‘It Goes Around the World’ : Children’s Understanding of the Internet

This is a sel -a chi ed e sion o an o iginal a icle. This e sion may di e om he o iginal in pagina ion and ypog aphic de ails. Au ho (s): Ti le: Yea : Ve sion: Copy igh : Righ s: Righ s u l: Please ci e he o iginal e sion: CC BY-NC 4.0 h ps://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ ‘I Goes A ound he Wo ld’ : Child en’s Unde s anding o he In e ne © 2019 Au ho (s) Published e sion Eskelä-Haapanen, Si pa; Kiili, Ca i a Eskelä-Haapanen, S., & Kiili, C. (2019). ‘I Goes A ound he Wo ld’ : Child en’s Unde s anding o he In e ne . No dic Jou nal o Digi al Li e acy, 14(03-04), 175-187. h ps://doi.o g/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2019-03-04-07 2019 RESEARCH PUBLICATION Copy igh © 2019 Au ho (s). This is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons CC-BY-NC 4.0 License (h ps://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). No dic Jou nal o Digi al Li e acy h ps://doi.o g/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2019-03-04-07 ‘I Goes A ound he Wo ld’ – Child en’s Unde s anding o he In e ne Si pa Eskelä-Haapanen Senio Lec u e , Depa men o Teache Educa ion, Uni e si y o Jy äskylä, Finland h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0001-5500-9182 si pa.eskela-haa[email p o ec ed] Ca i a Kiili Pos doc o al ellow, Depa men o Educa ion, Uni e si y o Oslo, No way Facul y o Educa ion and Cul u e, Tampe e Uni e si y, Finland h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0001-9189-4094 [email p o ec ed] Abs ac The In e ne has become an impo an li e acy en i onmen , e en o child en. The e o e, building he ounda ions o hei c i ical engagemen wi h online in o ma ion should s a when hey i s en e school. One way o s a is o help child en build an unde s anding abou he complexi ies o he In e ne en i onmen . The p esen s udy aimed a inc easing ou knowledge abou child en’s unde s anding o he In e ne as a echnical and social en i onmen . I also explo ed how child en pe cei e he us wo hiness o online in o ma ion. The pa icipan s included 30 child en aged 7–9 yea s. The child en we e in e iewed and he da a was analysed using con en analysis. We sha e he esul s om he ollowing pe spec i es: 1) child en’s unde s anding o he In e ne as a complex en i onmen ; 2) child en’s pe cep ions o he bene i s and isks o he In e ne ; and 3) child en’s pe cep ions o he us wo hiness o online in o ma ion. The implica ions o de eloping ins uc ion o educa e c i ical eade s a e discussed. Keywo ds C i ical eading, digi al li e acy, p ima y school, In e ne , epis emic cogni ion In oduc ion A an e e -inc easing ea ly age, he In e ne has become a signi ican medium o child en’s eading, lea ning, pleasu e and social in e ac ions (Danby e al., 2013; Da idson, 2009; Li ing- s one & Bobe , 2004; Tho pe e al., 2015). Child en’s inc easing eliance on he In e ne as a sou ce o in o ma ion and a si e o in e ac may ha e many implica ions o hei physical, cog- ni i e, social and beha iou al de elopmen (Ka z & Rice, 2002; Sub ahmanyam, G een ield, K au , & G oss, 2001; Yan, 2006), including bo h oppo uni ies and isks o hei g ow h (Li - ings one & Bobe , 2004). The e o e, helping younge child en unde s and he en i onmen in which hey a e in e ac ing (e.g. Da idson, 2009) and o deal wi h he a ious quali y le els and pu poses o online in o ma ion is essen ial (Leu, Kinze , Coi o, Cas ek, & Hen y, 2013). Howe e , p e ious esea ch has shown ha child en ha e li le unde s anding o he online wo ld, and some pa en s seem o hink ha his is no impo an (Li ings one, Masche oni, D eie , Chaud on, & Lagae, 2015). Child en o en go online on mo e pe sonal and mobile de ices, making i di icul o pa en s o guide hei online ac i i ies. This Vol. 14, No. 3–4-2019, p. 175–187 ISSN Online: 1891-943X SIRPA ESKELÄ-HAAPANEN AND CARITA KIILI176 emphasises he ole o schools and eache s, along wi h pa en s, o build child en’s unde - s anding o he echnical, social and c i ical aspec s o he In e ne . Fi s , i is necessa y o gain an unde s anding o how child en unde s and he In e ne and pe cei e he quali y o online in o ma