The Web as an Information Resource in K–12 Education: Strategies for Supporting Students in Searching and Processing Information

TLDR

Web use in K–12 education has risen sharply in recent years. This review examines how the demands of using the Web as an information resource affect the support and supervision required for students’ learning processes. The authors analyze empirical studies on children’s limited search strategies and theoretical work on Web characteristics and their implications for educational organization. They find that the Web alone does not support student learning, indicating a need for support in searching and information literacy, and suggest future research should explore how Web use can foster deep, meaningful knowledge.

Abstract

The use of the Web in K–12 education has increased substantially in recent years. The Web, however, does not support the learning processes of students as a matter of course. In this review, the authors analyze what research says about the demands that the use of the Web as an information resource in education makes on the support and supervision of students’ learning processes. They discuss empirical research focusing on the limitations of the actual search strategies of children, as well as theoretical literature that analyzes specific characteristics of the Web and their implications for the organization of education. The authors conclude that students need support in searching on the Web as well as in developing “information literacy.” Future research should focus on how the use of the Web in education can contribute to the development of deep and meaningful knowledge.