According to their own statements (assessments), 77 percent of all six to 13 year olds rarely use a desktop PC or laptop. The PC is used by all kids at home, and half sits in front of a PC when they are at a friend’s place. Yet, only two fifths use a PC in school. The probability of PC usage in school is significantly higher for older kids going to secondary school (Haupt-/Realschule: 53 %, Gymnasium: 56 %), than for kids going to primary school (27%).

PCs are mostly used in school in a special subject like basic education in information technology (ITG). Other frequent subjects are German, Math and foreign languages. The PC is mostly used in school to write texts. In second place is the PC usage for online research.

At home, most schoolchildren use the PC to do research online for their homework. Additionally, PCs at home are used to write texts for school or for learning programs. The older the children are the higher is the percentage of schoolchildren that generally use a PC at home for school. Already 48% of six to seven year olds use the PC weekly to search online for school subjects. With increasing age, the percentage goes up to 90 percent among twelve to 13 year olds (eight to nine year olds: 60 %; ten to eleven year olds: 75 %). Overall it is obvious that the usage of PCs and the internet as tools for the transfer of knowledge takes place rather at home than at school.

YouTube has an important role in the research online for school topics subjects. Roughly, every fourth YouTube-user at least once per week watches videos related to school subjects - this applies in particular to children from over the age of ten years.

The study is available in German language only.