ion. This s udy seeks o cap u e younge child en’s unde s anding o he In e ne as a complex echnical and social en i onmen . I also seeks o unde s and how child en pe cei e he us wo hiness o in o ma ion ound on he In e ne . Unde s anding he Technical and Social Complexi ies o he In e ne The In e ne e e s o he global in o ma ion sys em ha is logically linked oge he by a globally unique add ess space ha enables a ious se ices, such as he Wo ld Wide Web, e- mail, ile sha ing, and media s eaming (Leine e al., 2009). The In e ne is a echnically and socially highly complex sys em wi h mo e han 3.5 billion use s wo ldwide, and an inc easing numbe o people a e p oducing new con en o be accessed by o he use s (In e ne Li e S a s, 2017). Yan (2006) poin ed ou ha he In e ne ’s i ual, connec i e and open na u e makes i challenging o young child en o unde s and i . He u he s essed ha child en’s unde s anding o he echnical and social complexi ies o he In e ne may enhance hei pos- i i e use o he In e ne and p o ec hem om po en ial nega i e expe iences. Child en’s ages, he quan i y o hei online expe iences, and he amoun o ime hey spend online a e ela ed o hei unde s anding o he na u e o he In e ne (G een ield & Yan, 2006; Yan, 2006). Yan’s (2005) s udy e ealed ha almos all child en aged 5 o 10 yea s old only possess a minimal o pa ial unde s anding o he echnical and social complexi ies o he In e ne , whe eas app oxima ely one hi d o 11 o 12-yea -olds each a mo e sophis i- ca ed le el o unde s anding. Simila ly, Mu ay and Buchanan (2018) ound ha among he 33 child en aged om 10 o 12 pa icipa ing in hei s udy, mos had a limi ed echnical unde s anding o he In e ne , and hey mos ly desc ibed he In e ne h ough ac i i ies ha i enables. Howe e , a ew s uden s had ini ial ideas o he global na u e o he In e ne . When age had an e ec on child en’s unde s anding o bo h he echnical and social aspec s o he In e ne , he equency o In e ne use had a small bu signi ican e ec only on unde s and- ing i s social aspec s (Yan, 2006). Yan (2006) also ound ha a echnical unde s anding o he In e ne seems o ad ance child en’s unde s anding o i s social complexi y bu no ice e sa. Bene i s and Po en ial Risks o he In e ne The In e ne has democ a ised he access, p oduc ion and dis ibu ion o in o ma ion, ena- bling he global sha ing o ideas, cul u e and c ea i e p ocesses (Bha ga a & Kla , 2017). Fo younge child en, he In e ne also o e s ma e ials and ools o lea ning, en e ainmen and communica ion (Li ings one, 2003). Along wi h many posi i e consequences, he In e ne also poses po en ial isks, especially o child en. Acco ding o Valcke, De We e , Van Kee and Schellens (2011), hese isks can be ela ed o con en (inapp op ia e con en , w ong in o ma ion), con ac s (cybe -bullying, sexual solici a ion, p i acy) and comme - cialism (exploi a ion, unwan ed collec ion o pe sonal da a). In spi e o child en’s inc easing use o he In e ne , Valcke e al. (2011) ound ha he le el o pa en al and eache con ol o e i s use dec eased om 2005 o 2009 (see also Nikken & Schols, 2015). Some s udies ha e cla i ied child en’s pe cep ions o he In e ne ’s bene i s and po en ial ha m ul e ec s (Li ings one, Ki wil, Pon e, & S aks ud, 2013). In Yan’s (2005) s udy, i e o 177NORDIC JOURNAL OF DIGITAL LITERACY | VOL. 14 | NO. 3–4-2019 eigh -yea -old child en said ha he In e ne helped hem wi h lea ning, bu hey we e no able o name any nega i e in luences. Howe e , some olde child en we e able o desc ibe some nega i e implica ions o he In e ne . Also, Dodge, Husain and Duke (2011) obse ed ha mo e han hal o he child en in hei s udy (5–7 yea s old) could no speci y nega i e issues ela ed o he In e ne , and hey had a e y limi ed unde s anding o i s po en ial dange s. Founda ions o C i ical Reading on he In e ne Al hough an eno mous amoun o aluable and imely in o ma ion is a ailable on he In e - ne , i also con ains in o ma ion a ying in au ho ship, pu pose and quali y, and e en mis- leading in o ma ion (Flanagin & Me zge , 2008). This highligh s he c i ical ole o epis emic cogni ion when engaging wi h online in o ma ion (Ba zilai & Zoha , 2012; S ømsø & Kam- me e , 