©Karen Macpherson 1
2013 AIS ICT Management and 2013 AIS ICT Management and Leadership ConferenceLeadership Conference
Stay Agile – the game is Stay Agile – the game is changingchanging
Workshop 3A, 31 May 2013Workshop 3A, 31 May 2013
DIGITALDIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY AND AUSTRALIANAUSTRALIAN TEENAGERSTEENAGERS
Consumption, Study and CareersConsumption, Study and Careers
Dr Karen MacphersonDr Karen Macpherson
©Karen Macpherson 2
The survey (July – October 2012)
1. Teenager consumption of ICT - What do young people do when they are not at school? How do
they use ICT?
2. Teenager perceptions and attitudes to ICT - in classroom teachingas an area of study in high school
3. Teenager understanding of ICT -as an area of study at universityas a career
©Karen Macpherson 3
July – October 2012The study:
ACT high schools Government and independent 202 students, 8 schools 12-18 years Female and male Low, Medium and High ICSEA
©Karen Macpherson 4
1. Teenagers out-of-school:Activities and ICT consumption
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0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100Pe
rcen
tage
Every day Every day or Several times a week (combined)
Fig 1: out-of-school activities
Every day
family
hmwkchoresTV
Fbk
©Karen Macpherson 6
Digital technology in the home by school ICSEA
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Laptop Homecomputer
Wii PC Playstation iPad Xbox Tablet Mac
Technology
Perc
enta
ge
Low Medium High
Figure 3: Digital technology in the home by school ICSEA (n = 202)
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ACT Teenagers – trends in activities by Age
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age (Years)
Perc
enta
ge Sleep Mobile
Games
Casual Job
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ACT Teenagers – trends in activities by Age
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age (Years)
Perc
enta
ge Sleep Mobile
Games
Casual Job
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Do you ever spend time reading or thinking?
“No (laughs) … doing yoga. I have my phone away from me then. But I just like having it with me.”
Year 12 girl
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Fig 9Facebook and Computer Games "every day" and "several times a week" combined by Gender
69
21
56
61
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Facebook Computer games
Perc
enta
ge
Girls
Girls
Boys
Boys
©Karen Macpherson 11
Principal reasons for using technology
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Communicate friends Relax Find information Communicate family Create Buy and sell
Purpose
Perc
enta
ge
Every day Several times a week About once a week Once or twice a month Not at all
Fig 11
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What do you do after school?
“Usually working on assignments and homework and I try to get those done by the due date and after school cooking
dinner, cleaning up the house and that sort of thing and if time maybe Facebook.”
Year 9 boy
“Umm… I’ve got a job so I go to work most afternoons otherwise I go to the gym or do assignments.”
Year 10 girl
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2. ICT at high school
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Why or why not, would you like your teachers to use more or less technology in the classroom?
They're not very good with technology usually.
They are too reliant on it and it's annoying when technology fails
because it doesn't always work
The teachers are really bad at using technology
Depends on the teacher and subject. Some subjects (eg Maths) are not suited to technology. Some teachers are incompetent.
It can be distracting and when it fails the (technology) lesson can't go ahead
Because they often don't know how to use it property and it wastes time
sometimes unreliable and time consuming
teachers try to seem impressive using it but don't really know what they're doing; wastes time
Indiffernt really if the teacher is incapaable
It should not take away the actual teacher teaching properly
They are often inept, slowing down learning
(Responses not corrected for grammar or spelling)
Student comments on teacher use of technology in the classroom
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Research Across all subjects
Playing COD: MW3 or Minceraft or skyping Teaching
EVERYTHING Learning and work
Reacher tasks, creat (word) I woundn't want ot because I'd get distracvted
nearly everything, use laptops with drawing tablets Taking notes etc
watching videos and doing assignments Research, improvement in technology
Work Computer Aided Drawings Couras
finding information Computer studies, reasearch
playing games assignments, homework and in-class tasks
Maths Mainly to type work up
Make writting a lot eaiser Taking notes and interacting with tachers
Games Researching and learning with the aid of media (like YouTube)
Doing assignments to interact with students
Gaming Typing up work. Assignments
lerning, play games Games and helpful information
Creative purposes Science laboratory to design and try out interesting experiments
Videos (Responses not corrected for grammar or spelling)
Suggestions for use of technology at school
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Enjoys studying IT by School Year
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
7 8 9 10 11 12
School Year
Perc
enta
geFig 14
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"Would you like to study IT as a subject at school?
