Crunch the Numbers: New data on students' technology use; Chromebook Predictions; And the impact of pandemic relief funds

Qustodio has today published its fifth Annual Report, which offers valuable information on children's digital habits throughout 2023. “Born connected: The rise of the ai ​​generation”, reveals the application use and technological habits of children. children ages 4 to 18, detailing trends in screen time. social networks and communications, mobile games, online entertainment, learning tools and, for the first time in the history of the report, use of artificial intelligence tools.

Qustodio's report, involving more than 400,000 families and schools, studies the popularity of apps and platforms used by children around the world, with more information on habits in major global markets, including the US, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Australia. In addition to revealing kids' favorite apps and platforms in 2023, the study also investigates time spent over the year, detailing the screen time kids spend on popular apps like TikTok, YouTube, Roblox and Snapchat.

The extensive report also includes surveys and interviews with families actively involved in their children's digital well-being, providing insight into how parents and guardians navigate as parents in an increasingly online world and the tools they use to keep their children safe. such as technology, the Internet and artificial technologies. Intelligence evolves at a rapid pace.

Some of the key takeaways from the 2023 report include:

• TikTok continued to captivate children who spend a global average of 112 minutes daily on the app. – up from 107 in 2022. UK children especially liked the bottomless scroll, clocking up 127 minutes a day.
• Although YouTube remains the most important streaming application in the world, Children spent 60% more time on TikTok.
• Children watched 27% more video content in 2023 than the previous year – reaching a global average of 57 minutes per day.
• Despite a tumultuous 2023 – and a name change – Twitter/X saw a 27% increase in popularity among kids.
• Gaming fell in 2023 and children spent 8% less time playing mobile games than in 2022. Despite this, Roblox is where kids spend the most time (across all app categories), with a global average of 130 minutes spent daily.
• Although WhatsApp remains the king of communication applications, Children spent the most time on Snapchat with a global average of 74 minutes a day.
• Australian kids led ai experimentation, with 24% using OpenAI – compared to a global average of 19.6%

“This year has been another one of innovation and exploring new horizons, as families learn to adapt to new artificial intelligence technologies and the changing landscape of social media.” says Eduardo Cruz, CEO and co-founder of Qustodio. “The coming years will be an opportunity for parents, educators and children to come together and understand how to achieve a healthy digital balance, reaping the benefits that technology brings while keeping society's youngest safe from online harms. ”.

To see the full report on children's digital habits throughout 2023 and how they have evolved since 2019, visit the ai-generation/”>Qustodio website.

CTL, a global leader in cloud computing solutions for education and enterprise, launched its annual predictions today. Based on trends observed in their markets, CTL executives provided an advanced view of what to expect in 2024 for Chromebook and ChromeOS device technologies and market trends.

“CTL leaders recently met to discuss the major trends we are experiencing and are excited about as we transition into 2024. We have published some of our top thoughts on what we see as new and next for computing in the Chromebook cloud. It’s going to be a great year,” said Erik Stromquist, CEO of CTL.

Predictions addressed in the CTL article include:

1. Trends based on Chromebook technology
   1. Sustainability concerns will drive innovations in Chromebook manufacturing and deployment, including designing for sustainability, enabling device self-repair programs, innovative device rental programs, and suppliers meeting the sustainability requirements of the devices. manufacturers.
   2. New 5G capabilities will come online, bringing easier, faster, anywhere, anytime connectivity to computing devices for K-12 and other industries like healthcare as they begin to augment traditional wireless solutions and help close the digital gap.
   3. New tools in cybersecurity are needed to combat ai attacks with ai protection.
2. ChromeOS edtech Market Trends
   1. Schools will replace their aging fleet of Chromebooks this year to future-proof their technology and deliver the performance needed to take advantage of new toolsets like generative ai.
   2. Schools will extend their ChromeOS devices to teachers, staff, and administrators, leveraging their investment in Google Workspace and taking advantage of the anticipated new power of Chromebook Plus.
   3. Financing for student Chromebooks will get creative with city-district partnerships, innovative leasing programs, and other post-pandemic funding models.
   4. Chromebooks will be increasingly adopted around the world in 2024, with new markets emerging online with government tenders in Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Full predictions, including details and quotes from executives, are available in the article “CTL Chromebook and ChromeOS Trends for 2024” on the CTL website.

This week, a national nonprofit SchoolHouse connection launched “Overlooked and almost out of time” a report showing the impact and reach of pandemic-era relief funds for homeless students, as well as the challenges preventing schools from using these funds at a time of greatest need.

Congress provided the funds, known as American Rescue Plan – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) funds, through a bipartisan amendment to the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021. The ARP funds -HCY must be obligated by September 2024.

“ARP-HCY funds are changing lives, even saving them. But the limited time frame to use the funds, combined with administrative restrictions, has created barriers to their use. Now time is running out,” said Barbara Duffield, executive director of SchoolHouse Connection. “Urgent action is needed to not miss this historic opportunity to help students break the cycle of homelessness through education. We urge Congress to extend the ARP-HCY obligation period for one more year and implore all educational agencies to prioritize ARP-HCY funds.”

The report is based on a survey of more than 1,400 homeless school district liaisons from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as analysis of federal data. The report found:

• Homeless children and youth have increased since the pandemic, creating a greater need for targeted support for homeless students.
• The number of school districts receiving dedicated funding to support homeless students has more than doubled as a result of ARP-HCY funding, reaching more than half of all school districts nationwide.
• School district homeless liaisons report many positive impacts of ARP-HCY funding, including increased stability, identification, and school attendance.

Still, despite these positive impacts, the report found:

• A quarter of school districts' homeless liaisons express concern about meeting spending deadlines due to administrative hurdles and limited time. An additional 25% of liaisons were unaware that they had received ARP-HCY funding, which could make it difficult to meet spending deadlines.
• Although liaisons are legally responsible for identifying and supporting homeless students, they are often excluded from key decisions about the use of funds.
• Public schools are a critical source of help for homeless children and youth, providing stability, services, and the education needed to permanently escape homelessness and secure a better future. However, homelessness creates barriers to education, many of which can be eliminated directly with ARP-HCY funds (e.g., transportation, shopping cards to meet basic needs, and short-term emergency motel stays).

In addition to administrative barriers hindering the effective use of ARP-HCY funds, educational agencies have prioritized spending the $122 billion in ARP elementary and secondary school emergency relief funds at the expense of focusing on ARP dollars -HCY. SchoolHouse Connection analysis shows that states have spent ARP ESSER nearly 50% faster than ARP-HCY funds, even though ARP-HCY funds are less than 1% of ARP ESSER funds.

The report presents recommendations for Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, state and local education leaders, and state legislatures. “While the pandemic is officially over, the homelessness crisis has not abated and is growing. Leadership and action are needed at all levels (federal, state and local) to ensure these funds are used effectively now and sustained into the future,” Duffield said.

You can find a link to the report, including the methodology. here.

Kevin is a forward-thinking media executive with over 25 years of experience building brands and audiences online, in print and face-to-face. He is an acclaimed writer, editor, and commentator covering the intersection of society and technology, especially educational technology. You can contact Kevin at [email protected]

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