Sixty-three percent of households in Hawai'i have computers, but only 55 percent use the Internet, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released yesterday.

That puts Hawai'i in the middle of the pack in a 50-state comparison of computer use and Internet access, based on a 2003 survey. It's also a significant drop from Hawai'i's top 10 ranking in both categories in 2001, when the last survey of computer use was conducted by the Census Bureau. Hawai'i still is above the national average for computer use.

Eugene Tian, research and statistics officer for the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, said one reason for the decline in the state's standings from 2001 to 2003 is that Hawai'i initially was ahead of the curve in home computer use, and that other states are catching up. He also said the census numbers tell only part of the story, and don't provide state-by-state information on computer use at work and school.

Nationally, 62 percent of households had computers in 2003, up from 56 percent in 2001 and only 8 percent in 1984. Less than 55 percent were online in 2003, an increase of 5 percentage points from 2001.

The top reasons people gave for not having Internet access were cost, lack of need and lack of interest.

The Census Bureau reported that youngsters used computers more than adults in the 2003 survey, with 86 percent of children using a computer at home, school or work compared with 64 percent of adults. Game-playing was the top use for more than 80 percent of kids ages 3 to 14 with home computers. High schoolers ages 15 to 17 who have home computers used them more for school assignments and Internet access, but e-mail and games were other popular activities.

Computers are deemed so essential to a child's success in the digital age that the Kamehameha Schools campus on Maui provides each of its 550 high school students with a Dell laptop. Headmaster Rod Chamberlain estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of the students wouldn't have a home computer otherwise.

Students are no longer required to simply memorize knowledge and "regurgitate" it, Chamberlain said, "but must be able to communicate, conduct research, put it all together and present the information."

With every student in possession of a laptop, "we found in our classroom higher engagement with students and growth in other area," Chamberlain said. "It's amazing to see what they can do."

Advanced computer literacy is essential to future success in college and the work force, Chamberlain said. "More and more colleges expect students to have not only basic computer tools such as word processing, spreadsheets, research and e-mail, but to be able to present all those things."

The Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus runs computer workshops for parents on Internet safety and computer skills "so they are aware of what's out there and they can begin to catch up a little bit," Chamberlain said.

Lokelani Patrick of Wailuku is the Maui Campus' parent community coordinator. She has two daughters at the school — a high school sophomore and a second-grader — both computer proficient. A third daughter is a recent college graduate who relied on a laptop to complete her studies at the University of California, San Diego.

"Computers are the first language for students today and the second language for adults," Patrick said.

Before the sophomore got a free laptop from Kamehameha, "we were competing for the same computer, so it's nice that they have a computer they can use," she said.

Since Patrick spends a lot of time at work on a computer, she doesn't like to spend more time using the one at home. Besides, she said, her husband, Mychael, is often parked in front of the keyboard and computer screen surfing the Net or volunteering his time setting up Web sites for nonprofit groups.

Island families who don't have a home computer can find free computer access at public libraries. The Hawai'i Public Library System has more than 500 computers statewide with Internet access. Users need a library card and can sign up for 50-minute sessions once a week.

State Librarian Jo Ann Schindler said privacy issues prevent library staff from determining how the computers are being used. "We assume they don't have Internet access at home, or they're sharing a computer and need additional time," Schindler said. "I'd love to see people use them more heavily for library research, but many are just surfing the Net and doing e-mail."

Nationally, the survey reported that women were more prevalent users of home computers than men by a slight margin. Women also were more likely than men to use a computer at work, 63 percent vs. 51 percent.

Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.