South Africa’s Adolescents in a Wired World

Authors

  • Petro van der Merwe University of South Africa, College of Human Sciences, P.O. Box 392, Unisa, 0003, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2013.02.33

Keywords:

South Africa adolescents, new electronic media, digital divide, frequency of internet access, new generation cellphones, electronic violence

Abstract

New technology, like the internet and cellphones, play a significant role in adolescents’ lives today, and this role is rapidly growing, transforming adolescents’ everyday lives in profound ways. Adolescents all over the world use new technology and their numbers are still rising. Some adolescents, particularly in South Africa, have, however, hardly been touched by new technology. This could be ascribed to a lack of interest, understanding or opportunity. It is important to understand the digital divide in South Africa before one can begin to understand the role of interactive media (e.g. computers, video games, educational software, the internet and cellphones) in adolescents’ lives. The article provides a review and theoretical background of matters such as how many adolescents have access to the internet, where they are likely to get it, and what effects exposure to digital media have. The research was conducted with the objective to investigate the relationship between the digital divide and digital technologies (including the internet and cellphones) and their use by South African adolescents. The article also attempts to investigate the extent to which South African adolescents engage in online activities that can involve risks, awareness of (parents and secondary schools) and competencies to address the challenges adolescents face online. The method used in this study was content analysis of previously published material, and evaluation of this material provides an understanding of the progress of research in clarifying the current problem of digital divide. An historical overview is relevant to consider in implementing programmes in digital and media literacy. Findings indicate that new forms of digital media are well positioned to play a constructive role in advancing powerful solutions to national educational challenges. Schools must determine what they want learners to experience and learn from their use of new technology so that they are empowered to take control of this powerful new tool in their lives. This article highlights the need for digital media literacy programmes in South African schools that adequately prepare learners for the complex and dynamic life of the 21st century.

References

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psy-chological Association (6th ed., 2nd print). Washington, DC: Author.

Anderson, C. A., & Gentile, D. A. (2008). Media violence, aggression, and public policy. In E. Borgida & S. Fiske (Eds.), Beyond Common Sense: Psychological science in the Courtroom (pp. 281-300). Malden, MA: Blackwell. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470696422.ch14

Andrews, J. (2010). BIZ 2010 Trend report. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/424/43707. html

Basson, A. (2009). “New Media” usage among youth in South Africa. Gender & Media Diversity Journal, 7, 136-142.

Bega, S., & Visagie, N. (2008, April 12). Lost girl in MXit drama. IOL News. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from http://www.iol.co.za/ news/south-africa/lost-girs-in-mxit-drama-1.396253?ot= inmsa

Common Sense Media. (2010). Parents have to teach responsible cell phone use. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from ttp://www.commonsensemedia.org cell-phones-tips /

Common Sense Media. (2011). Media literacy curriculum overview. Retrieved March 14, 2011, from http://www.common-sensemedia.org/sites/default/files/introduction/Curriculum Overview.pdf

Community Agency for Social Enquiry. (2000). Youth 2000: A study of youth in South Africa. Retrieved January 10, 2010, from http://www.case.org.za/~caseorg/images/docs/youth_2000. pdf

DiPietro, M. Ferdig, R. E., Boyer,J., & Black, E. (2007). “Towards a framework for Understanding Electronic Educational Gaming”. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia 16(3), 225-248.

Fourie, H. (2010, March 12). Murdered girl’s hands cut off. Beeld. Retrieved March 15, 2010, from http://www.news24.com/ printarticle.aspx?iframe&aid=1665e455-f979-4f85-bdb8-18

Francke, E., & Weideman, M (2007). “South African youth and mobile technology impact: the MXit phenomenon”. Conference proceedings 9th Annual Conference on World Wide Web Applications, 5-7 September 2007, Johannesburg, South Africa. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://staging. uj.ac.za/www2007/documents/proceedings/FranckeWeidemansayouthand-mobiletechnologyimpay.pdf

