Information Skills of Finnish Basic and SecondaryEducation Students: The Role of Age, Gender, Education Level, Self-efficacyand Technology Usage

Abstract

The information skills and technology use of 3,159 Finnish 12-22-year-old students were examined in this study. Data were collected using the combination of a usage habit questionnaire and a performancebased test that measured their skills when choosing a medium to seek information, defining search queries, and selecting and evaluating search results. On average, these students' information skills were found to be insufficient. Particularly, students failed in creating search phrases, and they tended to concentrate on content relevance at the expense of source reliability. Versatility of technology use was found to be the most prominent predictor of students' information skills. Education level also had an increasing effect on information skills, whereas age alone, within separate education levels, did not have the same effect. Self-efficacy was found to be associated only with male students' information skills. Gender had no direct effect on information skills; rather it was identified as a moderator for the ongoing relationship between information skills and technology use.

Learning online research skills in lower secondary school: long-term intervention effects, skill profiles and background factors

“…According to the ICILS (International Computer and Information Literacy Study) 2013 and 2018, ICT self-efficacy is positively related to computer and information literacy among 8th-grade students (Fraillon et al , 2019; Hatlevik et al , 2018). However, in Kaarakainen et al ’s (2018) study, self-efficacy was found to have a positive effect only on male students’ information skills.…”

“…Primary and secondary school students have been exposed to digital media throughout their lives. Their Web-related skills develop along with their age and education levels (van Deursen and van Diepen, 2013; Kaarakainen et al , 2018). However, there are remarkable differences in skill levels among students (Hatlevik and Christophersen, 2013).…”

“…We do not have a clear picture how formal learning in schools or factors in students’ backgrounds explain the differences in their skill levels. Further, past studies show that many students lack essential components of the online research skills required for school (Kaarakainen et al , 2018; Kiili and Leu, 2019). The competence gaps challenge the school to develop more effective pedagogies for online research skills.…”

Professionsutveckling för digitaliserad ämnesundervisning – reflektioner kring en videobaserad forskningsdesign

“…I en granskning av ämnena matematik och teknik från den svenska Skolinspektionen ansågs användningen av digitala resurser i undervisningen vara låg (Skolinspektionen, 2019). Tidigare studier har pekat på brister i finländska elevers kompetens i informationssökning, och problemet är synligt även generellt i ICILS-rapporten (ICILS, 2019;Kaarakainen et al, 2018;OECD, 2015). Lärare har överlag en positiv inställning till användning av digitala resurser i undervisningen (Fraillon et al, 2019), men mer fortbildning anses behövas.…”

“…Blikstad-Balas, 2012och Paakkari, 2020. Speglar vi detta mot vetskapen om stora brister i elevers sökstrategier (ICILS, 2019;Kaarakainen et al, 2018) kan vi konstatera att förutsättningarna och villkoren för innehållsligt lärande blir olika för olika elever.…”