Abstract:The ability to effectively search and locate information on the Internet is an important skill for education and essential for success in the 21st century. The results from a single search task can produce an overwhelming amount of information. Without the new literacy skills and strategies that the process of searching and locating information on the Internet requires, this can quickly become a daunting task. The purpose of this exploratory study was twofold. First, it set out to identify the specific new literacy skills and strategies that are required to successfully access information on the Internet. The second focus was to determine how the participants learned to search for information on the Internet. This qualitative study was conducted in a rural school setting in the northeast with seven middle school level teachers. Collected data consisted of observational field notes and interviews with the participants. Five main themes emerged from the data analysis: literacy skills, other skills and strategies, learning technology, emotional reactions to technology and issues of digital divide. These findings will be useful in aiding researchers and classroom teachers who seek to more accurately define the new literacies required for success in online environments.
posted by Marcus Zillman |
4:00 AM
