Kiwi Kids Online: An exploration of the contexts, challenges and competencies of pre-teenage children on the internet

Abstract

This thesis examines the online practices of New Zealand pre-teenage children (aged 9-12) in order to discover how they use the internet, what challenges they encounter there, how they respond to these challenges and what this means for schools. The importance of this research is outlined, including the fact that little New Zealand-based data exists for this age group. Existing research is either out-of-date, originates overseas or examines high school-aged young people. Five primary and intermediate schools from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand were included in this qualitative exploratory research, involving a pilot study and a main study. Single sex age-specific focus groups were conducted with participants (n=39) to generate data. The interview transcripts were then analysed for emerging themes and conceptual categories. Data indicates that New Zealand children may be among the youngest first time users of the internet in the world, necessitating an early start to digital citizenship education. The research found a generally good level of awareness of online risks and challenges, but a limited repertoire of responses. Most accounts of low selfefficacy online related to a loss of control - of data, personal information, device, navigation online and their identity. The most commonly reported type of risk was exposure to viruses and hacking, especially by pop-up ads. It is suggested that these risks be called 'control risks', as they introduce an unpredictability to children's internet experiences which creates a loss of control and a sense of powerlessness. Children from the lowest decile level (socioeconomic level) school appeared to have the highest levels of contact risk, the highest level of underage Facebook use, more accounts of cyberbullying and more 'friend requests' from strangers. It is suggested that this socioeconomic distinction shows a possible digital divide developing based not on access to hardware and connectivity, but on levels of mediation and risk. Year 7 and 8 participants expressed anxiety about the online risks that they anticipated encountering at high school, and had a sense of inevitability about being cyberbullied, possibly due to the media emphasis it receives. It is suggested that schools base digital citizenship education on a combination of technical skill and Key Competency development in order to strengthen children's self-efficacy in the face of the online challenges of both today and tomorrow.