[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15541-15542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8162]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Proposed Data Collection: Public's Views and Comments
Title of Proposed Collection: Public Attitudes About Technology.
The National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency, is
interested in obtaining the public's views and attitudes toward
technology.
Specifically, we are seeking input and comments from all interested
persons on their views of the value of technology in their lives, and
their familiarity with and level of comfort when using technological
innovations such as computers and other complex yet common electronic
devices.
In addition to the general public, we are especially interested in
receiving comments from students in grades 7 through 12 and from
informed observers and followers of science and engineering research
and education.
In an effort to obtain the public's input and useful information,
the National Science Foundation has developed the questions that
follow. Responses from the public will be used only in the aggregate,
and only to help NSF in its efforts to better explain itself and its
activities to the American public.
We hope you will provide us with your thoughts on the following
questions. Detailed comments are also welcome and greatly appreciated.
Responses and comments can be mailed to Public Attitudes About
Technology, c/o Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, National
Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Room 1245, Arlington, VA 22230.
Comments can also be sent via email to nstw@nst.gov, or faxed to (703)
306-1070.
All comments should be received by Monday, April 21, 1997.
Dated: March 24, 1997.
Julia Moore,
Director, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs.
For students in grades 7-12, which are you most likely to do after
high school?
Go to college,
Go to a trade or technical school, or
Go straight to work
Other
Again for students in grades 7-12, what is the highest level of
college education you are most likely to complete?
A graduate degree, such as a masters, doctorate or law degree
A four year undergraduate degree from a college or university, or
A two-year undergraduate degree, such as from a community college
Other
If you had to choose, which would you say are your favorite
subjects in school?
The ones that involve math and science or,
the ones that involve English or social studies--such as government and
history
Both equally
Neither
Now we're going to list some more specific subjects. For each one,
please say whether you consider it to be so exciting that you would
like to learn more about it or whether it's not that exciting to you.
Space exploration, including the planets, space travel, and special
projects like the Hubble Telescope
New advances in computer technology, such as faster processing chips
and more sophisticated software
Medical research such as cloning and hi-tech ways to study and treat
human diseases
If you had the choice, what kind of house would your prefer to live
in--a house that has lots of electronic equipment, hi-tech appliances
and computers, or a simpler house that has fewer of these types of
things?
Do you think that having strong computer skills and an
understanding of other technology is necessary to make a good living or
do you think a good living can be made without these skills?
Thinking about the computer skills people need by the time they
graduate from high school, how do you feel about the computer education
students get in school these days?
Do you feel that computer education is on track or,
Do you feel that schools should be teaching a lot more?
Next we'd like to know how confident you feel using computers. We'd
like you to use a scale from zero to ten, where ten represents a person
who is very confident with computers and zero is a person who is not
confident at all with computers. Which number on this scale from zero
to ten best describes how confident you feel using computers?
Not confident Very confident
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
In your household, who usually programs the VCR? Someone 18 years
old or younger, or someone 19 years old or older?
18 years old or younger
19 years old or older
Have you, personally, ever used a computer?
If you have used a computer, how old were you the first time you
used a computer?
In the past week, meaning the last seven days, how much time would
you say you spent using a computer?
If you had the choice, would you like to spend more time, less time
or about the same amount of time as you already do using a computer?
Do you ever have the opportunity to use the Internet or not?
In the past week, meaning the last seven days, how much time did
you, personally, spend using an on-line service, such as America
Online, the Internet or the World Wide Web?
For this next series of questions, we are going to ask about
various types of technology--such as computers and electronic
equipment--that you might come into contact with in your daily life.
First, we'd like to know how often you use several types of
technology. Please indicate whether you do it several times a day,
about once a day, a few times a week, a few times a month, less often
than that, or never.
Use a computer
Operate a VCR
Program or get messages from a telephone answering machine
Play video or computer games
Use stereo or audio equipment, such as a CD player or boom box
Use a calculator
Please tell us whether you consider each one of the following types
of equipment to be something that is important for you to own or have
in your home, or whether it is something you could easily live without.
A computer
A VCR
A telephone answering machine
Video or computer games
Stereo and audio equipment, such as a CD player or boom box
A microwave oven
A calculator
A television
When you go to use a piece of electronic equipment, computer
software or other type of technology for the first time, can you
usually learn to use it on you own or do you usually need some help?
[[Page 15542]]
In general, who do you think is better figuring out and using
technology--teenagers or adults?
Do you have a computer at home?
Do you have access to the Internet through a computer at home?
Suppose you had a research report to write either at school or
work. If you had the choice, how would you prefer to conduct the
research?
For students in grades 7-12, when you have to conduct an experiment
or do other labatory work in your science classes at school, does that
work usually help you understand what the class is studying, or not?
Next is a list of a few things that some people do on computers.
Please tell us if this is something you have ever done on a computer,
or not.
Used a word processing program to write a report
Used the Internet to conduct research
Played computer games
Chatted on the Internet or sent e-mail
Searched the Internet for interesting sites
Tell us whether or not you expect to see these things happened in
your lifetime:
Space travel will be common for ordinary Americans
New technology will prevent wars from happening
Cloning of humans will be common
Every person in the country, including kids, will have their own
portable phone and personal phone number
Home computers will work as a computer, TV, VCR, and telephone all in
one
Cancer will be cured
AIDS will be cured
Most Americans will live to be more than 100 years old
Floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters will be controlled or
prevented by new developments in science
Americans will vote for President and other elected officials on the
Internet
For students in grades 7-12, in terms of the grades you usually
get, would you say you are a top student in your school, above average,
average or below average?
How many hours did you spend watching television yesterday?
Now thinking about the last week, meaning the last seven days, how
many hours would you say you spent in total talking with friends on the
telephone?
How often do you read books on your own, that is, books that are
not required reading for school or work?
For students in grades 7-12, are you currently involved in any
activities that require you stay after school, such as a sports team,
theater, band or club?
Do you regularly carry a beeper or pager, or not?
Now here are some background questions.
How old are you?
Are you in school now, and if so, what grade? If not, what is the
highest grade that you completed?
Are you, yourself of Hispanic origin or descent such, as Mexican,
Puerto Rican, Cuban, or other Spanish background?
What is your race? Are you white, African-American, or some other
race?
[FR Doc. 97-8162 Filed 3-31-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
