Perceptions of Information and Communications Technology Skills in Middle School Students Using Individual Laptops: Toward a Longitudinal Perspective

• In Event: 33.075 - Examining the Potential of Mobile Technology

Abstract

Several studies have provided data on the impact of laptops on such variables as motivation, attitudes, ICT skills and leadership. However, there has been considerably less exploration of the day-to-day “real” teaching and learning that occurs when students have one-to-one access to laptops. The present qualitative longitudinal study reports on how students with one-to-one laptop access perceive the technical, cognitive and ethical aspects of acquired digital literacy skills as fourteen year olds and ten years later as adults. For instance, using different types of software in learning scenarios with laptops, student participants demonstrated an enhanced ability to create, edit, post online documents and search for information on the Web, all the while developing more autonomy in completing learning tasks.

Authors

• Michel T. Leger, Universite de Moncton

• Viktor Freiman, University of Moncton