use of ICT by minors - Malta Communications · PDF fileMalta Communications Authority – September 2012 use of ICT by minors . ... Assess the levels of awareness about the BeSmartOnline

Co-funded by the European Union

Quantitative research Malta Communications Authority – September 2012

use of ICT by minors


Research objectives

Gauge the levels of use of ICT, especially the Internet, by minors

Identify the perceptions and attitudes of minors and their parents related the safe use of the Internet

Identify safety related situations/circumstances minors might come across while they are browsing the internet

Assess the levels of awareness about the BeSmartOnline Project among minors and their parents

Partially funded by the European Commission

as part of the BeSmartOnline project

under the EU Safer Internet Programme


Methodology

MCA commissioned M. FSADNI & Associates to conduct a ‘quantitative’ Research Study with students whose age varies between 8 years and 15 years (attending between Year 4 and Form 4 at school) and their parents, on the students’ use of ICT.

The study was supported by the Directorates for Educational Studies and the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE), the Church Schools, and the Association of Independent Schools.

Two structured research instruments were developed (one for the students and one for the parents) in English and Maltese. The research instrument mainly consisted in ‘close ended’ questions and 1-5 Likert scale questions.


Methodology (2)

The fieldwork was carried out during May, 2012.

A total of 23 schools participated in the study, of which 14 were state schools, 7 were church schools and 2 were independent schools.

Students from the chosen classes were given an envelope containing the ‘parent’ questionnaire and a consent letter for their child to participate in the research. Parents were given five days to fill in the questionnaire, sign the consent form and return it to the school.

Students who returned the parent questionnaire and the consent completed participated in the student survey.


Sample frame

566 students, and their parents, participated in the study

44.5% where in Year 4 to Year 6 primary education;

29% where in Form 1/Form 2 secondary education; and

27% where in Form 3/Form 4 secondary education.

53% were female while 47% were male. Of the parents, a high 81% were female while the remaining 19% were male

52% of the students hailed from schools in the centre region, 24% from students hailing from schools in the southern region, 13% from Gozitan schools and 11% from schools in the northern region

More than 60% of the students represented primary and secondary state schools. Another 30% represented primary and secondary church schools while 9% represented primary and secondary independent schools.


Survey limitations

The choice of schools and classes could have lead to socio-economic biases especially in secondary schools where students are normally grouped by areas of study and gender

Non responses by parents, despite limited, may have lead to an underrepresentation of students with high absenteeism or who may lack parental care

The busy school calendar made it difficult to conduct the study in some schools leading to a lower response rate than in others leading to a shortfall of 34 completed-student questionnaires from the target 600-count sample frame

Selected sampling method excluded all cases of minors who do not attend mainstream schooling


>> RESULTS - ACCESS


Devices at home with access to internet

80% 80% 76%

84% 82%

60%

68%

57%

69% 72%

32%

21% 24%

27% 29%

14% 17%

15% 18%

14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male Female Year 4, 5 & 6 Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4

Computer

Laptop

Games Console

Tablet


Computer or laptop at home with access to internet

98% 98% 97% 99% 99%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Percentage of students with internet access in the bedroom

58% 57%

49%

60%

68%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male Female Year 4,5 & 6 Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4


Parents:

I cannot afford internet at home for my child

76%

17%

5%

2%

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Don't know


Parents:

I feel that my child knows much more than me on how to use the

internet

36% 37%

50%

33%

18%

15% 13%

13%

13%

17%

47% 49%

35%

52% 66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male Female Year 4, 5 & 6

Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4

Don't know

Agree

Neutral

Disagree


>> RESULTS - USE


Make use of the internet minimum twice a week

(not at school)

Parents report higher use by their children than children themselves

85% 80%

70%

94% 91%

87% 89%

78%

94% 99%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


As reported by minor

As reported by parent


Parents:

Children spend too much time on the Internet

51% 57%

69%

48%

34%

20% 15%

15%

18%

19%

27% 27%

13%

33%

46%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male Female Year 4,5 & 6 Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4

Don't Know

Agree

Neutral

Disagree


Mobile phone usage by students during the week

prior to the survey

39% 39%

27%

43%

55%

36%

55%

17%

55%

86%

56%

65%

46%

63%

83%

30%

35%

18%

33%

56%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Call friends

SMS friends

Call/SMS Parents

Access the internet


Students with an account/profile on Facebook,

Playstation Network and Club Penguin

64% 62%

41%

72%

90%

34%

9%

20% 21% 21%

34% 37%

45%

34%

21%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Facebook

Playstation Network

Club Penguin


Form 3 & 4 students with an account/profile on

websites/social networks

90%

71% 68%

65%

42%

31%

21% 21% 19%

7% 2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Reasons for using the internet in the two weeks

prior to the survey

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

100%

Playin

g game

s on

the in

ternet

Social n

etwo

rking

Research

related to

scho

ol

Ch

atting

eMail

Watch

ing vid

oes/film

s thro

ugh

live stream

ing

Bro

wsin

g (no

t scho

ol related

)

