Digital natives and H1n1: : how adversity can drive change
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
International Journal of E-Adoption
Publication Date
1-1-2010
Volume
2
Issue
3
First Page
53
Last Page
66
Keywords
Digital Natives, Home Schooling, ICTs, Learning Support, Web 2.0 Technologies
Abstract
This paper examines what happens when young learners in a primary school in Hong Kong start from learning about information and communication technologies (ICTs) to learning with and through ICTs. The authors focus on how students used learning technologies when an H1N1 outbreak closed the school for three weeks and teachers were required to use ICTs to initiate at-home learning. This gave the researchers an opportunity to assess the capacity of young students using Web 2.0 technologies to support learning and the impact that these tools have on teacher views and practice. Data includes interviews with teachers and examples of students’ work. Findings demonstrate how confident and comfortable young learners are with new technologies, raising questions about prevailing assumptions that young students have the capacity to easily use the existing school-based learning management system and Web 2.0 applications. The authors provide evidence that students can effectively engage with ICTs and demonstrate very high levels of skills. However, students did not do so automatically, and required assessment tasks were often key drivers for initiating student engagement and learning.
DOI
10.4018/jea.2010070105
Print ISSN
19379633
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2010, IGI Global. All rights reserved. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Woodhead, P., & Kennedy, D. M. (2011). Digital natives and H1n1: : how adversity can drive change. International Journal of E-Adoption, 2(3), 53-66. doi:10.4018/jea.2010070105