NPR/Kaiser/Kennedy School Kids & Technology Survey

NPR/KAISER/KENNEDY SCHOOL
KIDS & TECHNOLOGY SURVEY

Read about the findings from this survey.

Read the results from the Adults survey.

As shown, some questions were asked only of subsets of respondents (e.g., people with access to home computers, or people without access to any computers). Unless otherwise indicated, the tables reflect percentages of the subset that was asked the question, not percentages of the overall population.

Some questions are similar to questions on the adult survey. Click on those questions to see the corresponding adult questions.

Responses marked with an asterisk (*) were volunteered.

Skip to a section:
General | Home Questions | School Questions | Access and Usage at School or at Home | Benefits and Cost

GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. Do you play video or computer games at home?

If yes...
2. How often do you play computer or video games at home?

Summary Table for 1/2

PLAY GAMES (NET)	82
Almost every day	42
About once a week	35
Less often than that	22
DON'T PLAY GAMES	18

3. Which would be most helpful for kids like you, if your school... (Items scrambled.)

Got more computers and Internet access?	48
Hired more teachers or aides?	16
Bought more books?	17
Fixed up the building and the schoolyard?	17
Don't know*	2

4. When it comes to computers, do you feel like you are keeping up or being left behind?

Keeping up	85
Being left behind	14
Don't know*	1

5. Please tell me whether or not you know what these words mean. (Items scrambled.)

	Yes	No
a. Software	89	11
b. Computer hardware	79	20
c. Surfing, I mean by computer, not on the sea	82	17
d. E-commerce	24	75
e. The World Wide Web	84	16
f. The Internet	97	3
g. E-mail	95	4
h. A chat room	88	12
i. Downloading	88	12
j. A website	95	5
k. Broad band	11	89

HOME QUESTIONS

6. Do you or your family have a computer at home or not?

Yes	78
No	22

Asked only if there is a computer at home.
7. How often do you use the computer?

Almost every day	57
About once a week	30
Less often than that	11
Never	2
Don't know*	*

Asked only if there is not a computer at home.
8. Do you think it is a problem for you not having a computer at home?

Asked only if respondent thinks it is a problem not having a computer at home.
9. Is it a big problem or a little problem?

Summary Table for 8/9

PROBLEM (NET)	42
Big problem	16
Little problem	25
NOT A PROBLEM	58

Asked only if there is a computer at home.
10. Do you use the Internet or e-mail on your computer at home?

Yes	73
No	27

Asked only if respondent uses a computer (i.e., if answer to Question 7 is not "never").
11. For which of the following purposes, if any, do you use a computer at home?

b. To do school work	88
f. To shop	17
g. To get news or information about current events	71
h. To get information about entertainment, sports, and hobbies	56
n. To send and receive e-mail	68
j. To talk in chat rooms or with friends	54
k. To play games	82
o. To get health or medical information	17

Asked only if respondent uses the computer to get health of medical information.
12. Do you use a computer at home to get the following types of health information, or not?

a. Information about diseases	65
b. Information about doctors, hospitals or how to find a clinic	22
c. Information about diet, exercise, or how to look your best	44
d. Information about sexual health issues such as HIV, AIDS, STDs, or birth control	28
e. Information about ways to prevent illnesses	51

Asked only if there is a computer at home.
13. Do either of your parents ever ask you for help with the computer, or not?

Yes	70
No	29

Asked only if there is a computer at home.
14. Do you ever ask your parents for help with the computer, or not?

Yes	55
No	45

Asked only if there is a computer at home.
15. Do you think having a computer has led you to watch more or less television than you would if you didn't have a computer, or hasn't it made much difference?

More	3
Less	45
Hasn't made much difference	52

Asked only if there is a computer at home.
16. Have you ever seen a pornographic website or not, even if you went there by accident?

Yes	31
No	67
Don't know*	2

SCHOOL QUESTIONS

17. Are there computers for students to use at your school?

Yes	96
No	4
Don't know*	1

Asked only if there are computers for students to use at school.
18. Is there a computer for students to use … ?

a. in a computer lab?	91
b. in any of your classrooms?	75
c. in the library?	89

Asked only if there are computers for students to use at school.
19. How often do you use the computer at school?

Almost every day	22
About once a week	36
Less often than that	31
Never	12

Asked only if there are computers for students to use at school
20. Do you have access to the Internet at school?

Yes	81
No	17
Don't know*	3

Asked only if respondent uses a computer at school (i.e., if answer to Question 19 is not "never").
21. Thinking about the computer you use at school, do you find it ... ?

Very helpful?	52
A little bit helpful?	43
Not at all helpful?	5

Asked only if there are computers for students to use at school.
22. Do you think most of your teachers know how to use the computer, or not?

