Children over-relient on the internet

This article on the BBC site discussing research by Demos on childrens inability (well, watch the vid) to do correct research using the internet and simply belive whatever they see. The girls views on Google make intersting viewing. She belives whatever appears on Google because it is a 'trusted' source, in that she thinks Google vets all of the information it displays. Perhaps schools should take more effort in explaining how search engines work?

BBC News - Young people 'over-reliant on internet'

I do my best, but I honestly don't think the kids listen ... or the teachers for that matter

I drum into kids that they should get 5 or 6 sources for each bit of info, then check them to see if they correspond with each other.

Pity most just copy and paste because its quick and simple to do.

I think part of the problem is the filtering. When we were younger [cue hovis music] the main channels for information were the BBC TV and Radio then ITV then Channel 4. These channels were filtered for us so that the "bad" stuff were filtered out. Fortunately living in a democracy we knew the BBC would be reasonably safe. We still live in the good of that and can compare the decent sources we know about and the critical skills we have learnt with the tide of crud flowing our way via the interstella sewer that is the net. Not that is should be an argument about freedom of access to information, but if these children are growing up with no one from an early age saying, this is trustworthy, this is complete fiction, then what can we expect?

The other impact is on relevance of information. With the overload that comes down the pipes, Jordan breaking a nail is given as much prominence as a Tsunami. We're used to the BBC and ITV news channels placing things according to importance on terrestrial news as it's a one channel feed. But when you go on websites or visual clip art bytes of news who decides on the relevance of what placed where, it's a cheese platter and you pick what you will.

What's the solution? No idea at present accept for drumming it in at an early age that there are a few decent sources and try the rest against those. Wikipedia...LOL

I try to get the library staff to teach propper research while the kids are in there, they certainly seem more competent than the teachers at it and it gives the library a point of difference as to how they use the small batches of computers that are in there.

It does rely on strong library staffing and resources though which some schools have and others do not.