Survey Report

Survey on Primary School Students Internet Communication

Last November, HKCS conducted a survey on Internet communication by primary school children. Questionnaires were sent out to Primary 4 through 6 students and 1,405 copies with usable data were returned.

The survey found that the most common means of Internet communication for 33.3% of the students included ICQ, MSN, Chat-rooms, QQ and YM. 26.7% of the students used email and 21.6% connected through online games. The natures of the communication were mostly informative (trendy news and hobbies), problem solving and sharing. Although the communication was rather superficial, the students had a sense of satisfaction because they could enjoy a private place of their own.

Our survey also found that some children would communicate with total strangers and even make friends with them while using MSN and Blog or playing online games. 55.4% of the students expressed no opinion on the truthfulness of the information they received from the Internet, while 18.2% of Primary 4 students believed it to be true. This phenomenon gives rise to concern as this may be an indication that the awareness level towards truth and deception on the Internet is low. Students do not have a questioning and discerning spirit.

On the other hand, there were some positive effects of communicating on the Internet. Students who had a habit of writing their diary on the Internet found that they like to express themselves through the medium of words more than before. They realized that they were rather creative. Ms. Wong Kwok Fu, Project Officer of Media Education suggested that media education should be a primary focus in the Liberal Studies curriculum. It should eventually be designated as a compulsory subject. Parents and teachers should guide their children to a healthy use of the Internet, stimulating their creativity and increasing their knowledge. To find out more about the results of the survey, please go to http://www.hkcs.org/news/press/2007press/press20070420.htm.