Pupils increasingly reliant on technology

Pupils across the UK are shunning traditional pen and paper in favour of laptops and the internet, according to a new report.

The School Gate Survey of 1,500 11-16 year-olds conducted by YouGov on behalf of technology provider RM looked at out how technology is changing the way young people in Britain learn.

The results indicate a positive uptake of technology in the majority of UK schools. Some 97 per cent of pupils use a computer at school during the week, and 78 per cent do homework on a PC rather than using pen and paper.

Almost all pupils have access to a computer or laptop at home, and nearly half use a computer which is not shared with the rest of the family.

However, only 62 per cent of pupils agree that technology helps them to learn more, indicating that traditional trips to the library are not completely dead.

"Learning has embraced the digital world. New technology is a crucial part of young people's lives and it is not surprising that they respond so positively to learning using ICT," said Tim Pearson, f executive of RM.

"While the number of households owning laptops or PCs is increasing every year, there is still a need for those without access to be given flexible options for joining the digital revolution."

Unsurprisingly, the research found that young people's engagement with technology does not stop at homework.

New technologies and social networking sites are also widely enjoyed, and 60 per cent of respondents use Facebook, MySpace or Bebo.