This document summarizes a study on trends in technology usage among Austrian secondary school students from 2007 to 2018. It finds that ownership of devices like smartphones has increased dramatically in that time period. It also examines computer science education in Austrian schools, finding that current instruction is limited and focuses more on basic skills rather than coding. The researchers conclude that schools which integrate coding and promote IT usage see stronger IT competencies in students compared to those without such practices and infrastructure.

1. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
Should You Go for
Smartphones at School?
Martin Ebner
Walther Nagler
Maria Grandl
Maria Haas
Martin Schön

2. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
General Research Questions:
Which trends can be seen towards:
• Ownership of technological devices
• Communication behavior
• Usage of e-learning platforms (secondary school level)
• Usage of online applications for learning
and private purposes

3. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
Study over 11 years (n=8667):
Term 2007/2008 n=578
Term 2008/2009 n=821
Term 2009/2010 n=757
Term 2010/2011 n=702
Term 2011/2012 n=632
Term 2012/2013 n=715
Term 2013/2014 n=789
Term 2014/2015 n=968
Term 2015/2016 n=889
Term 2016/2017 n=944
Term 2017/2018 n=872

4. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/

5. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/

6. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/

7. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/

8. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/

9. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/

10. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
Special Focus On:
IT-Competences
at Secondary
School Level
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/

11. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
Does an “IT-friendly” environment and computer
science lessons at secondary school level:
• promotes IT and coding skills?
• has effects on the use of social media
applications?
Should computer science lessons at secondary
school level be expanded?
How the Use of Modern Media in Class
Influences IT-Competences
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/

12. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
In Austria all computer science lessons are
obligatory covered by 2 hours per week at the
9th grade only
Students describing lessons learned
• boring
• too short
• touch typing
• Microsoft
Status quo in Austria
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/

13. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/

14. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/

15. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/

16. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
https://pixabay.com/de/dart-dartscheibe-bull-s-eye-spiel-102919/
Discussion and Conclusion
• statistical connection between IT-promoting
activities at schools and later IT skills is given
• no connection between a proper computer science
education and an increase of social media usage
Schools that are principally open minded towards the
usage of IT and smartphones, that provide a good
infrastructure, and that especially have coding skills
integrated in their lessons, constantly help raising
and strengthening IT competence of their students.

17. https://pixabay.com/de/eule-vogel-federn-uhu-tiere-3340957/
Graz University of Technology
Martin Ebner
martin.ebner@tugraz.at
http://elearningblog.tugraz.at
http://elearning.tugraz.at
Educational Technology