BCTF Information Services—Research & Reports

Lenhart, Amanda and others
Writing, Technology and Teens
Pew Internet & American Life Project, April 2008; 83 pages

Findings from a national phone survey of youth ages 12-17 and their parents, plus 8 focus groups exploring teens’ attitudes about writing, especially in the context of all the electronic stuff they do (e.g. emails, SNS posts, texting, IMing, etc). 

Teens write a lot, but they do not think of their electronic communications as writing. This disconnect matters because teens believe good writing is an essential skill for success and that more writing instruction at school would help them.

Brisbois, Richard and others
Connecting Supply and Demand in Canada's Youth Labour Market
Canadian Policy Research Networks, April 2008; 63 pages

According to this CPRN study, Canada's youth are not well-prepared to navigate educational and career choices, or to be able to fully use the skills and knowledge they gain through education in the jobs that they find.

World Development Indicators 2008
Washington, DC: The World Bank, April 2008, 418 pages

This publication is the World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. The 2008 WDI includes more than 800 indicators in over 80 tables organized in 6 sections: World View, People (including Education statistics), Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links.  Links to front matter, introductions to each section, and back matter are available from the above link. 

Office of the Provincial Health Officer
An Ounce of Prevention Revisited: A Review of Health Promotion and Selected Outcomes for Children and Youth in BC Schools
Victoria: BC Ministry of Health, 2008; 112 pages

Fewer BC students are smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol and having sex, and the use of marijuana has levelled off, the provincial health officer says in a just released report.  It centres on how schools and the health of young British Columbians have changed since his last report in 2003.  But there are negative trends as well, Dr. Perry Kendall said, noting growing incidences of obesity, cyberbullying, sexually transmitted diseases and anxiety disorders.

Kendall makes 12 recommendations for improvement, including better use of data, development of a Grade 12 health course, increased support for at-risk students, more attention to early learning, expanded smoke-free environments and more help for those with mental health issues.

Raymond, Melanie
High School Dropouts Returning to School
Statistics Canada (Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics: Research Papers), April 2008; 38 pages

Making use of data from the Labour Force and Youth in Transition surveys, this study investigates the phenomenon of returning to high school after having dropped out, with results separated by gender.  It found that a significant number of dropouts take advantage of the "second chance" system that offers them another opportunity to get their diploma. 

Byron, Tanya
Safer Children in a Digital World: the Report of the Byron Review
UK Department for Children, Schools and Families: released on March 27, 2008; 226 pages

This is the report of the Byron Review convened last September by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to provide an independent review of the risks to children from exposure to potentially harmful or inappropriate material on the Internet and in video games.  Dr. Byron recommends a comprehensive action plan for Government, industry and families to work together to support children’s safety online and to reduce access to adult video games.

The Byron Review web page includes further details including an executive summary, press release, and additional documents.