Understanding Pre-Teen Tech Use
Understanding student technology use goes a long way in helping schools and districts find the best ways to engage students in learning. To give you some insight into pre-teens' tech use, Pearson spoke with Canadian students in Grade 7 and 8 to learn which technology devices they use most.
Both at home and at school mobile phones are the number one device used by all students.
36% of girls use a mobile phone most at school.
69% of boys use a mobile phone most at school.
Even when you break it down by gender, mobile phones are still the top device used by boys and girls both at home and at school.
of grade 7
girls
use a
mobile
phone
most
at school
of grade 8
girls
use a
mobile
phone
most
at school
It's a tie!
In grade 8, the
same 38%
said they use
smart boards
most at school
For girls, the top technology used at school changes only slightly when broken down by grade level. Mobile phones still topped the list but were tied with smart boards when it came to the top devices used by girls in grade 8.
of grade 7
boys
use a
mobile
phone
most
at school
of grade 8
boys
use a
mobile
phone
most
at school
For boys, whether they're in grade 7 or 8, mobile phones were still the number one device they use at school. But almost twice as many grade 8 boys (100%) report they use mobile phones most often at school.
Implications for educators
You have so many factors to weigh when deciding which technology and content will work best for your students. But it's helpful for education leaders to know which technologies are readily available and most familiar to students when it comes time to assign digital homework, choose digital content, provide extra help for struggling students and engage students in everything from personalized learning to STEM activities. We hope you can use this information to support student learning at your school.
Source: Pearson Canada independent research