Investigating Student Use of Technology for Engaged Citizenship in A Global Age
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. A Battle Brews: Technology and Civic Engagement
4. Technology and the Social Studies: A Story of Missed Opportunity
5. Statement of the Problem
6. Research Question
7. Methodology and Research Design
7.1. A Qualitative Inquiry
7.2. Participants & Data Collection
- Invited students from diverse environments and backgrounds to participate. All students had to have been enrolled in a selected social studies teacher’s high school classroom;
- Participated in a preliminary interview whereby students were asked to demonstrate their level of expertise and usage of technology at home and in the social studies classroom. Students were asked to illustrate ways in which they use technology to access information, communicate, and create digital artifacts;
- Gained the informed consent of their legal guardian(s), and offer their informed assent to participate in the study. Furthermore, they were willing to provide the time and effort required for participation in the study.
Alpha High School students’ demographics | Beta Early College High School students’ demographics | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Age | Ethnicity/Race | Sex | Grade | Name | Age | Ethnicity/Race | Sex | Grade | |
Sarah McIntyre | 18 | Caucasian | F | 12th | Jeff Cantor | 16 | Caucasian | M | 10th | |
Justin Steiner | 14 | Arab American | M | 9th | Eman Hassan | 15 | Palestinian-American | F | 10th | |
Sharron McPeek | 17 | Caucasian | F | 12th | Brad Masters | 16 | Caucasian | M | 10th | |
Cindy Lane | 15 | Caucasian | F | 9th | Lisa Williams | 15 | Caucasian | F | 10th | |
James Ryan | 18 | Caucasian | M | 12th | Denish Kumar | 15 | Indian American | M | 10th | |
Patrick Fitzgerald | 18 | Caucasian | M | 12th | D’Angelo Hall | 15 | African American | M | 10th |
7.3. Data Analysis
7.4. Limitations of the Study
8. Results
8.1. International News and Information Consumers
8.2. Global Networks
8.3. Digital Producers
9. Discussion
10. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References and Notes
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Appendix A
- Please describe your typical day.
- What do you do in your free time?
- Can you describe the technologies you use, and the how you use them?
- What do you like best and least about technology?
- Where do you usually access computers and the Internet?
- Have you ever used the Internet to research or talk about political, social or economic issues? If so, give examples.
- What do you think are the features of an engaged citizen in a global age?
- What sort of knowledge do you feel citizens must have in order to be good global citizens?
- In what ways have you contributed to the betterment of your school, community, or world?
- Describe a good global citizen you know, what makes them a good global citizen?
- Have you used the Internet or other technologies to be an engaged global citizen? Explain.
- How does your use of technology in the social studies compare to your use outside the social studies? What do you think about this?
- What do you think about the social studies curriculum at your school?
- Do you have a laptop or handheld, and what do you think about using one in social studies?
- What do you think about the school’s policy that students can’t bring in their computers, or access the Internet with their own computer at school?
- What do you think about your teacher’s use of technology? (Tablet PC, the Internet, PowerPoint presentations, and his website)
- What do you think about your use of technology in the social studies?
- How important is it to you to learn how to use these technologies in the social studies to learn about global issues and people?
- Have you ever had a negative experience with technology (i.e., texting, cyber bullying, cyber safety, slanderous and foul language)? If so, did you instigate the remarks, and how did you respond?
- How does your technology use at home support or hurt your academic performance? What do you think about downloading copy righted materials (images, music, videos) illegally? Have you ever downloaded these materials, and if so, how frequently?
- How do you think globalization and technology have influenced engaged citizenship?
- What did your involvement in this study teach you?
- What did you like and dislike about using Wikispaces?
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Maguth, B.M. Investigating Student Use of Technology for Engaged Citizenship in A Global Age. Educ. Sci. 2012, 2, 57-76. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci2020057
Maguth BM. Investigating Student Use of Technology for Engaged Citizenship in A Global Age. Education Sciences. 2012; 2(2):57-76. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci2020057
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaguth, Brad M. 2012. "Investigating Student Use of Technology for Engaged Citizenship in A Global Age" Education Sciences 2, no. 2: 57-76. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci2020057