National School Boards Foundation
With generous support from Children's Television Workshop and Microsoft Corporation

Executive Summary
     Key Findings: The Benefits of the Internet
     Implications for School Leaders
     Guidelines for School Leaders and Parents
About the Survey
Key Findings
About the Project Partners
To Learn More

Executive Summary

The Internet poses a singular challenge for public school leaders and parents. Many public opinion surveys confirm that Americans expect school leaders to focus on two top priorities: keeping children safe and increasing student achievement. At a time when Internet usage among children and adults is rising dramatically, however, these priorities sometimes may seem contradictory. Is it possible for schools to protect students from inappropriate content without denying them access to engaging and valuable educational content? Can adults craft approaches that strike a balance between safe and smart Internet usage by children? These questions are at the crux of the dilemma we face with increasing frequency and urgency.

Until now, this dilemma has been complicated by a dearth of credible information. There was a lack of good data about where children access the Internet, what they do once they're connected, what kinds of sites they visit, and how much adult supervision and guidance they receive, among many other basic issues. Nor did we know much about parents' perceptions of and expectations for their children's Internet usage. Without sound research, there is a tendency to react to the headlines and hype of the moment – and that tack may not result in wise school policymaking and parental oversight.

Against this backdrop, the National School Boards Foundation worked with Grunwald Associates, a leading market research and consulting firm specializing in technology, to develop an unprecedented national survey of parents and children. The Dieringer Research Group conducted the survey and tabulated the data. With generous support from the Children's Television Workshop and Microsoft Corporation, we surveyed a significantly large random sample of 1,735 households nationwide to learn about children's Internet usage. In telephone interviews, we asked parents of children aged two to 17 a number of questions about the role the Internet plays in their children's lives. We also asked children themselves, aged nine to 17, from the same households, for a reality check on the role of the Internet their own lives.

Key Findings: The Benefits of the Internet

The bottom line: Most parents and children alike seem to view the Internet as a positive new force in children's lives. Despite recent negative headlines about online isolation, violence, pornography, predators and commercialism, parents and children generally are upbeat and favorable about their own Internet experiences. Parents, in fact, are more positive on this issue than children. They believe the Internet is a powerful tool for learning and communicating within families. And, as parents' answers suggest, the Internet can be an equally powerful tool for schools that want to increase public engagement and family involvement–and to help bridge the digital divide between students who have computers and Internet access at home and those who do not.

In almost half (49 percent) of households surveyed, at least one child uses the Internet. By the time they are teenagers, nearly three out of four children are online. Teenagers who use the Internet are more likely to log on at school. Younger children who are online are more likely to log on at home than at school–underscoring the importance of working with families of younger children to encourage and help guide their Internet use in their own lives.

Parents and children told us:

1. The main reason families buy computers and connect their children to the Internet at home is for education. The most common reason parents cite for buying home computers is children's education. Education is also the single-most common motivation parents cite for their children to use the Internet from home. Moreover, education-related use of the Internet goes beyond learning activities for required schoolwork. Children also go online for learning activities that are not connected directly with school. Many parents whose young children use the Internet at school believe the Internet has improved their child's attitude toward school.

2. The Internet does not disrupt children's everyday habits and typical, healthy activities. In fact, once they start using the Internet, many children spend less time watching television; increased time reading newspapers, magazines and books; increased time playing outdoors; and increased time doing arts and crafts. The findings present a picture of American children whose involvement in a variety of activities continues and even increases–even as their Internet usage is rising.

3. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the Internet does not appear to isolate children from their families, peers or communities. Instead, the Internet is a powerful communication tool that connects children (and parents) to others–and could bolster the home-school connection. Children (and parents) use e-mail, chat rooms and instant messaging, for example, to connect with other people, not avoid them. Parents, including low-income parents, would like to be able to communicate with their children's teachers as well–and that would be a powerful way for schools to increase parental involvement.

4. Girls use the Internet as much as boys, but in different ways. In fact, the Internet may be one of the few public places where girls are equally as involved as boys. The findings indicate that girls are comfortable and competent on the Internet. Girls use the Internet for education, schoolwork, e-mail and chat rooms. Boys are likely to use the Internet for entertainment and games. Overall, there is no statistical difference in the proportion of girls and boys who use the Internet. Clearly, this encouraging news debunks any remaining stereotypes about technology-phobic girls when it comes to the Internet.

5. Schools have the opportunity to help narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots. Already, schools are providing significant Internet access for students who otherwise would have none. In addition, low-income families have a strong belief in the Internet as a vehicle for their children's advancement. Internet use seems to have a strong effect on the school attitudes of low-income children, children from large families and children in single-parent households. In addition, there are no differences between children of various ethnic groups.

