Inappropriate use of technology by students of Compulsory Education: between the belief and the reality

Abstract

The responsible and critical use of digital technologies is key to the development of Digital Competence in the Primary and Secondary Education stages.  In order to do so, the role of educational centers and teachers is essential. The aim of this work is to know the inappropriate use that students -from different school levels- make of technology, and to investigate the risk perception of their behaviours. A descriptive-comparative study with an intentional sampling in which 443 students participate - from 5th and 6th grade of Primary and from the four courses of Secondary Education in the Spanish Educational System- is carried out. These students attend an educational center which has a specific training plan to raise awareness about the responsible use of technology. The results show the lack of influence of the center's training proposal: inappropriate uses increase progressively throughout the school years, while the perception of risk of inappropriate behaviors is reduced. In addition to that, non-compliance with the minimum ages for the use of applications and social networks is common among these students. The conclusions highlight the importance of taking measures against the high number of risk behaviors and the need to review the design of the training proposals, because these show little effectiveness at present.