Measuring experiences of interest-related pursuits in connected learning

Abstract

This paper describes an effort to develop a survey instrument capable of measuring important aspects of adolescents’ experiences of interest-related pursuits that are supported by technology. The measure focuses on youths’ experiences of connected learning (Ito et al. in Connected learning: an agenda for research and design. Digital Media and Learning Research Hub, Irvine, 2013), an emerging model of learning across settings supported by digital media. Specifically, the instrument aims to measure the depth with which youth are able to engage in an interest-related pursuit, the level of support and encouragement they receive from peers, and the degree to which their pursuit involves performance or media production as an essential feature. The survey also elicits information regarding the connections between youths’ interest-related pursuits and academic goals, the involvement of adults as co-participants in pursuits, and youths’ access to technology tools they deem necessary for their pursuits. The paper reports on results from a pilot study and two rounds of field-testing, in which we evaluated the validity and reliability of the instrument and compared results with evidence from interviews with youth. Our aim was to investigate the feasibility of an approach to measuring youths’ interest-related pursuits to inform future research and evaluation of initiatives focused on digital media and learning.

Appendix: Survey of principles of connected learning

Think of an activity that:

• You enjoy doing

• You get better at doing, the more you engage in the activity

What is that activity?

How long have you been doing this activity?

____ years _____ months

The rest of the questions are about the activity you listed above.

Shared purpose principle

In the past 6 months, when participating in the activity, have you:

	Yes	No
1. Completed a group project?	□	□
2. Had the chance to lead others or take a leadership role?	□	□
3. Taken part in a performance, presentation, or competition?	□	□
4. Had an opportunity to use your judgment about a decision?	□	□

Say how much you agree or disagree with each statement below.

	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree
5. In the activity, there are clear goals.	□	□	□	□	□
6. In the activity, everyone is trying to achieve the same goals.	□	□	□	□	□
7. People in the activity make sure that everyone has the opportunity to participate and contribute.	□	□	□	□	□
8. In the activity, everyone gets a say.	□	□	□	□	□
9. I feel like my ideas count in the activity.	□	□	□	□	□
10. I contribute to the activity.	□	□	□	□	□

Production centered principle

When making or designing things while you are engaged in this activity, how often do you:

	Never or hardly ever	1–3 times a month	Once a week	More than once a week
1. Think about what will be interesting for other people?	□	□	□	□
2. Design or create something that can be seen by 10 people or more?	□	□	□	□
3. Design or create something that has a message about how to make a difference in the world?	□	□	□	□

When you engage in the activity, how often do you:

	Never or hardly ever	1–3 times a month	Once a week	More than once a week
4. Get help from adults on how to use tools to create or design things?	□	□	□	□
5. Use tools that professionals use?	□	□	□	□
6. Learn about the ways that professionals use tools to create or design things?	□	□	□	□

Openly networked principle

When you are making or doing things in or at the activity:

	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Hardly ever or never	Does not apply
1. I have access to hardware that I need.	□	□	□	□	□
2. I have access to software tools that I need.	□	□	□	□	□
3. I can get help with technology when I need it.	□	□	□	□	□

When creating or designing things with technology when you are engaged in the activity, can you:

	Yes	No
4. …get access the tools and work you need for this activity wherever you want to?	□	□
5. …use the internet to communicate with others about this activity?	□	□
6. …get feedback and support from others engaged in this activity from others?	□	□

For each of the statements below, say whether it is true or false for you.

	True for me	False for me
7. Someone I know has helped me find other people who share my interests in the activity.	□	□
8. It’s easy to learn about places where I can engage in [activity].	□	□
9. It’s easy to find out the requirements for participating in all the activities at [site].	□	□
10. I hear about cool things people do when engaged in the activity, but I don’t know how I can start to do those things.	□	□
11. I don’t really know where I could go to get better at the activity.	□	□
12. It’s easy for me to find information about new places to engage in the activity.	□	□
13. It’s easy for me to find people who share my interests in the activity.	□	□
14. People help me figure out where else I can do this activity.	□	□

Interest powered principle

Where are all the places you pursue the activity?

	Yes	No
1. At home	□	□
2. At my school	□	□
3. At a different school from my own school	□	□
4. At a museum or cultural center	□	□
5. At a youth organization in the community	□	□
6. At a church, synagogue, temple, or other faith-based center	□	□
7. On the internet	□	□
8. Other	□	□

Please tell us if you have done the following things since you started participating the activity:

	Yes	No
9. Looked for information related to this activity on your own (e.g., looked on the web, checked out a book?	□	□
10. Looked for other people, in real life or online, who are interested this activity?	□	□

Say how much you agree or disagree with each statement below.

	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree
11. The activity is related to what I want to do for work in the future	□	□	□	□	□
12. By participating in the activity, I discovered a talent or an interest I didn’t know I had	□	□	□	□	□
13. The activity changed my mind about what I wanted to do in the future	□	□	□	□	□
14. The activity helped me become more curious about things I wasn’t interested in before	□	□	□	□	□

Peer supported principle

Say how much you agree or disagree with each statement below.

	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Hardly ever or never	Does not apply
1. When I get stuck I can get helpful suggestions from someone about how to solve the problem.	□	□	□	□	□
2. When others see something in my work that could get better they give me good ideas.	□	□	□	□	□
3. People who also participate invite me to try doing new things that push me to grow.	□	□	□	□	□
4. When someone who engages in this activity does really well everyone is happy.	□	□	□	□	□
5. People who mage this activity want everyone to be able to pursue what they are interested in	□	□	□	□	□
6. If you are not doing well in this activity someone is there to listen to you.	□	□	□	□	□

7. Is there anyone who encourages you to participate in this activity?

• □ A parent

• □ A mentor

• □ A brother or sister

• □ A cousin

• □ An uncle or aunt

• □ A grandparent

• □ One or more friends

• □ No one encourages me to participate

For each of the following kinds of people, please tell us if you have had the following experiences because of your current or recent involvement with this activity. MARK ALL THAT APPLY.

	A parent or guardian	A teacher or teachers	A program leader or leaders	A friend or friends	Nobody
8. Because of my participation in this activity I developed or improved a relationship with:	□	□	□	□	□
9. Because of my participation in this activity I had good conversations with:	□	□	□	□	□
10. Because of this activity I came to feel more supported by:	□	□	□	□	□

How does each of the people listed below help you in the following ways when you are taking part in the activity? MARK ALL THAT APPLY.

	A parent or guardian	A teacher or teachers	A program leader or leaders	A friend or friends	Nobody
11. These people teach me new things about the activity.	□	□	□	□	□
12. These people work with me on a project related to this activity.	□	□	□	□	□
13. These people help me find information related to my interests in this activity.	□	□	□	□	□
14. These people sign me up for things that are related to this activity.	□	□	□	□	□
15. They buy or give me things I need to help me pursue this activity.	□	□	□	□	□
16. They give me advice related to this activity.	□	□	□	□	□
17. They let me teach them about what I know about this activity.	□	□	□	□	□