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

用生态系统理论方法检验信息技术 (IT) 使用对儿童认知、社会、心理和道德发展的影响

• 批准号: 0527064
• 负责人: Linda Jackson
• 金额: $ 74.84万
• 依托单位: Michigan State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-12-15 至 2011-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0527064&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ecological; Systems; Theory; Approach; Examining

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.

项目概述拟议的研究将解决的问题：如何儿童的使用信息技术（IT）影响他们的认知，社会，心理和道德的发展？ 根据生态系统理论的观点（Bronfenbrenner和Morris，1998年），信息技术的使用被概念化为随着时间的推移而发生的相互邻近的过程，并嵌入在社会和文化背景中。因此，要了解IT使用的影响，需要考虑人（儿童）和背景因素，因为它们与IT使用随着时间的推移而相互作用。 纵向设计将引导从中学生，他们的父母和教师收集六波数据，以评估人和背景因素，IT使用（性质和频率），以及各种认知，社会，心理和道德发展结果。民族志数据将补充定量和定性调查结果。特别令人感兴趣的是，信息技术的使用对生活在更不利环境中的儿童的发展影响是否与生活在更有利环境中的儿童不同。因此，一半的参与者将来自得不到充分服务的群体。除了主要的纵向设计外，第二年的实验将集中在两种类型的信息技术使用之间的因果关系-互联网使用和电脑游戏，以及认知，社会，心理和道德领域的发展成果。智力优势：拟议的研究提供了一个丰富的理论框架，研究信息技术的使用对儿童发展的影响。调查结果将促进发展科学，信息技术和教育领域的知识和理解。目前人们对儿童使用信息技术的发展后果的认识和理解往往只不过是媒体的炒作和轶事。需要建立因果关系的系统性、全面性、纵向研究和实验，以揭示儿童对信息技术的使用是否正在改变他们的生活，如果是，又是如何改变的？拟议的研究解决了这一需要。更广泛的影响：建议的研究会直接探讨使用资讯科技对儿童的影响，特别是互联网和电脑游戏这两项在现今青少年中颇受欢迎的资讯科技活动。随着信息技术在日常生活中变得越来越普遍，对教育工作者和决策者来说，对得不到充分服务的群体的影响将特别重要。父母也将受益于有关其子女使用信息技术的潜在好处和责任的信息。在传播项目结果时将非常谨慎，包括承认研究的局限性。主要研究者和共同主要研究者在大型信息技术项目、与得不到充分服务的群体合作以及不仅向科学界而且向地方、国家和国际各级的公众、教育工作者和决策者传播研究结果方面具有相当丰富的经验。项目团队完全有资格进行拟议的研究。它的成员共同致力于一个大规模的信息技术项目，即家庭网络项目，该项目使用了类似的人口（低收入中学生及其父母）、多种措施和纵向设计。其中一位联合PI是一项针对高危儿童的30年纵向研究的联合主任。另一位是KLICK（Kids Learning in Computer Klubhouses）的创始人和第一任董事，该公司是拟议研究的背景。