Boys' and girls' computer activities and learning in internet cafés

This study describes a research, which investigated the use of the Internet by young people of both genders in places out of school, such as Internet cafés. Nowadays an increasing number of young people spend many hours in front of a computer, especially at Internet cafés. A question this study tried to answer is what are boys' and girls' preferred activities and informal learning in Greek Internet cafés? Research data were collected through field observation notes, written questionnaires and semistructured interviews with the persons who were both responsible and frequenters of five large Internet cafés in Thessaly, central Greece. In total 296 persons were questioned during four time zones (morning, afternoon, night, and late night). Data analysis showed that on-line computer gaming appears to be the most popular leisure time activity for young people. Many young boys play on-line games not only during afternoon but also during morning hours. Those boys frequent Internet cafés in groups instead of going to school. Learning in such places mainly concerns on-line games, and especially racing and violence ones. This activity has proved to be a highly gendered one, in contrast to what happens in schools, where pupils of both genders equally participate in computer activities. © Common Ground, Christina Solomonidou, Athina Mitsaki