The Internet Is More Fun Than Maths And English According To 77% Of British Schoolchildren

More than three quarters of schoolchildren find learning about the Internet and technology more fun than maths and English. According to research released today, nearly half of all 10 to 16 year olds believe that their school should spend more money on computers than teachers and books. Over half believe they learn more from the Internet than books. The research was conducted by MORI on behalf of Compaq and surveyed over 400 children between the ages of 10 and 16.

Although technology has lost its anorak image, boys are still embracing the Internet at a faster rate than girls; over 2 million boys compared to nearly 1.8 million girls agree that the Internet is more fun than maths and English. The research also found that more than one in three schoolchildren believes that Lara Croft, the games icon, would make a better technology teacher than their current technology teacher, with 41 per cent of boys and 29 per cent of girls agreeing.

Rod Curry, director, government, education and medical, Compaq comments, "In years to come, information skills are likely to be as crucial for schoolchildren as numeracy and literacy skills. This research has demonstrated that children as young as ten are already enthralled by the Internet, with over two thirds of all 10-11 year olds acknowledging that technology will play an important role in their careers."

Teachers Baffled By Technology Teachers may now be able to manage the PCs in their school, but they are still baffled by the Internet. While most teachers know how to use a computer, over 70 per cent of 10-16 year olds believe their teachers still need help with new technology, such as the Internet.

Rod Curry adds, "Today's schoolchildren have made their views clear; new technology is a major factor in their education. This research demonstrates the needs for IT vendors not only to make hardware simple to use, but also to ensure easy management of new technologies. This will enable teachers to concentrate on the education of their pupils and not the day to day running of their IT systems."

Death of Television Over 40 per cent of school children believe that they learn more about the Internet and technology at home than at school, with over three quarters stating that they know more about the Internet than their parents. The research also found that over 75 per cent of children in the 10-16 age range find playing on the Internet more fun than watching television, which would equate to nearly 4 million children.

Curry adds, "This poses an interesting dilemma for parents, many of whom are keen to encourage their children to use the Internet as a learning tool but are concerned about the risks posed by areas such as Internet addiction or pornography. Compaq recently signed an agreement with Sentinel Products Ltd, whose products can help prevent children accessing unsuitable material over the Internet."

Additional Research Findings

• 90 per cent of children think it would be cool to use the Internet in school breaks and after school
• Nearly two thirds feel they know more about gadgets and technology than their teachers, with over 75 per cent in the 14-16 age bracket agreeing
• More than a quarter said that their teachers still can't set the school video
• Only 7 per cent believe that people who are into technology are geeks
• Over 15 per cent believe their school has the oldest computer in the country
• Little significant "North-South divide" arose in this research - 82 per cent of children in North, compared to 75 per cent in the Midlands and 73 per cent in the South agree that learning about the Internet is more fun than maths and English

Technical details

The research, commissioned by Compaq, was designed and analysed by MORI. In December 1999, telephone interviews with 404 children, between the ages of 10 and 16 were conducted by specialist agency, Carrick James Market Research.