Gender and Cultural Differences in Internet Use: A Study of China and the UK
Computers & Education 48 (2007) 301–317 www.elsevier.com/locate/compedu Gender and cultural differences in Internet use: A study of China and the UK
Nai Li a, Gill Kirkup a b,*
Faculty of Education and Language Studies, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK b Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
Abstract This study investigates differences in use of, and attitudes toward the Internet and computers generally for Chinese and British students, and gender differences in this cross-cultural context. Two hundred and twenty Chinese and 245 British studentsÕ responses to a self-report survey questionnaire are discussed. Significant differences were found in Internet experience, attitudes, usage, and self-confidence between Chinese and British students. British students were more likely to use computers for study purposes than Chinese students, but Chinese students were more self-confident about their advanced computer skills. Significant gender differences were also found in both national groups. Men in both countries were more likely than women to use email or ÔchatÕ rooms. Men played more computer games than women; Chinese men being the most active games players. Men in both countries were more self-confident about their computer skills than women, and were more likely to express the opinion that using computers was a male activity and skill than were women. Gender differences were higher in the British group than the Chinese group. The present study illustrates the continued significance of gender in studentsÕ attitudes towards, and use of computers, within different cultural contexts. Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cross-cultural issues; Gender; The Internet; Attitudes; Usage patterns
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1908 652412; fax: +44 1908 654173. E-mail address: g.e.kirkup@open.ac.uk (G. Kirkup).
0360-1315/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd.
Nai Li a, Gill Kirkup a b,*
Faculty of Education and Language Studies, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK b Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
Abstract This study investigates differences in use of, and attitudes toward the Internet and computers generally for Chinese and British students, and gender differences in this cross-cultural context. Two hundred and twenty Chinese and 245 British studentsÕ responses to a self-report survey questionnaire are discussed. Significant differences were found in Internet experience, attitudes, usage, and self-confidence between Chinese and British students. British students were more likely to use computers for study purposes than Chinese students, but Chinese students were more self-confident about their advanced computer skills. Significant gender differences were also found in both national groups. Men in both countries were more likely than women to use email or ÔchatÕ rooms. Men played more computer games than women; Chinese men being the most active games players. Men in both countries were more self-confident about their computer skills than women, and were more likely to express the opinion that using computers was a male activity and skill than were women. Gender differences were higher in the British group than the Chinese group. The present study illustrates the continued significance of gender in studentsÕ attitudes towards, and use of computers, within different cultural contexts. Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cross-cultural issues; Gender; The Internet; Attitudes; Usage patterns
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1908 652412; fax: +44 1908 654173. E-mail address: g.e.kirkup@open.ac.uk (G. Kirkup).
0360-1315/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd.