The mobile net generation: beyond digital apartheid

1. The mobile net generation: beyond digital apartheid Laura Czerniewicz & Cheryl Brown

2. Our project A research project on ICT access and use for teaching and learning in SA higher education Two surveys of 10 110 students in total 2004 - 6 universities in Western Cape 2007 - 6 universities across South Africa mixed-method approach quantitative analysis of 58 question survey qualitative analysis of the questionnaire’s open-ended questions Student interviews (f2f and phone)

3. … our project 2008 survey of 4226 users of LMS at UCT Abbreviated 2009 survey of 466 students at 4 diverse universities, followed by 80 phone interviews Drawing on a range of studies spread over time and space not longitudinal or directly comparable however they do all focus on the South African university student and as such are describing and interpreting the experiences of a specific group

4. South African context ITU/World Bank 2005

5. Age Goldstuck 2008

6. Issues to consider The number of Internet users is higher than the availability of personal computers on-campus, community and work facilities are critical Internet costs are an issue for academics and students alike. South Africa has the most expensive bandwidth in Africa and one of the most expensive in the world. Bandwidth limits to what it is possible and easy to do in teaching and learning environment Unequal access to bandwidth

7. South African Higher Education context Substantial restructuring of the Higher Education sector since apartheid ended in 1994 full-scale institutional mergers and restructuring has taken place since 2005 student enrolments have increased by 30% since 1994 increased student diversity with 22% more black students entering the sector since 1995 No national educational technology policy Resource constraints (esp ICTs) and competing demands

8. Clarifying terms Millenials Born roughly between 1982 and 1994 Strauss and Howe The Net Generation People of a particular age (varies) With digital skills Tapscott Digital Natives Young people brought up in a digital age Prensky

9. Millennials as students South African universities are dominated by the millennials 54 % of students are under 22 years old

10. ICT experience of millennials

11. The“digital native” Based on the Prensky’s notion of digital native as being A person from the millennial generation A person who has grown up with digital technology One who comes to university familiar with computers; Is purported to learn to use computers informally - either teaching themselves or through social networks such as family and friends - rather than needing to be taught.

12. Defining the “digital native” in our data Grown up using computers > 10 yrs experience Learnt to use a computer by teaching themselves or through social networks ie family and friends Able to solve ICT problems themselves or by drawing on supportive social networks This applies only to a small percentage of our students: 15%

13. Age characteristics of “digital natives” They are not all young. There is a small group of students who exhibit these characteristics and are older 375 individuals (11%) of the sample are younger than 22 157 individuals (4%) are older than 25

14. Who the digital natives are Even gender mix From high to average socio economic groups Mostly speak English or Afrikaans speaking (74%) Have excellent off-campus access at home often multiple forms of off-campus access (inlc .portable) high practical access

15. Who the digital natives are Are confident of their own abilities 81% rate their ICTs skills as good or excellent Have high social use of ICTs Are usually doing courses in science, engineering or health sciences Amongst the older group of comprise more International and African students than South African

16. Continuum

17. In contrast – the “digital stranger” At the same time, a significant group of student (22%) lack both experience and access Such polarisation indicates that the “the digital natives and the “digital stranger” are on opposite sides of a worsening digital divide.

18. Who the “digital strangers” are More women than men Largely South African (95%) with 80% speaking an African language as a home language. 90% have no access to ICTs off campus Those with off-campus access have very low practical access Low self confidence

19. Who the “digital strangers” are Mostly doing business degrees Very low social use of ICTs Mostly learn in formal structured ways Learnt to use ICTs through community training course ss The dominant way of acquiring ICT knowledge is through university training courses; rely strongly on University support staff for help with ICTs problems

20. However… The data also showed a small, specific cluster of students from low SEGs for whom access is hard difficult conditions on campus poor practical access (share off campus computer with > 4 ple) off - campus access difficult or very difficult who use their cell phones for academic purposes

21. Cell phones and our students Ownership is ubiquitous Ownership is not socially differentiated Even students from low SEGs use phones as a means of internet access Use of Internet by cell phone (544 students) compared by SEG

22. Another case A survey of low-income black South African youth at an urban township (Kreutzer 2009) The majority (83%) of the poor young urban South Africans access the Internet via their phone on a typical day About half of all an individual’s expenses spent on cell phones Sample of youth, average age of 17 years

23. Should we be surprised? No, because….. South Africa has the third largest mobile internet using population in the world South Africa ranks 6th in the global Top 10 for mobile internet usage, ahead of both the US (7th) and the UK (9th) Mobile internet in South Africa is among the least expensive in the entire world; traditional desktop access is still among the most expensive

24. What about mobiles and studying? % of cell phone time spent for academic purposes

25. Cell phones and learning How students use cell phones for learning I use my phone…, especially for accounting, because he's [the lecturer] very fast. He explains so fast. So I just record sometimes when I feel that I'm tired.. my brain cannot concentrate anymore.. I just record. And then I'll come and listen later. You can communicate with fellow students and get instant help with projects and assignments. You can access it [the LMS] anywhere (even from your cell phone). You can use your phone via google. Maybe I don't have time for a computer. Or maybe it's late, and the assignment must be submitted. Then I use my phone

26. Cell phones and “digital natives” Students who are active users of the LMS at one institution reported 72% using their cell phones for academic only or academic and personal use 6.8 percent (290 students) access the LMS on their cell phones/PDAs/mobile devices They said They want better access to LMS via their cell phone, They would make more use of the LMS if they could access it (at all and/or easier) from their cell phones

27. Cell phones and “digital strangers” Cluster from 2009 survey A group of 159 students who are failing computer literacy assessment s have fewer than 4 years experience using ICTs low reported use of computer-based technologies 58% never or hardly every use email 71% never or hardly ever use the internet for social purposes Poor access to computers 52% no access to computers off campus 32% access through a public facility or through a third party

28. Yet All of this cluster have cell phones 72% report using texting (sms) often 34% report using chat often (Mxit) Over a third (38%) use their cell phones as their only form of computer off campus Half of theseare using their cell phone to access the internet (n=54)

29. Redefining the “digital” and the “native” Digital presently implies Computers (a specific object) Fixed Have or have-not On/ off Native implies Non-native (stranger) Better (digital digerati) Concepts out of date, excluding & inaccurate?

30. Thinking differently Digital - beyond computers Digital artefacts are being “reconfigured” Unexpected /unintended uses Access is increasingly being determined by connectivity not by location Learning is being reconstituted as students use cell phones for access and use in unanticipated ways

31. Thinking differently Reclaiming the digitizen All students live in a digitally mediated world All students have a digital “identity” and set of practices All students are digital citizens Acknowledge the full spectrum of digital capabilities All have a set of capabilities in varied configurations New technological habitus

32. Conclusion South Africa still grappling with social exclusion Link between social and digital exclusion Small minority of digital natives Until now educators faced with a “dilemma of justice” simultaneously supporting students’ participation in new global practices without further marginalising previously disadvantaged Mobiles offer an unprecedented opportunity

33. Conclusion Design for increased diversity and new practices Design for multiple devices and practices Mobile not secondary device Leverage the affordances of mobility Leverage contemporary literacies, and emergent cell phone-mediated practices in ways which strengthen teaching and learning