An Ecological Systems Theory Approach to Examining the Impact of Information Technology (IT) Use on Children's Cognitive, Social, Psychological and Moral Development

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PROJECT SUMMARYThe proposed research will address the question: How does childrens' use of Information Technology (IT) influence their cognitive, social, psychological and moral development? Based on an ecological systems theory perspective (Bronfenbrenner and Morris, 1998), IT use is conceptualized as a reciprocal proximal process that occurs over time and is embedded in a social and cultural context. Thus, to understand the impact of IT use requires a consideration of Person (Child) and Contextual factors as they interact with IT use over Time. A longitudinal design will guide six waves of data collection from middle-school children, their parents and teachers to assess Person and Contextual factors, IT use (nature and frequency), and a variety of cognitive, social, psychological and moral developmental outcomes. Ethnographic data will complement quantitative and qualitative findings. Of particular interest is whether the developmental impact of IT use is different for children living in more disadvantaged environments than for children living in more advantaged environments. Thus, half the participants will be from underserved groups. In addition to the main longitudinal design, an experiment in Year 2 will focus on causal relationships between two types of IT use- Internet use and computer gaming, and developmental outcomes in the cognitive, social, psychologicaland moral domains. Intellectual Merit: The proposed research provides a rich theoretical framework for examining the impact of IT use on childrens' development. Findings will advance knowledge and understanding in the fields of developmental science, IT and education. What currently passes for knowledge and understanding of the developmental consequences of childrens' IT use is often little more than media hype and anecdote. Systematic, comprehensive, longitudinal studies and experiments that establish causal relationships are needed to shed light on whether or not childrens' use of IT is changing their lives and if so, how? The proposed research addresses this need. Broader Impacts: The proposed research will directly address the consequences for children of using IT, particularly the Internet and computer games, two popular IT activities among todays' youth. Implications for underserved groups will be especially important to educators and policymakers as IT becomes more ubiquitous in everyday life. Parents will also benefit from information about the potential benefits and liabilities of their childrens' IT use. Great care will be taken in disseminating project findings, including acknowledgment of the limitations of the research. The PI and co-PIs have considerable experience with large-scale IT projects, working with underserved groups, and disseminating findings not only to the scientific community but also to the general public, educators and policy makers at all levels - local, national, and international. The project team is well qualified to conduct the proposed research. Its members have worked together on a large-scale IT project, the Home Net Too project, which used a similar population (low-income middle school children and their parents), multiple measures and a longitudinal design. One of the co-PIs is co-Director of a 30-year longitudinal study of high-risk children. Another is creator and first director of KLICK (Kids Learning in Computer Klubhouses) the setting for the proposed research.