Computers and Internet Diffusion Among Elementary Shool Leavers in Slovenia Cover Image

Razširjenost računalnikov in interneta med osnovnošolskimi maturanti v Sloveniji
Computers and Internet Diffusion Among Elementary Shool Leavers in Slovenia

Author(s): Anton Kramberger, Eva Podovšovnik
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Slovensko sociološko društvo (in FDV)
Keywords: technology diffusion; s-curve; computers; internet; learning; knowledge; skills; concept map; youth; Slovenia

Summary/Abstract: The article introduces interdisciplinary concept of technology diffusion, based on economic or sociological tradition, emphasizing the importance of both economic and non-economic factors of the process of diffusion. The article is then focused on empirical analysis of the following dimensions of the process of computers and internet (C&I) diffusion among a selected generation of pupils in Slovenia (those who left elementary schools in 2003, two-stage random sample, n = 885 pupils): access to C&I, general attitudes towards C&I, early occupational motivations for learning with C&I, graphical presentations of concept maps on the theme »Computers in my world«, frequency of C&I usage in combination with advance level of the used C&I applications, self-evaluation of the achieved C&I knowledge. Findings reveal that access of the youth to the mentioned technologies is already almost complete, while the shares of their active inclusions in other dimensions of the C&I diffusion decrease quite rapidly. Initial phenomenographic anaysis of concept maps (concerning the number of diverse objects and the number of diverse links among them as well as their contents) also found that in comparison to British pupils of similar age the Slovenian pupils lack a more creative immagination of how to use this technology: namely, they have technical rather than social perception of it.

  • Issue Year: 20/2004
  • Issue No: 46-47
  • Page Range: 81-108
  • Page Count: 28
  • Language: Slovenian