Are Heavy Users of Computer Games and Social Media More Computer Literate?

Autor/in	Appel, Markus
Titel	Are Heavy Users of Computer Games and Social Media More Computer Literate?
Quelle	In: Computers & Education, 59 (2012) 4, S.1339-1349 (11 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0360-1315
DOI	10.1016/j.compedu.2012.06.004
Schlagwörter	Computer Literacy; Adolescents; Media Literacy; Internet; Computer Games; Fantasy; Incidental Learning; Leisure Time; Computer Uses in Education; Social Networks; Educational Technology; Correlation; Scores; Knowledge Level; Anxiety; Gender Differences + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Computerkenntnisse; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Media skills; Medie competence; Medienkompetenz; Computer game; Computerspiel; Computerspiele; Fantasie; Inzidentelles Lernen; Freizeit; Computernutzung; Social network; Soziales Netzwerk; Unterrichtsmedien; Korrelation; Wissensbasis; Angst; Geschlechterkonflikt
Abstract	Adolescents spend a substantial part of their leisure time with playing games and using social media such as Facebook. The present paper examines the link between adolescents' computer and Internet activities and computer literacy (defined as the ability to work with a computer efficiently). A cross-sectional study with N = 200 adolescents, aged 17 on average, was conducted. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that an increase in time spent playing games on a PC/Mac was related to higher scores on practical and theoretical computer knowledge. Moreover, practical computer knowledge was higher for adolescents who liked playing shooters, fantasy games, or Facebook-games. Frequency of social media use was associated with higher scores in practical computer knowledge. A bootstrap analysis indicated that this relationship was mediated by a decrease in computer anxiety, not by more positive attitudes toward the computer. Gender yielded substantial main effects on the media literacy variables but the associations between the computer and Internet activities and the literacy aspects were similar for boys and girls. This study is expected to encourage future longitudinal research on adolescents' incidental learning during leisure time computer and Internet activities. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10