Children's Internet Use, Self-Reported Life Satisfaction, and Parental Mediation in Europe: An Analysis of the EU Kids Online Dataset

Adolescents' digital career aspirations: Evidence for gendered pathways in a digital future

INTRODUCTION

Computers and technology are still perceived as a male domain. As a result of this "digital gender gap" boys aspire careers in the information and communication technology (ICT) branches much more than girls. Guided by the situated expectancy-value theory of motivated behavioral choices, the present study aims to shed light on the predictors of digital career aspirations.

METHODS

Self-report questionnaires were completed by 1018 Austrian adolescents (52.3% girls; 72% non-immigrants; Mage = 13.55, SDage = 0.88) attending 61 Grade 7 and 8 classes located in 17 vocational secondary schools between April and June 2019. Individual and class-level predictors of digital career aspirations were investigated with multilevel modeling.

RESULTS

Hierarchical linear models revealed that boys, younger adolescents, and second-generation immigrant adolescents had higher levels of digital career aspirations compared to girls, older adolescents, and non-immigrants. Hours spend with the laptop per day, digital self-efficacy and media appraisal positively predicted digital career aspirations on the individual level, while a higher number of immigrants in the classes and higher levels of teacher discussions about media were significant positive predictors on the class level. The model explained 17% of the individual level and 52% of the class level variance. Cross-level interactions were nonsignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

These results have major implications for educational practice. Most importantly, educational interventions should enhance girls' digital self-efficacy believes and media appraisal. Furthermore, teachers should increase their discussion about digital media as they foster adolescents' digital career aspirations and might prevent future gender segregation in the ICT sector.

The role of life satisfaction in the association between problematic technology use and anxiety in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

The main aim of this study is to explore problematic technology use among adolescents (Internet, video games, mobiles, and television) and its association with anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, we also analysed the possible moderating role of life satisfaction in this relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. A cross-sectional survey of 4025 children and adolescents (52% females and 48% males) between 12 and 18 years old was carried out to explore problematic technology use and its correlation with anxiety and life satisfaction after pandemic lockdown. Four multivariate regressions containing the independent variable (problematic technology use), the moderator (life satisfaction), and their interaction were entered to predict the outcome (anxiety). The moderated models were examined using SPSS PROCESS macro software (Model 1). Analyses showed significant positive correlations with anxiety and negative correlations with life satisfaction regarding problematic technology use (mobile phone, television, and internet). Both gender and age had a significant direct effect on anxiety (showing that women and older participants had the greatest anxiety). In the moderation analysis, when life satisfaction was higher, the presence of anxiety symptoms depended to a greater extent on the problematic use of technology. Our results confirm that problematic technology use is related to higher levels of anxiety in adolescents, with differences by age and gender. The results also showed that life satisfaction mediated the relationship between technology abuse and anxiety, such that when life satisfaction was higher, the presence of anxiety symptoms was more dependent on problematic technology use. These findings have implications for health and education professionals.

Analysing cross-cutting competencies learning in an online entrepreneurship context

Research in teaching innovation encourages leveraging the evolution of digital technologies from using the device to learning with the device, which means a change from using information and communicational technologies to learning and knowledge technologies. Nevertheless, although the feasibility of implementing active and interactive methodologies to improve education is widely recognised, more research is needed to obtain evidence on the subjects and contents with the most significant potential for success. In addition, the most recent literature claims greater attention to the improvement of transversal skills, as they are critical in the student's professional future. Thus, the main objective of this study is to contribute to the development of immersive learning aimed at improving the cross-cutting skills of university students. Developing a teaching activity where the student acts as an entrepreneur in electronic distribution channels faces the research question. The student-company-university collaboration is the basis for enhancing the transversal skills of the Degree in Marketing and Market Research at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). The student participates in each step of the program as an active agent. The teacher tutors the work teams in each process step, and the Palbin Company provides the necessary technical support. The students give the information to analyse the success of the experience through two surveys -pre and post-workshop, following the methodology used in previous literature. While the activity planning is complex, the students show an excellent mood during the experience. The comparison between expectations and performance offers significant success from the student's point of view. As a result, the student improves cross-cutting competencies and gains confidence, satisfaction with their learning at university, and professional experience.