What Do Our Students Know about Finding Information Online?

Parents and teachers sometimes think kids know all there is to know about computers and the Internet. They don't; nobody does. Sure, they know lots about Instant Messaging, text messaging, and chatting, but when it comes to Internet searches, our students fall short. This means they'll spend too much time searching for content and what they get may not be worth their times. Teachers get around this problem by giving their students lists of sites where they can start their searches. But students should know how to search effectively and safely, shouldn't they? Carol Simpson, in a publication of Library Media Center, suggests there are lots of standards out there relating to information literacy and perhaps the standards should be standardized. No matter what, there needs to be an emphasis upon helping students, parents, and everyone learn how to search the Net efficiently.