” the study said.
The researchers also identified two distinctive categories of teen engagement with digital media: friendship-driven and interest-driven. While friendship-driven participation centered on “hanging out” with existing friends, interest-driven participation involved accessing online information and communities that may not be present in the local peer group.
Significant findings include:
* There is a generation gap in how youth and adults view the value of online activity.
* Adults tend to be in the dark about what youth are doing online, and often view online activity as risky or an unproductive distraction.
* Youth understand the social value of online activity and are generally highly motivated to participate.
* Youth are navigating complex social and technical worlds by participating online.
* Young people are learning basic social and technical skills that they need to fully participate in contemporary society.
* The social worlds that youth are negotiating have new kinds of dynamics, as online socializing is permanent, public, involves managing elaborate networks of friends and acquaintances, and is always on.
* Young people are motivated to learn from their peers online.
* The Internet provides new kinds of public spaces for youth to interact and receive feedback from one another.
* Young people respect each other’s authority online and are more motivated to learn from each other than from adults.
* Most youth are not taking full advantage of the learning opportunities of the Internet.
* Most youth use the Internet socially, but other learning opportunities exist.
* Youth can connect with people in different locations and of different ages who share their interests, making it possible to pursue interests that might not be popular or valued with their local peer groups.
* “Geeked-out” learning opportunities are abundant – subjects like astronomy, creative writing, and foreign languages.
“This study creates a baseline for our understanding of how young people are participating with digital media and what that means for their learning,” said Connie Yowell, Ph.D., Director of Education at the MacArthur Foundation. “It concludes that learning today is becoming increasingly peer-based and networked, and this is important to consider as we begin to re-imagine education in the 21st century.”
The John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with assets of $7 billion, supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, the foundation work to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society.
To learn more about the MacArthur Foundation and the work of their grantees, visit their annual report online.
John D. MacArthur (1897-1978) developed and owned Bankers Life and Casualty Company and other businesses, as well as considerable property in Florida and New York. His wife Catherine (1909-1981) held positions in many of these companies and served as a director of the Foundation.
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Please note:
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
Labels: current affairs, technology
posted by Señor Enrique at 8:12 AM
| 2 comments
Saturday, May 27, 2006
HP PAVILION dv1312 AP — A LEMON?
I was without the use of my laptop these past couple of weeks. The reason: the motherboard of my HP Pavilion dv1312 AP (pictured above) zonked out and had to be replaced once again after only less than three months since its installation. The original motherboard that came with the unit burnt out only four months after my having purchased it. Essentially, within the past six months alone, the motherboard of my HP Pavilion dv1312 AP laptop had to be replaced twice.
Had it not been for the standard one year warranty that came with it, I would have, in addition, spent at least another twenty five thousand pesos for each motherboard plus labor costs; indeed, quite an expensive prospect for owning an HP product.
Just before the Easter holiday—when the replacement motherboard was beginning to show some signs that it, too, was about to bid me adieu—someone from Hewlett-Packard’s management, Erick Icasas, called me after I had called its customer care department twice to express my growing dissatisfaction. His affable nature was certainly disarming, but his candidness was unsettling—that HP knew about the motherboard problem with its Pavilion dv1312 AP model. However, he assured me the issue was supposedly addressed accordingly last August of 2005. I purchased mine on September after persuaded by its enticing half-page advertisement on Philippine Inquirer’s August 29, 2005 issue.
I retorted rather matter-of-factly that Hewlett-Packard may have not have done such a diligent job in resolving the motherboard issue prior to going ahead with its seeming aggressive promotion of the HP Pavilion dv1312 AP by buying a half-page ad space on a national newspaper. A jaded, cynical cousin would later opine that this is common practice amongst multinational companies — to liquidate their inferior products by dumping them on the Philippine market.
Be that as it may, I was further troubled when Erick Icasas insisted that Hewlett-Packard does offer an optional three-year warranty on this product; however, I was told the contrary by the store I bought it from, Silicon Valley at SM Manila, on the day of my purchase — that there was no extended warranty being offered for this product.
Since there is an ongoing motherboard issue, I asked him that I be extended the courtesy by HP by allowing me to purchase the optional three-year warranty. This would indeed demonstrate the company’s sincere concern and appreciation for its customers. I was assured that he would discuss it with his superiors and would promptly advise me. I never received a call back from Eric Icasas; not even from the voice mail message I left for him the other day. I will try him again on Monday.
As it stands, after picking up my laptop from an HP-authorized service center last Thursday, I no longer wanted the three-year extended warranty as I had requested from Eric Icasas, but rather, either HP allowed me to upgrade to a higher model fitted with a workhorse motherboard and peripherals that HP laptops are known for (and I’ll gladly pay the difference), or allow me to return the laptop and refund my money entirely.
In the States, there is such a thing as a lemon law to protect consumers; I do not know if there is an existing similar local legislation, but I am surely about to find out. For the meantime, I will seek others who may have purchased this same HP laptop model and trade notes with them. I would also appreciate if readers could share their opinion on this matter or any unfair consumer experiences that they might have gone through, especially with a high-priced merchandise.
I will keep everyone posted about this ongoing dilemma I am experiencing with my HP Pavilion dv1312 AP laptop.
Labels: consumer issues, legal issues, life in Manila, technology
posted by Señor Enrique at 10:07 AM
| 29 comments