2016) as indi iduals’ belie s and hinking abou knowledge and he p ocesses o knowing may o m a ounda ion o c i ical eading and hinking (Ho e , 2016). When selec ing and acqui ing in o ma ion online, indi iduals need o conside he us wo hiness and accu acy o he abundan in o ma ion ha is a ailable (Ho e , 2004; Mason, A iasi, & Bold in, 2011). The ole o he c i ical e alua ion o online in o ma ion is highligh ed in a - ious app oaches conce ning eading and lea ning om online in o ma ion, such as new li - e acies (Leu e al., 2013), in o ma ion li e acy (Bawden, 2001) and media li e acy (Li ing- s one, 2004). Consequen ly, e o s o each s uden s, including hose in he uppe -elemen- a y g ades, how o c i ically e alua e sou ces ha e been on he inc ease (Kuipe , Volman, & Te wel, 2008; Macedo-Roue , B aasch, B i , & Roue , 2013; Paul, S ad le , & B omme, 2019). Because o he unique ea u es o he In e ne as an in o ma ion en i onmen , esea ch- e s ha e sugges ed ha bo h eading and lea ning online in ol e In e ne -speci ic epis emic belie s (e.g. B å en, S ømsø, & Samuels uen, 2005; S ømsø & Kamme e , 2016). Thus a , s udies on In e ne -speci ic epis emic belie s, conce ning aspec s, such as ce ain y o knowledge on he In e ne and jus i ica ion o knowing, ha e only in ol ed adul s o olde s uden s (S ømsø & Kamme e , 2016). In o he con ex s, such as lea ning science, his o y o language a s, epis emic cogni ion has also been s udied among elemen a y school s u- den s ( o e iew see Bendixen, 2016). These s udies ha e examined, o example, child en’s belie s abou he na u e o knowledge and jus i ica ions o causal claims using a ious me hods, e.g. in e iews, su eys and class oom obse a ions. Bendixen (2016, p. 290) s a es ha esea ch in he lowe g ades ‘may p o ide impo an insigh s in o he o igins o epis emic cogni ion.’ Simila ly, we belie e ha unde s anding child en’s hinking abou knowledge and he p ocesses o knowing on he In e ne would be aluable o unde s and- ing he o igins o In e ne -speci ic epis emic belie s. In addi ion, his unde s anding would be bene icial o de eloping ins uc ion ha builds on child en’s unde s anding o he qual- i y o in o ma ion on he In e ne . P esen S udy The aim o he p esen s udy is o gain knowledge abou child en’s unde s anding o he In e ne . The esea ch ques ions a e as ollows: • Wha a e child en’s unde s andings o he In e ne as a echnical and social en i onmen ? • How do child en pe cei e he bene i s and isks o he In e ne ? • How do child en pe cei e he us wo hiness o in o ma ion on he In e ne ? SIRPA ESKELÄ-HAAPANEN AND CARITA KIILI178 Me hod Pa icipan s The pa icipan s we e 30 child en aged om 7 o 9 yea s old (17 gi ls and 13 boys) om one p ima y school in a subu ban a ea o Finland. The school is pa o he uni e si y se ing as a aining school o p e-se ice eache s. We selec ed his school because he i s au ho ac ed as a supe iso o p e-se ice eache s, and he e o e, he child en we e amilia wi h he . This, in u n, helped he i s au ho o c ea e a wa m and con iden ial ela ionship wi h he child en du ing he in e iews ha we e used as a da a collec ion me hod. The child en we e andomly selec ed om he i s , second and hi d g ades, 10 om each g ade. Thus, he child en ep esen ed he lowes g ades whe e he ocus is on eaching basic skills. Gua dians illed in a consen o m, ag eeing o hei child’s pa icipa ion. Bo h he child en and hei pa en s we e awa e o he pu pose o he s udy. Child en we e also in o med ha hey we e ee o wi hd aw om he in e iew any ime. In e iews We chose o in e iew he child en in o de o cap u e hei own unde s anding o he In e ne and ake hei iews se iously (see Ede & Finge son, 2001). When in e iewing young child en, we mus ecognise hei abili ies o exp ess hemsel es. Du ing he in e - iews, i is also essen ial o p omo e in e ac ional adul -child p ocesses (Danby, 2002; Danby, Ewing, & Tho pe, 2011). The child en we e in e iewed indi idually in a quie co ne o he co ido ou side he class oom. The in e iewe ied o build a wa m ela ionship wi h each child by cha ing wi h him o he o a while be o e add essing he in e iew ques ions. The in e iewe also encou aged he child en o answe