Yes	87
No	12
Don't know*	1

23. Do you think your school has done a pretty good job or not a very good job teaching you about using computers?

Pretty good job	75
Not a very good job	24
Don't have computers*	<1
Don't know*	1

ACCESS AND USAGE AT SCHOOL OR AT HOME

Asked only if respondent has access to the Internet at home or at school.
24. How often do you use the Internet?

Almost every day	35
About once a week	34
Less often than that	24
Never	7

Asked only if respondent does not have a computer at home.
25. I'm going to read you a list of things some people have said might be problems for people who do not have computers at home. For each one, please tell me whether or not it is a problem for you.

Percent answering yes

a. You can't communicate as easily with friends and family as you could if you had a computer.	23
b. You can't get information as easily as you could with a computer.	57
c. You can't do your schoolwork as well as you could with a computer.	38
d. You can't buy things as easily as you could with a computer.	25

Asked only if respondent does not have a computer at home.
26. Do you feel left out because you don't have a computer at home, or not?

Yes, left out	37
No, not left out	63

Asked only if respondent does not have a computer at home.
27. If you had trouble figuring out how to do something on the computer, which of the following would you most likely do?

Look it up in a book	4
Use the help menu on the software you were trying to use	15
Call a telephone help line	3
Ask a friend, parent, or teacher for help	55
Just keep trying things until you got it	23

28. Do you, yourself, have a pager or beeper?

Yes	14
No	86

29. Do you, yourself, have a cellular phone?

Yes	8
No	92

30. How much do you trust information from the Internet?

Completely	6
Quite a lot	50
Just a little	40
Not at all	4
Don't know*	1

31. Which do you think you can count on more: computer e-mail or the U.S. mail? (Items rotated.)

Computer e-mail	49
U.S. mail	46
Don't know*	4

BENEFITS AND COSTS

32. Which way do you feel more often?

I like the way new technologies allow me to keep in touch.	87
I don't like the way new technologies let people get in touch with me all the time.	11
Don't know*	2

33. For each of the following technologies, please tell me if you think it is making life better or worse for Americans, or isn't it making much difference?

	Better	Worse	Isn't making much difference	Don't Know
a. Television	35	30	35	<1
b. Computers	91	2	6	<1
f. The Internet	80	7	12	1
g. Cellular phones	65	11	23	1

Asked only if respondent uses a computer (i.e., if answer to Questions 7 and 19 is not "never").
34. When it comes to computers, how annoyed are you about each of the following things? (Responses "a lot" and "not at all" were rotated.)

	A lot	A little	Not at all	Don't Know
a. How often computers crash or freeze	47	36	15	2
b Always having to upgrade software	27	45	26	2
c. How much computers, software, and services cost	34	42	22	2
d. Programs that are too hard to use	36	47	17	<1
e. There's not enough interesting stuff	17	43	40	<1
f. How long some things take to work	49	40	12	<1
g. Not finding the information you want	49	40	11	<1
h. Junk e-mail	53	23	20	3

35. I'm going to read you a list of things that some people have said are a problem with computers or the Internet. For each one, please tell me if you think it is a big problem, a little problem or not a problem. (Items scrambled.)

	A big problem	A little problem	Not a problem	Don't know*
ac. Violent games	39	35	25	<1
ae. Dangerous strangers making contact with kids	86	10	4	<1
ba. Pornography that kids can see	76	14	7	3
bd. Loss of privacy	60	26	13	1
be. Too much advertising	24	51	24	1

36. How worried are you that somebody might get personal information about you on the Internet?

Very worried	34
A little worried	45
Not at all worried	22
Don't know*	<1

37. Have you ever used the Internet to find information you were uncomfortable asking or talking with your parents or adults about, or not?

Yes	12
No	88

38. Thinking about the information you can find on the Internet, how useful is the information for kids your age?

Very useful	63
A little bit useful	33
Not at all useful	3

Asked only if computer is used at school or at home (i.e., if answer to Questions 7 and 19 is not "never").
39. In general, do you think you are more comfortable using computers than your parents are, less comfortable, or is there no difference?

More comfortable	40
Less comfortable	9
No difference	50
More comfortable than one parent, less than the other*	1

40. Do you think the use of computers has led kids to spend more time with their families and friends, spend less time, or hasn't it made much difference?

More	10
Less	39
Hasn't made much difference	50

41. Do you think the use of computers has led kids to spend more time outdoors, less time, or hasn't it made much difference?

More	4
Less	61
Hasn't made much difference	35

42. Do you know any kids who are addicted to video or computer games, or not?

Yes	63
No	37

43. How much would you say your parents know about the things you do and the sites you visit on the computer?

A lot	53
A little	32
Nothing	15
Don't know*	1

44. Do your parents have rules about what you can do on the computer, or not?

Yes	57
No	42

At the conclusion of the interview, the interviewer asked to speak with the childs' parent again. For the most part, the interviewer gathered demographic information from the parent. But the parent was first asked this question:

P1. Do you have rules about what your children can do on the computer, or not?

Yes	76
No	11
Don't have a computer*	12