1. 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

2. 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?

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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. Results in 2000 and 2006
2000
2006

7. 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 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.

8. Percentage of students who NEVER read for pleasure 2000 og 2006

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

10. 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.

11. Students’ daily use of ICT in 2000 and 2006

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

13. 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.

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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. Literature
Hvistendahl, R. og Roe, A Leseprestasjoner, lesevaner og holdninger til lesing blant elever fra språklige minoriteter. Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift 4/2009, s
Roe, A. og Hvistendahl, R Bruk av IKT blant elever fra språklige minoriteter. Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift 5/2009, s
Hvistendahl, Rita and Astrid Roe, The Literacy Achievement of Norwegian Minority Students. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research Vol. 48 Issue 3/2004, pp
Roe, Astrid and Rita Hvistendahl, 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