41
5445
50
40
30
17
6
1526
31
4052
57
53
31 29
19 20 1826
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age (years)
Perc
enta
ge
Yes No Don't know
Fig 12
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Reasons for wanting to study IT at school
Reasons for NOT wanting to study IT at school
Because we have a lot of IT today and it's good to learn
Its a bit hard
Its fun and creative Cause it's not interesting
I find it interesting and its one of my strengths
not that interested
I like computers I reather learn otehr things but I would if I did nothing else
It is interesting and an important thing to know.
I'm not interested in IT
So I learng how to use the computer well Not Sure what I want to do with IT
I like using computers It tends to be tedious plus I don't feel a large benefit from it.
Because I like to understand what happens "behind the scenes"
doesn’t look enjoyable
I think it is very fun Not the place I want to be
to learn new things Responses not corrected for grammar or spelling
Table 12: Reasons for wanting to study (or not to study) IT at school
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"Would like to study IT" by "Has studied IT"
50
30
27
39
2331
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Yes No
Has studied IT
Perc
enta
ge
Yes No Don't know
Fig 13
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n Yes % No %
Don’t Know
%
Do you like studying Science? 200 64 24 12
Do you enjoy doing Maths? 201 60 31 9Are you interested in how computers work? 202 52 28 20
Table 21: Interest in Science, Maths and Computers
©Karen Macpherson 21
Are you interested in how computers work?
35
54
69
56 56
33
43
18
12
19
2228
55
44
47
35
12
2216
12 13
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age (years)
Perc
enta
ge
Yes No Don't know
Fig 17
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"Interest in how computers work" and "I would like to study IT at school" by Age
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age (years)
Perc
enta
ge
Interested in how computers work Would like to study IT
Fig 18
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Are you interested in studying IT?
“Yes - it is interesting and an important thing to know.”Year 9 boy
“No – I already know it and it’s boring.”Year 11 girl
©Karen Macpherson 24
3. ICT - uni and careers
©Karen Macpherson 25
Perceptions of studying IT at university
9
62
55
22
36
16
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Degree of difficulty (n = 156) Level of interest (n = 174)
Perc
enta
ge
Easy Interesting
Not very easy Not very interesting
Don’t know Don’t know
Figure 19: Perceptions of Difficulty and Interest in studying IT at university
©Karen Macpherson 26
Response options(n = 202) %1. They do graphic design, make websites and design computer games 682. They design newer, better, faster computers, microchips and mobiles 643. They write software, computer programs and apps 764. They are computer network managers and analysts and they program computers 785. They design robots and computer systems to help doctors 446. They manage big computer databases in businesses 717. They design things like automatic landing systems for planes 40
Table 22: What do you think a person who works in an ICT job does?
©Karen Macpherson 27
n Yes%
Would having a job in IT let you think creatively?
193 80
Would working in IT be fun? 189 52
Would working in IT mean sitting at a computer all day?
192 54
Table 24: Responses to questions on perceptions of IT jobs
©Karen Macpherson 28
"When I finish my education I want a job ..."
91
6759 58
27
10
9
31
34 38
40
32
0 27 5
34
57
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
That is interesting That is well paid That lets me becreative
That will make adifference to
people/help society
Where I can use IT,science or maths
Where I don’t have touse IT, science or
maths
Response options
Perc
enta
ge
Important Moderately important Not very important
Fig 20
©Karen Macpherson 29
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I want to be Prime Minister of a semi-artificial island I’m designing”
Year 7 boy
“I want to be a physicist because I enjoy physics and science,or an architect because I enjoy being creative and I like design.”