6. Parents trust their children's use of the Internet; however, they do have some concerns. Despite these concerns–and some gaps between parents' and children's perspectives of Internet use–parents generally believe that the Internet is a safe place for their children. Most parents use a common-sense, balanced approach to overseeing their children's use of the Internet. They monitor the sites their children visit, limit the time their children spend online and set usage rules similar to those they set for television viewing. There are gaps between parents' and children's perceptions about the amount of time children spend online, the amount of supervision children get and their respective attitudes about Internet use. But even with these gaps, parents–and their children–believe that parents have a good deal of awareness about their children's Internet use at home. Overall, parents generally are satisfied with their children's Internet use–and they seem to trust their children to explore. Indeed, many parents want their children to have access to the Internet.

Implications for School Leaders

In light of these findings, school leaders must consider the major roles that parents, families and even peers play in children's use of the Internet. To be most effective, policies and practices need to be developed in collaboration with parents.

In addition, these findings should prompt school leaders to consider their own use of the Internet. This survey offers valuable insights on how schools could use the Internet to achieve educational goals. For example, schools readily acknowledge–and research overwhelmingly confirms–that parental involvement is an essential ingredient to student achievement. The Internet is a compelling vehicle for communicating with parents about school activities, classroom learning and individual student progress, yet few schools are taking full advantage of this unlimited potential. Majorities of parents say they would like to communicate with teachers and school board members–and view student work–on the Internet, but many parents also say they are not sure if their children's school even has a Web site.

Technology and the Internet pose complex challenges for school leaders; these challenges should not be underestimated. While the Internet presents new issues to sort through and new ground to tread, it surely is here to stay. Now is the time to explore the Internet's potential for meeting the educational needs of diverse groups of students and involving their parents in student achievement. And schools that take command of the Internet as a tool to accomplish overriding goals, such as improving student achievement and galvanizing parental support, will benefit in the long run.

Many schools and school districts are beginning to launch their own lively, interactive Web sites. Too often, though, there is a "build it and parents will come" approach to these online resource areas. Building, maintaining and enriching a Web site is not a small and inexpensive task, nor can it be relegated to one person's spare time. It simply is not enough to offer a static Web site. Parents seem to be looking for two-way communication and real engagement with their children's schools and teachers; a forum for broader community discussions; and a vehicle for communicating with school administrators, staff and board members.

Moreover, the survey suggests that schools can play a major role in helping to bridge the digital divide. Students from low-income families especially rely on schools for Internet access because they generally do not have this access at home. School leaders may want to assess how well they are meeting the technological needs of these students–and, perhaps, of their parents as well.

In short, this survey compels school leaders not only to find ways to keep students safe and smart on the Internet, but also to think creatively about using the Internet to achieve classroom, school and district goals. The guidelines that follow suggest ideas for starting that process.

Guidelines for School Leaders and Parents

• Take a balanced approach to policies and practices for children's use of the Internet. Initiate conversations with teachers, administrators and parents, rather than setting and implementing rules that may be perceived as too rigid. Make sure all stakeholders have a chance to contribute to the decisionmaking process.

• Pay as much attention to highlighting good content as to restricting bad content. Remember that overzealous watchdog policies may inhibit Internet opportunities for students whose only access to the Internet is through school. Follow the example of the many parents who take a balanced approach to the Internet. Both at home and at school, set rules and limits on Internet use, but also guide children to good content. Avoid gender stereotypes, especially since girls and boys–in equal percentages–are making use of the Internet.

• Develop a plan to help schools, teachers and parents educate children about safe, responsible uses of the Internet. For example, encourage schools and families to place computers in rooms that are shared (such as family rooms, dining rooms, offices or libraries), where children can use the Internet with others around them. And teach children never to share personal information (name, address, telephone or credit card number) online.

• Foster appropriate use of the Internet among preschoolers and other young children. Exposure to the Internet can help preschoolers and children in the early elementary grades master literacy and other cognitive skills and also can spur integration of these skills early in their development. Parents and school leaders who look for online opportunities for younger children can be guides to engaging, age-appropriate content. The Internet can reinforce everyday learning opportunities and be a powerful tool for fostering interaction among adults and young children.

• Help teachers, parents and children use the Internet more effectively for learning. For example, suggest education-related Web sites for parents and children to visit together–and give them learning activities to do once they get there. Offer education-related help for students online, like after-school tutoring. Provide teachers with professional development opportunities to help them model effective use of the Internet as a tool for students' learning, including integrating Internet learning with regular classroom learning. If teacher training takes place outside of regular school hours, offer teachers incentives to participate when possible. If teacher training pulls teachers out of classrooms, let parents know why it is important to support this professional development.

• Use the Internet to communicate more effectively with parents and students. For example, launch school district or school Web sites or publicize existing Web sites in newsletters and places where parents are likely to be. Update Web sites frequently with relevant, timely information. Post exemplary student work online, with teacher commentary explaining why this work meets academic standards. Make Web sites interactive by soliciting comments or holding public forums about education issues online. Encourage teachers, parents and students to communicate with e-mail.

• Engage the community. Consider holding computer and Internet training classes for parents or hosting convenient opportunities for parents, community leaders, librarians, teachers and others to talk together about children's use of the Internet. Schools may want to collaborate with libraries, community computing centers, local colleges and universities, and other places that offer alternative access to computers.

Next: About the Survey

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