Techpolicybank | At a Glance: What the Measuring Stick Shows

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For children and youth, ICT has its strongest presence in schools, a fact that, in certain respects, has helped make at least a minimal level of digital opportunity available to all children.
But a substantial gap along income lines exists in relation to who has access to ICT tools as well as ICT-readiness among teachers.
In spite of most schools being wired, there are disparities in who receives the educational opportunities offered by technology when home computer use is related to schoolwork.
There appears to be an absence of data about the use of ICT as it relates to students preparing for college.

Statistics on young people’s use of the Internet for health purposes varies widely, but the data show that almost one out of five young people uses ICT as a resource related to improving his or her health and well-being.
Among teens and young adults, Latinos and African Americans are much less likely to use the Internet to search for general health information than Asian Americans and Whites.
The extent to which children, families, and physicians use ICT tools to enhance children’s health is still largely unexplored.

The Measuring Stick indicators relating to economic opportunity show that substantial numbers of young people are using ICT applications that are of growing importance to our economy.

Some of the most pronounced Measuring Stick disparities along income and ethnic group lines are evident in the extent to which young people use computer applications at home such as word processing, spreadsheets, and graphics programs that can make them more marketable when they enter the labor force.

The Internet has demonstrated its potential to serve as a forum where youth can connect with friends, family, and others who share similar interests.
Disparities exist regarding young people’s propensity to use the Internet to connect with government.