Year 8 girl
“I like the idea of being a programmer or an investment bankerbecause I like selling things and coding.”
Year 9 boy
“Possibly a plumber. The work is interesting and it is generally well paid.”Year 10 boy
“Either a music producer or an author, because I’m interested in it.”Year 12 girl
©Karen Macpherson 30
Low ICSEA Years 7 and 8 High ICSEA Years 7 and 8
I love animals, so I think I might want a career in animal care.
Prim Minister of a semi-artificial island I'm designing or programmer
Maybe a chef or an author of a bestseller, I don't know
I want to be an architecture beuse I love designing houses
Not really. Doctor. I like the atmosphere in the hospital
. I want to be something to do with horses or a history teacher
no. I would like to be a lawyer, it's fun arguing with people.
Police women, lawyer, nurse because I think I would enjoy it.
I want to be a defender of human rights because everyone deserves a happy life :)
I would love to be a cheff or pe teacher Scientist, programmer, author or Music teacher
I would like to be in a job to do with sport (eg: Sports statistician).
(Responses are not corrected for grammar or spelling)
I would like to be a doctor when I grow up as it will let me communicate with the society and meet new people. However I wouldn’t mind having a job in IT either.
Table 26: Comparison High and Low ICSEA Years 7 and 8 - Careers
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SO WHAT?How do these findings stack up with some commonly-held
assumptions about teenagers? Assumptions –
1. They spend most of their time playing computer games and going on Facebook.
2. Always on their mobiles.
Not so. Teenagers are much more rounded than popular media would have us believe. Evidence: interviews and “out-of-school” activities results
Yes – but depends on age.
We need to distinguish between ICT and:•communication uses - which increase with age are not gender-related; •recreation uses, eg games- which decrease with age and are gender-related.
To teenagers, technology consumption is not worthy of remark. It is normal.
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Summary - FindingsAssumptions, cont –
3. Teenagers are really confident with technology.True.
4. Teenagers know much more about technology than adults do.Depends. Confidence is not the same as competence.
5. Teenagers generally think that ICT is “boring”.Some do. But many are undecided. There is a range of misperceptions about ICT as a subject at school; what ICT jobs entail; and what careers are available. These perceptions are correlated with age, gender, and ICSEA.
©Karen Macpherson 33
ImplicationsImportant opportunities:
1. Many students in early-mid high school are “undecided” about whether they would like to study ICT.
2. Many students are interested in “how computers work”.
3. Most students want a career that is interesting, well paid, allows creativity and “helps people”. “Enjoyment” and “interest” are frequently used qualifiers when teenagers talk about both ICT, and careers generally.
4. Many students think studying ICT at uni would be interesting, but not very easy (this is a classic example of a worthwhile and achievable goal in “goal setting theory” - Locke).
©Karen Macpherson 34
ImplicationsClear opportunities to engage students -
1. To challenge perceptions about IT as “boring” 2. To capitalise on existing interest and “undecided” group3. To close the gap between “interested in computers” and “want to
study IT”HOW? Emphasise fun, creativity, interest and challenge, teamwork and involvement
4. To provide opportunities for students to find out more about the range of work in ICT careers (creative and interesting)
5. To help them “join the dots” between what they want in careers generally – interesting, well paid work that helps people, and what ICT careers can offer
FOCUS: school years 7-9; and girls
©Karen Macpherson 35
Implications - summaryWe need to - Engage with students at the right age Utilise their enthusiasm Challenge their misperceptions Help them “join the dots” between generalised career aspirations and what
ICT can offer
Important: where do students learn their attitudes to ICT?1. Parents2. Educators3. Significant others (older siblings, family friends etc)4. Media (TV shows, internet, movies)5. Professionals practicing in the field
5th group: structured learning opportunities through mentoring/work experience with ICT professionals is very effective.
©Karen Macpherson 36
Australian labour force insufficient
to meet current and projected ICT job demand
PROBLEM
SOLUTIONS
INNOVATION(change way work is done)
5. EDUCATION(increase number of
skilled workers)IMMIGRATION(import skills)
Increase ICT university and other tertiary
enrolments/completions
Design initiatives to attract more students into studying in the field
Increase demand to study ICT
Attract more students
How to generate more ICT graduates?
