A1 Journal article (refereed)
‘It Goes Around the World’ : Children’s Understanding of the Internet (2019)

Eskelä-Haapanen, S., & Kiili, C. (2019). ‘It Goes Around the World’ : Children’s Understanding of the Internet. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 14(03-04), 175-187. https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2019-03-04-07

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Eskelä-Haapanen, Sirpa; Kiili, Carita

Journal or series: Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy

eISSN: 1891-943X

Publication year: 2019

Volume: 14

Issue number: 03-04

Pages range: 175-187

Publisher: Universitetsforlaget

Publication country: Norway

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2019-03-04-07

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/67462

Abstract

The Internet has become an important literacy environment, even for children. Therefore, building the foundations for their critical engagement with online information should start when they first enter school. One way to start is to help children build an understanding about the complexities of the Internet environment. The present study aimed at increasing our knowledge about children’s understanding of the Internet as a technical and social environment. It also explored how children perceive the trustworthiness of online information. The participants included 30 children aged 7–9 years. The children were interviewed and the data was analysed using content analysis. We share the results from the following perspectives: 1) children’s understanding of the Internet as a complex environment; 2) children’s perceptions of the benefits and risks of the Internet; and 3) children’s perceptions of the trustworthiness of online information. The implications of developing instruction to educate critical readers are discussed.

Keywords: lower comprehensive school pupils; media literacy; Internet; conceptions

Free keywords: critical reading; digital literacy; primary school; Internet; epistemic cognition

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2019

JUFO rating: 1