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

本研究将探讨以下问题：儿童使用资讯科技（IT）如何影响他们的认知、社会、心理及道德发展？基于生态系统理论的观点（Bronfenbrenner和Morris， 1998），信息技术的使用被概念化为一个随着时间的推移而发生的互惠近端过程，并嵌入在社会和文化背景中。因此，要理解IT使用的影响，需要考虑人（儿童）和上下文因素，因为它们随着时间的推移与IT使用相互作用。纵向设计将引导从中学生、他们的父母和老师那里收集的六波数据，以评估个人和环境因素、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。人种学数据将补充定量和定性的研究结果。特别令人感兴趣的是，生活在较不利环境中的儿童与生活在较有利环境中的儿童使用信息技术对发展的影响是否不同。因此，一半的参与者将来自服务不足的群体。除了主要的纵向设计外，二年级的一个实验将重点关注两种信息技术使用（互联网使用和电脑游戏）之间的因果关系，以及认知、社会、心理和道德领域的发展结果。智力优势：本研究为研究信息技术使用对儿童发展的影响提供了丰富的理论框架。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。目前关于儿童使用信息技术的发展后果的知识和理解，往往只是媒体的炒作和轶事。需要系统、全面、纵向的研究和实验来建立因果关系，以阐明儿童使用信息技术是否改变了他们的生活，如果改变了，是如何改变的？拟议的研究解决了这一需求。更广泛的影响：建议的研究将直接探讨儿童使用资讯科技，特别是互联网和电脑游戏的后果，这是当今青少年中两种流行的资讯科技活动。随着信息技术在日常生活中变得越来越普遍，对教育工作者和政策制定者来说，对服务不足群体的影响将尤为重要。父母也会从关于孩子使用信息技术的潜在利益和责任的信息中受益。将非常小心地传播项目结果，包括承认研究的局限性。PI和联合PI在大型IT项目方面有相当丰富的经验，与服务不足的群体合作，不仅向科学界传播发现，而且向公众、教育工作者和各级政策制定者——地方的、国家的和国际的传播发现。项目团队完全有资格进行拟议的研究。其成员在一个大型信息技术项目“家庭网络”（Home Net Too）上合作，该项目使用了类似的人口（低收入的中学生及其父母）、多种测量方法和纵向设计。其中一名联合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（儿童在计算机教室学习）的创始人和首任主任，这是拟议研究的背景。

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.