Don’t ‘just Google it’: 3 ways students can get the most from searching online | Digital age - The Conversation AU

Photo: Renee Morrison

Most students think they know how to use the internet to search for information, and teachers agree. But this isn't always the case, says Renee Morrison, Lecturer in Curriculum Studies, University of Tasmania.

Photo: Brooke Cagle/Unsplash

Searching online has many educational benefits. For instance, one study found students who used advanced online search strategies also had higher grades at university.

But spending more time online does not guarantee better online skills. Instead, a student’s ability to successfully search online increases with guidance and explicit instruction.

Young people tend to assume they are already competent searchers. Their teachers and parents often assume this too. This assumption, and the misguided belief that searching always results in learning, means much classroom practice focuses on searching to learn, rarely on learning to search. 

Many teachers don’t explictly teach students how to search online. Instead, students often teach themselves and are reluctant to ask for assistance. This does not result in students obtaining the skills they need...

Here are three things young people should keep in mind to get the full benefits of searching online.
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Source: The Conversation AU