Rita Hvistendahl and Astrid Roe Reading habits and ICT use among language minority students Based on PISA data from 2000 and 2006 Rita Hvistendahl and Astrid Roe Department of teacher education and school development, University of Oslo

Research questions How are the reading habits and attitudes towards reading among language minority boys and girls compared to majority students? For what activities and how frequently do boys and girls from language minorities use computers? How do the students assess their own ICT skills? Is there a connection between ICT use and PISA scores for scholastic achievement? Has there been a development over time with regard to ICT use, reading scores and reading habits?

Language minority students in PISA Students with both parents born abroad Students born in the country Students born abroad

Number of students in the different groups PISA 2000 Majority =3870 Minority born in Norway N=74 Minority born abroad N=143 PISA 2006 Majority N=4279 Minority born in Norway N=140 Minority born in Norway N 142

Results 2006 OECD-average = 500 points (average std. deviation =100) Reading Math Science Majority 491 (100) 495 (80) 493 (93) Minority born in Norway 456 (98) 448 (93) 437 (95) Minority born abroad 427 (120) 439 (98) 434 (108)

Results in 2000 and 2006 2000 2006

Scholastic achievement The mean scores for the language minority students are lower than those of other pupils in all three areas. In 2000 the gender differences among minority students were low. For majority students however, there were large differences in the reading scores. This changed in 2006. Minority girls have significantly higher reading scores than do boys due to improved performance among the girls and a decline for the boys. The higher percentage of poor readers among minority boys is a serious challenge for Norwegian schools.

Percentage of students who NEVER read for pleasure 2000 og 2006

Changes in the percentage of students who read at least once a week -10 10 20 30 40 Newspapers E-mail and Internet Other books Fiction Cartoons Magazines Prosent Min.girls Maj.girls Min.boys Maj.boys

Reading habits The frequency of reading activities has increased, in particular with digital texts. Gender differences in reading habits have increased among minority students, and are approaching those of majority students.

Students’ daily use of ICT in 2000 and 2006

Norwegian students’ use of ICT compared to the OECD-average

Students’ use of ICT in 2000 and 2006 The percentage of students who use computers on a daily basis has increased among all groups from 2000 to 2006, in particular for minority girls. Gender differences in use have evened out – but boys still play more computer games than girls. Internet use has increased among all students, and computer use at home is higher than at school. Norwegian students score above the OECD average, but with high variance between genders and student groups.

Norwegian students’ self-confidence in their use of ICT compared to the OECD-average

Correlation between ICT use and scolastic achievement Math. maj. Math. min. Read. maj. Read. min. Sc. maj. Sc.min. Selfconf. advanc. ICT . 0,00 0,08 - 0,06 0,03 0,02 0,10 Selvf Internet 0,14 0,22 0,23 0,12 Use of comp.games or Internet 0,07 Use of software 0,17 0,11 Correlation between “Selfconfidence Internet” and scolastic achievement between girls and boys Maj.girls Min.girls Maj.boys Min.boys Math 0,06 0,19 0,26 Reading 0,07 0,09 0,21 0,29 Science 0,04 0,13

Implications for Norwegian schools The development from 2000 to 2006 shows that language minority students are becoming more “alike” the majority students. On the positive side reading frequency has increased. On the negative gender differences in the boys’ disfavour have increased. It is disturbing that the minority boys’ reading scores have declined from 2000 to 2006, and that it is those with the lowest scores who find Internet use difficult. Digital competence requires advanced reading skills – and this is a serious challenge for Norwegian schools.

Literature Hvistendahl, R. og Roe, A. 2009. Leseprestasjoner, lesevaner og holdninger til lesing blant elever fra språklige minoriteter. Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift 4/2009, s 250-263. Roe, A. og Hvistendahl, R. 2009. Bruk av IKT blant elever fra språklige minoriteter. Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift 5/2009, s 368-385. Hvistendahl, Rita and Astrid Roe, 2004. The Literacy Achievement of Norwegian Minority Students. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research Vol. 48 Issue 3/2004, pp 307-324. Roe, Astrid and Rita Hvistendahl, 2006. Nordic Minority Students Literacy Achievement and Home Background. I: Nordic Lights on PISA 2003 – a reflection from the Nordic Countries. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers 2006, s 113-128.