Our research
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Introduction
Children nowadays tend to use ICT (Information and Communication Technology) more often than ever. The Internet and its services seem to be the most popular activity, among children of primary school. However, as the use of Internet increases the potential risks increase as well. The purpose of our research is to find whether children, aged from 9 to 12, know how to be protected from online threats.
A recent research (Sonck, N. et al., 2011) conducted by the LSE (London School of Economics) proved that the increasing use of Internet is relevant to the increasing possibility of exposure to online dangers. More specifically, as shown in figure 1, the overall finding is that the more children (in a country) use the internet daily, the more children in that country have encountered one or more of the risks. The same is true on individual level, that children who use the internet on a daily basis are more likely than those who do not to have experience one or more of the risk factors.
Children nowadays tend to use ICT (Information and Communication Technology) more often than ever. The Internet and its services seem to be the most popular activity, among children of primary school. However, as the use of Internet increases the potential risks increase as well. The purpose of our research is to find whether children, aged from 9 to 12, know how to be protected from online threats.
A recent research (Sonck, N. et al., 2011) conducted by the LSE (London School of Economics) proved that the increasing use of Internet is relevant to the increasing possibility of exposure to online dangers. More specifically, as shown in figure 1, the overall finding is that the more children (in a country) use the internet daily, the more children in that country have encountered one or more of the risks. The same is true on individual level, that children who use the internet on a daily basis are more likely than those who do not to have experience one or more of the risk factors.
Figure taken from (Sonck, N. et al., 2011)
Identity
of our Research
Our research took place at our school from 14-3-2011 to 28-3-2011. The questionnaires were shared to 114 students of the 4th, 5th and 6th year of primary school. For the statistical analysis we used MS EXCEL software. We created frequency and pivot tables.
Our research took place at our school from 14-3-2011 to 28-3-2011. The questionnaires were shared to 114 students of the 4th, 5th and 6th year of primary school. For the statistical analysis we used MS EXCEL software. We created frequency and pivot tables.
Figure 2 and table 1 show
the sex and class allocation of the students, who filled in the questionnaires,
during our research. More specifically from the total of 114 students, there were 19 students of the 4th
year primary school (named D in Greece), 38 students of the 5th year
of primary school (named E in Greece)
and 57 students of the 6th year primary school (named ST in Greece).
Finally there were 63 girls (G) and 51 boys (B).
Statistical Analysis
Figure
3 shows the percentage of students, who answered correctly the questions for
online threats. As we can see, the great majority of children know how to
protect themselves from copyright pirating, chat monster, false information and
viruses. However, when it comes to data phishing, digital footprints and spam
email, the percentages of students who fail to answer correctly are 27,19%, 38,60%
and 39,47% respectively. As a result we emphasize our analysis on data
phishing, digital footprints and spam emails.
In figure 4 (Q5 is for
question 5 of the questionnaire) we see that most of the children, of all
classes (56,14% at ST, 47,36% at E and 36,84% - average 46,78%), spend 1 hour
daily on the Internet. A smaller percentage of average 28,94% spend on the Internet from 1 to 3 hours daily and there
are only a few students who spend on the Internet more than three hours daily.
Figure 5 shows the
activities of students when online. The great majority of girls (66,66%) prefer
to chat and play, while the great majority of boys (64,70%) prefer to play online
games. It is disappointing that only 3,92%
of boys and 3,17% of girls, surf on the Internet for their school homework.
Concerning
“spam email”, the great majority of 6th year primary school students
(77, 19%) answered correctly to the relevant question but many students of 5th
year primary school (57,89%) and 4th year primary school (52,63%) answered wrongly to the relevant question.
The
next three figures refer to “data phishing” and “digital footprints” potential
threats. As depicted in figure 7, most of the students of 6th year
primary school (92,98%) have an account in facebook, msn etc and many students
of 4th year primary school (57,89%)
and 5th year primary school (63,15%) answered that they have
account in facebook, msn etc as well.
Figure
8 reveals that the boys of the 5th and 6th year of
primary school (44,44% and 33,33%
respectively) answered that they have social network friends, not
familiar to them. However, the girls of the 5th and 6th
ear of primary school (15,00% and 12,12% respectively) seem to be more careful
on the Internet.
It is
surprising, as shown in figure 9, that although many (36,84%) students of the 6th
year of primary school and many (50,00%) students of the 5th year of
primary school answered to this question wrongly, only 21,05% of students of
the 4th year of primary school (78,94%) answered to this question
correctly.
Figure
10 shows the results for the question “What you must avoid to publish on the
Internet”. Only 18,75% of the students of the 6th year of primary
school answered wrongly to this question. However the percentages of students
of the 5th year of primary school and the students of the 4th
year of primary school who answered wrongly to this question are 65,21% and
36,84% respectively.
Citations
Sonck, N., Livingstone, S., Kuiper, E., & de Haan, J. (2011). Digital Literacy and Safety Skills. Found at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/Home.aspx ISSN: 2045-256X.