An Ecological Analysis of Technology Engagement and Learning Practices in Latino Families

• In Event: Latino Families, Digital Media, and Learning

Abstract

Objectives. To identify variations at individual, family, and community levels with regard to how low-income, Latino families (a) make decisions about adopting broadband Internet and Internet-capable devices; and (b) integrate these technologies into a broad range of formal and informal learning practices.

Theoretical Framework/Perspectives. This study is guided by communication infrastructure theory (Ball-Rokeach, Kim, & Matei, 2001), a multi-level, ecological framework that examines family interactions in the context of their local communities. Our approach is also informed by prior research on joint media engagement (Takeuchi et al., 2011), which considers how family members engage in shared decision-making and learning with technology.

Methods/Data Sources. We conducted 336 in-depth interviews with parents and their focal child (grades K-8) in 3 school districts serving predominantly low-income immigrant families of Mexican heritage. Questions elicited information on motivations for tech adoption; perceptions of how connectivity affects family relationships, routines, and learning activities; connections to schools; perspectives on classroom tech use; and opinions on local tech initiatives. We also conducted interviews with district and school leaders regarding initiatives to support family tech adoption and experiences implementing classroom tech programs.

Results. We found that variations at the community, family, and individual levels of analysis play a role in decisions about adopting and engaging technologies for learning in these families. Analyses reveal that features peculiar to the local environment (e.g., the quality of family-school relationships, local immigration enforcement) directly impact how parents assess the opportunities and risks that digital technologies present to their children. With regard to the former, we find that relationships with administrators and teachers are crucial to how parents integrate technology at home. For example, many parents depend on teacher-recommended online learning resources to guide their children’s out-of-school learning.

Furthermore, parents’ efficacy and perceptions regarding technology are critical predictors of how children engage technology to both complete school assignments and to pursue their own interests. Parent-child engagement around technology beyond the school day provides meaningful learning experiences for all family members—experiences that can support students’ classroom learning and mastery of technology-related skills. In Spanish-dominant, immigrant-headed households in particular, children frequently “brokered” parents’ connections to both digital devices and content. In these interactions, parents and children fluidly trade expert and learner roles as they use technology together to address family needs.

Significance. Children’s brokering, and the joint media engagement that supports it, is a form of reciprocal scaffolding (Guerrero & Villamil, 2000) that provides powerful learning experiences for parents and children alike. Our findings point to important assets in these families with regard to strong traditions of family interaction related to technology use, and parents’ deep motivations to learn new ways to support their children’s success. Variations at multiple levels of analysis also highlight the value of studying technology from an ecological perspective, acknowledging that technology adoption and engagement can be shaped by family- and community-level dynamics. Developing a deeper understanding of everyday technology practices, particularly among immigrant and minority populations, can thus prioritize the lived experiences of families and identify pathways for learning through culturally-relevant initiatives.

Authors

• Vikki Katz, Rutgers University

• Carmen Gonzalez, University of Washington