Gautengonline.gov.za. (2006). Hosting report about Gautengonline.gov.za Retrieved June 12, 2010, from http://www.bing.com/search?q=Gautengonline.gov.za.hostlogr.com

Gillwald, A., Esselaar, S., Burton, P., & Stavrou, A. (2005). South Africa. In A. Gillwald (Ed.), Towards an African e-index: ICT access and usage (pp. 130-152). South Africa: the LINK Centre, Wits University School of Public and Development Management. Retrieved February 20. 2010, from http://www.researchIcTafrica.net

Goldstuck, A. (2002). The Goldstuck report: Internet access in South Africa. Retrieved June 12, 2010, from http://www.theworx.biz/ access02.html

Green, B., Reid, J., & Bignum, C. (1998). Teaching the Nintendo generation? Children, computer culture and popular technologies. In S. Howard (Ed.), Wired up: young people and the electronic media (pp. 9-21). London: UCL.

Grobler, F. (2008, August 18). Krugersdorp school rocked by “Satanic” killing. Mail & Guardian. Retrieved April 20, 2010, from http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-08-18-krugersdop-rocked-bysanatickilling

Hobbs, J., & Bristow, T. (2007). Communal computing and shared spaces of use: A study of Internet cafes in developing contexts. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www. slideshare.net/jh01/communal-computing-and-shared-spaces-of-use-a-study-of-internet-cafes-in-developing-contexts

Information Society Statistical Profiles (2009). Retrieved February 08, 2010, from http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/material/ISSp09-AFR_final-en.pdf

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press.

Jensen, M. (2002). “The African Internet: A Status Report”. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://www3.sn.apc.org/africa/ afstat.htm

Kraushaar, A. B. (2008). The role and impact of the internet on today's youth, and the strategic marketing implications for developing a youth targeted web site. Master’s dissertation: Rand Afrikaans University. Retrieved April 15, 2010, from http://www.ujdigispace.uj.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10210/.../mastersthesisfinal.pdf?

Kraushaar, J. (2010). Closing the digital gap. Retrieved March 2, 2011, from http://www.education.nationaljournal.com/2010/ 08

Kreutzer, T. (2008). Internet and Online Media Usage on Mobile Phones among Low-Income Urban Youth in Cape Town. Retrieved March 29, 2010, http://mobileactive.org/files/file-uploads/final-paper_kreutzer.pdf

Langa, Z., Conradie, P., & Roberts, B. (2005). Slipping through the net: Digital and other communication divides in South Africa. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www.ictportal.org. za/documents/d00024/Slipping_ through_Net_SA_2006. Pdf

Lawrence, S., & Giles, G. L. (1999). “Searching the Web: General and Scientific Information Access”. IEEE Communication, 37(1), 116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/35.739314 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/35.739314

Lenhart, A., Madden, M., & Hilton, P. (2005). Teens and technology: Youth are leading the transition to a fully wired and mobile nation. Pew Internet and the American Life Project. Retrieved September 18, 2010, from http://www.pewinternet.org/PDF/r/ 198report-display.asp

Lessig, L. (2000). Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace. New York: Basic Books.

Livingstone, S. (2002). Young people and new media: Childhood and the changing media environment. London: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446219522

Livingstone, S., & Bovill, M. (2001). Children and their changing media environment: A European comparative study. Lawrence Erlbaum.

MacArthur, J. D., & MacArthur, C. T. (2006). Digital Media, Learning and Education. The MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from http://www.macfund.org/ sitec.jjJYcmNIqE/ b.200007/k.51A9/

Miniwatts Marketing Group. (2010). South Africa internet usage, population, broad-band and market report. Retrieved July 21, 2011, from http://www.internetworldstats.com /af/az/htm

Moatshe, T. (2009, February 4). The “Pied Piper” of youth culture. The Media Online. Retrieved April 18, 2010, http://www.themediaonline.co.za/view/themedia/en/page 1353?oid=21249

Moneyweb (2012) Retrieved July 18, 2013 http://www.moneyweb. co.za/moneyweb-south-africa/sa-population-518m--census

Parker-Pope, T. (2008, February 05). Under the Influence of.....Music? The New York Times. Retrieved March 15, 2010, from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/under-teinfluence-ofmusic/

Roberts, D. F., Foehr, U. G., Rideout, V. J., & Brodie, M. (1999, November). Kids and media at the new millenium: A comprehensive national analysis of children's media use. A Kaiser Family Foundation Report, Menlo Park, CA.

