Netnot

NETNOT is a study on how children and adolescents in Iceland use the Internet. Solveig Jakobsdottir, associate professor at Iceland University of Education (KHI) is conducting this study in collaboration with two other KHI staff members. In the study graduate students in a program on Information Technology in Education at KHI observe Internet use and interview study participants as well as practice qualitative data analysis.

Method
Four participants are chosen for the study (two girls and two boys) from homes or schools. Participants from schools are chosen randomly (e.g. from classes that the graduate students teach) and then invited to participate. Permits for the study are obtained from the participants, their parents/guardians and the principal of the school involved if the study is done at school. Participants from homes are mainly children of the graduate students or in some way connected with the graduate students.

The graduate students involved in the data gathering observe the children at the computer for about 10 - 15 minutes and then interview them. The observers stand or sit diagonally behind/at the side of the study participants and write down, as fast as they can, everything that occurs including facial expressions, movements, communication, sounds, mood changes and which websites participants visit and/or software they use. After the observation a short interview is conducted where the participants describe their Internet and computer use at home and at school. Also they indicate approximately how much time they spend on the computer on a weekly basis.

Data analysis
The data is submitted online. Additional information that is provided is participants' sex, age, location of observation (home or school), software used, and other people present. The observation data is coded for focus, communication, experience, attitude and fragmentation of the activity.

Further information on the study is available on http://soljak.khi.is/netnot