The Hidden Formula of Youth Digital Media Engagement. Tips

The slate of recent reports on youth technology engagement do not explicitly address the construct of "perceived competence," the third main affective state associated with intrinsically-motivated behavior in Edward Deci and Richard Ryan's broader psychological research. In the Spring of 2008, a team of researchers at Syracuse University's Center for Digital Literacy set out to better understand the role of emotional affect in children's technology uses and their digital literacy, applying the self-determination theory of Deci and Ryan in the context of information and digital skills. In the study, researchers developed a set of survey instruments to measure U.S. 8th-graders perceived competence in information and digital skills, applying published instruments resultant from Deci and Ryan's motivational research in the information and technical domains. This article presents the research which provides insight on middle school students' casual technology use and learning. The research finding of a positive correlation between perceived competence, and technology use and knowledge, suggests that by supporting the confidence of young learners in their technology engagement, one can make a real impact upon their frequency of technology uses, their technology knowledge, and the range of informal learning outcomes. Based on the results, the author offers tips and recommendations for educators and library specialists.