ERIC Number: EJ827009
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1940-4476
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Developing the Internet-Savviness (IS) Scale: Investigating the Relationships between Internet Use and Academically Talented Middle School Youth
Geyer, Roger W.
RMLE Online: Research in Middle Level Education, v32 n5 p1-20 2009
This study investigated the development and validation of a 32-item scale that measures "Internet-Savviness" (IS). Relationships between this multidimensional construct and other primary variables of interest including age, gender, Internet access, Internet location, and Internet activities were explored. The sample population consisted of 241 academically talented middle school youth ages 8-14 years old. The IS scale showed satisfactory levels of reliability. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a clear, underlying structure of the following dimensions: (a) computer mediated communication, (b) creative expression, (c) information gathering, (d) Internet fluency, (e) Internet self-efficacy, and (f) social collaboration. Internet-savvy scores corresponded to self-reports of "Beginner", "Intermediate", and "Advanced" Internet users. Thirty-three percent of youth rated themselves as "Advanced" users, which aligns with previous research on Internet-savvy adolescents. Although females and males differed in Internet activities and young females scored below males on Internet-savviness, they caught up by age 12. Overall, there were no statistical differences on dimension or total IS scores for participants in this study. Doing something creative, access at home, exchanging images, access speed, age, and access at a friend's house were statistically significant predictors of IS scores. (Contains 6 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Computer Mediated Communication, Creative Activities, Self Efficacy, Measures (Individuals), Factor Analysis, Internet, Computer Literacy, Information Literacy, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Access to Computers, Test Construction, Middle School Students, Early Adolescents, Preadolescents, Test Reliability, Self Expression, Interpersonal Communication, Academic Achievement, Intelligence
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A