What is Information Behaviors

Adolescents live in a technology-enhanced world. However, significant subpopulations lack physical and intellectual access to digital technologies. Content and communications providers format and disseminate information in a variety of ways. In response, teens who use technology tend to employ a variety of platforms, choosing the tool to match the content and purpose. Social media has been the technology of choice for teenagers, leveraging their social and creative needs. Educators of teens need to incorporate technology into their practices, providing access and opportunities for teens to optimize their technology use. Today's adolescents, ages 12 to 18, are often characterized as digital natives because many of them have grown up in a digital world. Most of them have some kind of access to technology, although the digital divide still exists. The technologies teens access and use are described in this chapter.