Exploring young children's web searching and technoliteracy
| Pages | 191-206 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/00220411011023616 |
| Published date | 09 March 2010 |
| Date | 09 March 2010 |
| Author | Amanda Spink,Susan Danby,Kerry Mallan,Carly Butler |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Exploring young children’s web
searching and technoliteracy
Amanda Spink, Susan Danby, Kerry Mallan and Carly Butler
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to report findings from an exploratory study investigating the web
interactions and technoliteracy of children in the early childhood years. Previous research has studied
aspects of older children’s technoliteracy and web searching; however, few studies have analyzed web
search data from children younger than six years of age.
Design/methodology/approach – The study explored the Google web searching and
technoliteracy of young children who are enrolled in a “preparatory classroom” or kindergarten (the
year before young children begin compulsory schooling in Queensland, Australia). Young children
were video- and audio-taped while conducting Google web searches in the classroom. The data were
qualitatively analysed to understand the young children’s web search behaviour.
Findings – The findings show that young children engage in complex web searches, including
keyword searching and browsing, query formulation and reformulation, relevance judgments,
successive searches, information multitasking and collaborative behaviours. The study results
provide significant initial insights into young children’s web searching and technoliteracy.
Practical implications – The use of web search engines by young children is an important research
area with implications for educators and web technologies developers.
Originality/value – This is the first study of young children’s interaction with a web search engine.
Keywords Australia,Worldwideweb, Informationsearches, Children(age groups), Informationliteracy,
Behaviour
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
As the web continues to be used by increasing numbers of people worldwide, we are
accumulating much scientific information about peoples’ web searching (Spink and
Jansen, 2004). We know that children use the internet, and interact with web search
engines. Today’s generation of children were born into a world of digital technology
and the internet, leading some writers to describe them as the “net generation”
(Tapscott, 1998) or “digital natives”. Households with children are more likely than
others to have internet access, with three-quarters of Australian households with
children under the age of 15 with an internet connection (Australian Bureau of
Statistics, 2006). Studies show that children as young as three have the technical
competency to use computers and the internet (Calvert et al., 2005). The use of the
internet, and web search engines by young children is an important research area with
implications for educators and web technology developers.
However, despite the focus on the digital world of today’s children, limited research
has explored internet use by young children (Buckingham, 2000). Few studies have
examined young children’s technoliteracy and their interaction with web search
engines. Little is known scientifically about how the internet impacts on the daily lives
of young children. This paper presents findings from a study addressing the research
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0022-0418.htm
Young children’s
web searching
191
Received 26 November 2008
Revised 4 July 2009
Accepted 6 July 2009
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 66 No. 2, 2010
pp. 191-206
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/00220411011023616
gap in our understanding of young children’s web searching. This interdisciplinary
research draws on studies and approaches from early childhood education and
information science. The study produced interesting and important findings that have
formed the basis of further research. In advancing the knowledge and understanding of
young children’s web searching we hope to stimulate further research in this area.
The next section of the paper reviews the previous research literature on children
and the internet. The paper then provides the research questions, research design, and
findings from the study.
Related studies
Children’s web searching
Previous studies highlight the benefits of computer use for children’s literacy and
social, cognitive, and language development (Clements and Sarama, 2003; McCarrick
and Li, 2007). However, these studies focus on the effects of computer and internet use,
rather than on children’s everyday experiences. Descriptive accounts of children’s use
of web technologies, the studies are limited to children older than six years or are an
assessment of a specially set-up “technology” lab or classroom (Hyun and Davis, 2005),
or particular web portals, web sites or interfaces (Nir-Gal and Nur, 2003; Pelletier et al.,
2006). Limited studies have examined the everyday use of the web searching by young
children under the ages of six or seven (Turbill, 2001).
Our study addresses the critical need to investigate young children’s sites of
experience for web searching in the pre-school context. The study draws on
understandings that children actively and competently manage their social interactions
with one otherand with adults (Danby and Baker,1998, 2000; James et al.,1998).Thisisa
particularly useful construction given thebody of literature that points to children, even
young children,using web technologies if they havethe opportunity (Calvert et al.,2005).
Despite the rapid increase in children use the internet at younger ages (Wartella et al.,
2005), childrenunder the age of six are often excluded fromstudies of children’s internet
use. There is limited data on how childrenin this age group use web searchengines. Our
study offers an empirically based account of web searching by young children.
The most comprehensive research of young children survey studies of media use by
children aged between six months and six years (Marsh et al., 2005; Rideout and Hamel,
2006). Some 25-30 per cent of children under the age of six, use the internet at home, in
the UK and USA, with the most popular web sites related to television programmes
(Marsh et al., 2005). A recent Australian survey of children’s leisure activities, including
internet use,collected data from children overfive (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006),
and a large study on internet use in Australianhomes only included children aged eight
to 13 (NetRatings Australia, 2005). Children’s internet use was examined in the UK
(Facer et al., 2003; Livingstone and Bober,2004) but the children were over nine yearsof
age. Downes (2002) included children as young as five in studies of computers in
Australian homes, but the report does not specify younger children’s usage.
Recent information and communication technologies (ICT) studies of early childhood
education have focused on computer software use and “new technologies” such as
programmable toys and interactive whiteboards (Hayes and Whitebread, 2006). In the
1980s and 1990s, ICT studies were about computers and various new technologies
emerged. Studies examining young children’s computer use and interaction in the
classroom are largely restricted CD-ROMs use, including educational and creative
JDOC
66,2
192
To continue reading
Request your trial