Do

wn

load

ing m

usic an

d film

s

Vid

eo C

alling

Bu

ying o

ver the in

ternet

no

ne o

f the ab

ove

Year 4, 5 & 6

Form 1&2

Form 3 & 4


Reasons for using the internet in the two weeks

prior to the survey - contrasted by age and gender

74%

79% 78%

36% 39% 38%

85% 90%

30% 28%

57%

76%

28% 30%

63%

81%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male Year 4, 5 & 6

Female Year 4, 5 & 6

Male Form 3 & 4

Female Form 3 & 4

Playing games on the internet

Social networking

Research related to school

Chatting


>> RESULTS - SAFETY


Parents:

I trust my child and therefore I do not need to supervise

him/her when using the internet

52% 46%

62%

47%

28%

20%

18%

19%

20%

19%

27% 34%

17%

31%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Male All Female Year 4, 5 & 6 Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4

Don'tKnow

Agree

Neutral

Disagree


Parents:

I trust my child and therefore I do not need to supervise him/her

when using the internet - contrasted by age and gender

66% 58%

34%

23%

19%

19%

23%

15%

15% 20%

42%

60%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male Year 4, 5 & 6

Female Year 4, 5 & 6

Male Form 3 & 4 Female Form 3 & 4

Don'tKnow

Agree

Neutral

Disagree


Students:

I play games that are not appropriate for my age

17%

2% 8% 9% 10%

50%

26%

32%

42% 40%

34%

71%

60%

48% 50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Never

Sometimes

Always


Students:

I play games that are not appropriate for my age

(sometimes and always)

66%

29%

40%

52% 50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Students’ settings on social networks (filtered by users only)

64%

74% 64%

68% 75%

11%

9%

7%

9%

14% 12%

8%

11%

12%

7% 12% 9% 18%

10% 4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Male All Female Year 4, 5 & 6

Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4

Don't know

My profile can be viewed by anyone

Only my frineds and friends of friends can view my profile

Only my frineds can view my profile


Students:

I interact with people I do not know over the Internet

5% 1% 2% 1% 5%

19% 18%

8%

21%

34%

59% 67%

68%

66%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Male All Female Year 4, 5 & 6

Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4

Refuse

Do not interact over the internet

Never

Sometimes

Always


Students: It is safe to meet new

people over the Internet

70% 69% 77%

67% 57%

16% 19% 12%

19%

26%

9% 8% 6% 8% 14%

5% 4% 5% 6% 2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All M

ale

All Fem

ale

Year 4, 5 & 6

Form

1&2

Form

3 & 4

Don't Know

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

72% 74%

92%

71%

44%

20% 20%

6%

20%

43%

8% 6% 2% 9% 13%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All M

ale

All Fe

male

Year 4, 5 &

6

Form

1&2

Form

3 &

4

Parents: It is safe for my child to

make new friends over the Internet


55% 64%

69%

53% 52%

30%

28% 21%

33% 38%

15% 8% 10% 14% 10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male

Female

Year 4, 5 & 6

Form

1&2

Form

3 & 4

59% 58% 59% 57% 60%

15% 15% 9% 22% 17%

20% 21% 25%

16% 19%

6% 5% 7% 5% 4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male

Female

Year 4, 5 & 6

Form

1 & 2

Form

3 & 4

Don't Know

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Students: There are no risks

when posting photos of

oneself on a social network

Parents: It is not risky for my child

to upload his/her photo on the

Internet


76% 85% 87% 83%

68%

17% 10% 8% 12%

23%

7% 6% 6% 5% 9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male

Female

Year 4, 5 & 6

Form

1&2

Form

3 & 4

82% 84% 86% 84% 77%

7% 9% 6% 6%

15%

6% 6% 5% 8% 5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Male

Female

Year 4, 5 &

6

Form

1&2

Form

3 & 4

Don't Know

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Students: I would be willing

to meet someone I made

friends with over the Internet

Parents: It is safe for my child to

meet new friends made over the

Internet


>> ONLINE BULLYING


Students:

Do you know someone your age who has been or is bullied

over the Internet?

20% 19% 17% 19% 25%

77% 79% 81% 79% 73%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Refuse

No

Yes


Students:

Have you ever been bullied over the Internet?

6% 7% 10% 3% 5%

89% 91% 87% 94% 92%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Refuse

No

Yes


>> BRAND


Students:

Have you ever seen the BeSmartOnline logo?

52% 49%

54%

42%

63%

56%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Male Female Year 4, 5 & 6

Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4


Parents:

Have you ever seen the BeSmartOnline logo?

29% 30% 28% 25%

33% 30%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Male Female Year 4, 5 & 6 Form 1&2 Form 3 & 4


>>CONCLUSIONS


Key findings

Internet usage continues to increase with access spilling to tablets, games consoles and mobile phones

Different ICTs and their applications may be perceived differently by different generations (use of the term ‘internet’ may no longer be appropriate to use in such a surveys)

Use of social networking is on the rise even amongst the very young

Students, many times with the consent of the parents, are often not abiding to age restrictions for gaming and social networking

There appears to be no digital divide between children although the socio-economic background appears to be linked to a student’s access to ICTs

Strong gender differences exist and are mostly observable amongst the older cohorts

Children appear to be more knowledgeable about online risks than their parents but parents appear more concerned about potential risks than their children

Parents may over trust children possibly because they feel alien to the technology or because they feel that their children are knowledgeable enough to take care for themselves

Documents

use of ICT by minors - Malta Communications · PDF fileMalta Communications Authority – September 2012 use of ICT by minors . ... Assess the levels of awareness about the BeSmartOnline