How?
Capture student interest at important stages
of their schooling
Range of co-and extra-curricula activities
to reward ICT interest
Design teaching curricula to provide necessary
information to students
Ensure high quality informed teaching
How?
How?
How?
RESEARCH –
Ask students:What they like to use technology forWhat subjects they like at schoolWhat their perceptions are of ICT studyWhat they want in careers generallyTheir perceptions of ICT careers specifically
1
2
3 4
6 7
8
910
11
12
13
14
Australian labour force insufficient
to meet current and projected ICT job demand
INNOVATION(change way work is done)
IMMIGRATION(import skills)
Increase ICT university and other tertiary
enrolments/completions
How to generate more ICT graduates?
Attract more studentsIncrease ICT university
and other tertiary enrolments/completions
How to generate more ICT graduates?
Increase demand to study ICT
How?
How?
Increase demand to study ICT
How?
Design initiatives to attract more students into studying in the field
How?
Increase demand to study ICT
How?
How?
Design initiatives to attract more students into studying in the field
How?
Increase demand to study ICT
How?
Capture student interest at important stages
of their schooling
Design teaching curricula to provide necessary
information to students
Range of co-and extra-curricula activities
to reward ICT interest
Capture student interest at important stages
of their schooling
Design teaching curricula to provide necessary
information to students
Ensure high quality informed teaching
Range of co-and extra-curricula activities
to reward ICT interest
Capture student interest at important stages
of their schooling
Design teaching curricula to provide necessary
information to students
2
3 4
©Karen Macpherson 37
National interest Industry and jobs;Professional bodies
Teachers
StudentsStudents
Parents
2. Initiatives: Science leaders; FIRST; Robocup
1. Consumption, perceptions and aspirations
Government policyEducation sector
What does the evidence say?
The solutionThe solution
©Karen Macpherson 38
The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh – work experience for high school students
©Karen Macpherson 39
Griffith University “spaghetti bridge” Three day introduction to science and technologyFor years 9/10
University of CanberraWIL project – DEEWR fundedFor undergraduates
©Karen Macpherson 40
ICT Experience Center, De Verdieping The Netherlands
©Karen Macpherson 41
University of Canberra INSPIRE Centrenew ways of working and learning digitally: preservice teachers
©Karen Macpherson 42
Australian Defence Force Defence Technical Scholarships For years 11 and 12
©Karen Macpherson 43
Originated in Victoria; now licensed Australia-wide
©Karen Macpherson 44
Initiatives
Australian Academy of Sciencesuite of professional learning and curriculum resources for teachers
©Karen Macpherson 45
Mechatronics• Mechatronics is a relatively young engineering
discipline, which combines skills from mechanical, electrical, computer and software engineering.
• Mechatronics studies systems that result from the interconnection of sensors, computers, and force actuators with components like robots, vehicles, aircraft, structures, and circuits.
©Karen Macpherson 46
FIRST
Macquarie University – hosts annual national competition – for school children and teens
©Karen Macpherson 47
Robocup
Main Objective: To encourage young people to take an interest in scientific and technological fields, to cultivate their interest through robotic competitions through hands on creation.
©Karen Macpherson 48
Conclusion:Needs analysis
What do we need to do
to get thereWhere we want to be
Where we arenow
RelevantEngagingChallengingWell taughtWell fundedCareer pathsRemunerationJob satisfaction
Where we want to be
Where we arenow
What do we need to do
to get there
Where we want to be
Where we arenow
©Karen Macpherson 49
‘‘A mind is a terrible thing to waste’A mind is a terrible thing to waste’
Nobel Prize Laureate Prof Peter Doherty, University of Melbourne
©Karen Macpherson 50
Dr Karen MacphersonProfessional Associate
Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and MathsUniversity of Canberra, Australia
Report available at: www.theeducationinstitute.edu.au/eduinstitute/
node/159
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