Saner, R. (2003). The effect of the internet on South African youth in the next 5 years: 2003-2008. Retrieved October 25, 2010, from http://www.sonlifeafrica.com/article06.htm

Singer, D. G., & Singer, J. L. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of children and the media. Thou-sand Oaks, CA: Sage.

South Africa Advertising Research Foundation. (2009). New extended LSMs®. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.saarf.co.za/LSM/lsm-presentations.htm

South Africa Yearbook 2008/09: Communications. (2009). Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://www.gcis.gov.za/resource_ centre/sa_info/yearbook/2009 /chapter5.pdf

South African Government Communication and Information System. (2009). Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.info.gov. za/view/downloadfileaction?id=108451

Stanger, J. D., & Gridina, N. (1999). Media in the home 1999: The fourth annual survey of parents and children. Washington, DC. The Annenberg Public Policy Center. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://nenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/...Child/ mediasurvey/s...

Strasburger, V., & Wilson, B. (2002). Children, Adolescents, and the Media. California: Sage. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781848608436.n15

Strelitz, L., & Boshoff, P. (2008). The African reception of Global Media. In K. Drotner & S. Livingston (Eds.), The international handbook of children, media and culture (pp. 240-254). London: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608436.n15

Tustin, D. H., Van Aardt, I., & Shai, G. S. (2009). New media usage and behaviour among adolescents in selected schools of Gauteng. Research Report, (91 pp) 978-1-920130-40-4, Bureau of Market Research, Unisa.

Valkenburg, P. (2004). Children’s Responses to the Screen: A Media Psychological Approach. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410610331

Van den Berg, B.H. (2007). A new breed of MXit chat junkies, in primary schools and secondary schools. Chapter 10, South African Youth Brand Preference Study, 2007: HDI Youth marketeers. Retrieved April 19, 2010, from http://www. alphabetsoup.co.za/.../chapter%2010%20-%20technology .doc

Van Zyl Slabbert, F., Malan, C., Marais, H., Olivier, J., & Riordan, R. (Eds.). (1994). Youth in the New South Africa. Pretoria: HSRC.

Van Zyl Slabbert, F., Malan, C., Marais, H., Olivier, J., & Riordan, R. (2008). South African Youth. In K. Drotner & S. Livingston (Eds.), The international handbook of children, media and culture (pp. 238). London: Sage.

Wartella, E., & Jennings, N. (2000). Children and Computer: New Technology – Old Concerns The Future of Children, 10(2), 31-43. Retrieved September 26, 2009, from http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/ journals http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1602688 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1602688

Waverman, L., Meschi, M., & Fuss, M. (2005). The impact of telecoms on economic growth in developing countries. Vodafone Policy Paper Series, No 3. Retrieved May 04, 2010, from http://www.vodafone.com/ etc.medialib// crdownloads.Par.78351.Fie.dattachmentsat/GPPSIMpaper_3.pdf

World Wide Wox (2012) Executive Summary Internet Access in South Africa 2012 Retrieved July 18, 2013 http://www. worldwideworx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Exec-Summary-Internet-Access-in-SA-2012.pdf

Youth Dynamix’s Youth Trax (2009, July 07). The global teen & South Africa. Youth Dynamix’s Youth Trax ® 2008/09 research study. Retrieved April 25, 2010, from http://youthdynamixsa.wordpress.com/tag/youth-lifestyle/

Downloads

Published

2013-09-06

How to Cite

Merwe, P. van der. (2013). South Africa’s Adolescents in a Wired World. International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 2, 348–361. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2013.02.33

Issue

Section

Articles