in hei own wo ds. The in e iews we e semi-s uc- u ed, and open-ended ques ions ga e he child en an oppo uni y o exp ess hei own unde s anding abou he In e ne . The in e iewe only asked p omp ing ques ions i a child had di icul ies exp essing him o he sel (see Danby, 2002). I a child was no able o answe a e p omp ing ques ions, he in e iewe emphasized ha his was o ally accep - able and p oceeded o he nex ques ion. I a child had di icul ies o answe mul iple suc- cessi e ques ions, he in e iewe asked whe he he child would like o end he in e iew. These p ocedu es we e ollowed o make su e ha child en did no eel p essu ed. The in e iew ques ions conce ned he ollowing a eas: • The In e ne as a echnical and social en i onmen : – Wha do you hink he In e ne is? – Whe e is he In e ne ? – How does in o ma ion come o he In e ne ? • Bene i s and disad an ages o he In e ne : – Is he In e ne use ul? Please desc ibe. – Could he In e ne be ha m ul? Please desc ibe. • T us wo hiness o in o ma ion on he In e ne : – Is e e y hing ue on he In e ne ? Why do you hink so? The leng h o he in e iews a ied om a li le o e wo minu es o se en and one-hal minu es. The child en’s answe s we e eco ded and li e ally ansc ibed om he audio- eco dings. The amoun o ansc ibed ex s o alled 26 pages. 179NORDIC JOURNAL OF DIGITAL LITERACY | VOL. 14 | NO. 3–4-2019 Da a Analysis The da a we e analysed using quali a i e p oblem-d i en con en analysis and induc i e easoning (K ippendo , 2013; Pa on, 2015). The analysis was conduc ed in ou phases. Fi s , a e a p o ound eading o he ansc ibed ex s, he esea che s ook e ba im ex s o ind analy ical pa hs o answe s o he esea ch ques ions. Second, heo e ical li e a u e and p e ious s udies on child en’s In e ne usage and hei unde s anding o he In e ne we e u ilised o deduce meanings om eme ged exp essions (Pa on, 2015). In he hi d phase, main meanings came in o p ominence h ough he in e p e a i e p ocess o ca e ul examina ion and cons an compa ison, which we e based on discussions be ween he wo esea che s. Finally, in he ou h phase, he main meanings we e educed o i s classi y hem o in e p e a ion by bo h au ho s sepa a ely and hen by syn hesising he main mean- ings oge he in o ca ego ies. Du ing he whole analysis, we paid pa icula a en ion no o o e -in e p e he child en’s some imes qui e sho exp essions. The analysis p ocess is illus a ed in Table 1. Table 1 An Example o he Analysis P ocess Conce ning Child en’s Answe s o Ques ion Wha he In e ne Is Ve ba im ex Meanings Main meanings Ca ego ies ID8: Well, i is in all compu e s. Yes, i is like you can do e e y hing . . . well, you can do impo an hings . . . pay all bills and so on . . . You can play and e e y hing and you can also download ideo games . . . and also . . . e e y hing and so on. (7- yea -old boy) The In e ne allows you o do many hings. You can pay bills on he In e - ne . You can play on he In e ne . You can download games om he In e ne . paying bills playing games downloading The In e ne as a se o p ac ices ID27: The In e ne is whe e you can play and wa ch e e y hing (9-yea -old boy) The In e ne allows playing and wa ching. playing wa ching ID2: Well, is i like some hing ha is, well, in he compu e ? When . . . o example, when i is Google, hen i is like, some hing like, well, I can’ eally explain i well, bu , i is a leas a hing, which is connec ed o compu e s. (7-yea -old gi l) The In e ne is in he compu- e . Applica ions can be ound on he compu e . The In e ne is connec ed o compu e s. compu e applica ion The In e ne as a de ice ID29: The e a e lo s o applica ions, o example, he e is Ch ome; Ch ome is one hing. Bu i you hink o example abou ou iPads, he In e ne is also on iPads. The e is Sa a i, Ch ome and Ma h King, and he e a e also games, and also, he e a e o he hings ha enable Book C ea o wo k. And hose hings we some imes use. (9-yea -old boy) The e a e applica ions on he In e ne . The In e ne is connec ed o he iPad and i s con en s. applica ion iPad con en s ID20: The In e ne is, well, in which is, well, ha , o example, i you go o Google, you can ind in o ma ion abou some hing, i , well . . . I ha e a ca and i I don’ know wha o do wi h he ca . . . And he e is also a on page he e, and hen you go om he e o ca s, and hen you sea ch i you wan o know some hing abou ca s o wha o do wi h hose ca s. (8-yea -old gi l) The e is in o ma ion on he In e ne . The e is on page. The In e ne gi es answe s. The In e ne gi es in o ma- ion. in o ma ion sys em ques ions answe s The In e ne as an in o ma ion en i onmen ID23: I you need, o example, a pic u e you can sea ch o he pic u e and you can upload i om he In e ne . The e a e also ex s, i you need o ha e ha ex o school o you subjec . Well, you can ind all he in o ma ion he e. (8-yea - old gi l) The e a e pic u es on he In e ne . The e a e ex s on he In e ne . The In e ne gi es answe s. The In e ne gi es in o ma- ion. ques ions answe s pic u es ex s in o ma ion SIRPA ESKELÄ-HAAPANEN AND CARITA KIILI180 Resul s Unde s anding o he In e ne as a Technical and Social En i onmen When he child en we e asked wha he In e ne is, hey seemed o unde s and he In e ne in h ee di e en ways: 1) he In e ne as a se o p ac ices; 2) he In e ne as an in o ma ion en i onmen ; and 3) he In e ne as a de ice. Al oge he , 34 exp essions we e iden i ied. Fou o he answe s included wo exp essions ha all in o wo di e en ca ego ies. The majo i y o he child en’s exp essions (47.1%) we e ela ed o se p ac ices ha he In e ne p o ides, such as gaming, wa ching mo ies o paying bills. The child en also qui e o en saw he In e ne as an in o ma ion en i onmen (23.5% o he exp essions) whe e one can ind, o example, pic- u es, ex s and commen s. Fu he , ewe child en (14.7% o he exp essions) hough ha he In e ne was a de ice. One exp ession (2.9%) did no all in o any o he a o emen ioned ca ego ies. Among all he child en, 11.8% we e unable o answe he ques ion. Wi h he ques ion, ‘Whe e is he In e ne ?’, we we e be e able o cap u e he child en’s unde s anding abou i s echnical aspec s. Table 2 shows he eme ged ca ego ies o unde - s anding wi h au hen ic examples, as well as he equencies o he exp essions ha all in o each ca ego y. The child en mos o en unde s ood ha he In e ne is in a de ice. The child en also app oached he ques ion by hinking o accessing he In e ne , ei he h ough an In e ne connec ion o elec ici y. Only one child e e ed o he global na u e o he In e ne , e lec ing he ini ial unde s anding o he In e ne as a ne wo k. One hi d o he child en could no answe he ques ion. Table 2 Child en’s Unde s anding o he In e ne as a Technical En i onmen by G ade Le el Fu he , we wan ed o cla i y he child en’s unde s anding o he o igin o he in o ma ion on he In e ne by asking hem how in o ma ion comes o i . Again, only a li le mo e han one-hal o he child en (53.3%) we e able o p o ide an answe o his ques ion. Se en chil- d en (23.3%) desc ibed he in o ma ion on he In e ne as esul ing om human ac i i ies such as w i ing o loading in o ma ion. One hi d-g ade s uden desc ibed his unde s and- ing in qui e a de ailed way: ‘Well, o example, people shoo ideos by hemsel es i hey a e playing o doing some hing else. And, hen, hey load he ideos o YouTube and hen, o he people can commen on hem. Then, he amoun o ideos inc eases all he ime, he amoun ’ (ID29, G ade 3). The abo e example shows ha a child has a leas an ini ial unde - s anding abou he cumula i e and social na u e o in o ma ion on he In e ne . Some chil- Numbe o exp essions by g ade le el Ca ego y Example 1s 2nd 3 d To al % The In e ne in a de ice I is in a elephone, in a able , and in compu e s (ID1, G ade 1). 6 4 2 12 40.00 The In e ne in ela ion o ele- c ici y I is whe e elec ici y is (ID6, G ade 1). 2 0 0 2 6.67 The In e ne as an access I is a hing no e e yone has. One has o buy i – he mobile connec ion (ID26, G ade 3). 0 3 2 5 16.67 The In e ne as a global en i on- men I goes a ound he wo ld and hen i is in e e y compu e (ID11, G ade 2). 0 1 0 1 3.33 Unable o desc ibe 2 2 6 10 33.33 To al 10101030100 181NORDIC JOURNAL OF DIGITAL LITERACY | VOL. 14 | NO. 3–4-2019 d en did no connec he o igin o in o ma ion o human ac i i ies, bu a he o elec ici y (13.3%), a de ice (10%) o space o a sa elli e (6.7%). Addi ionally, one child (3.3%) said ha in o ma ion comes om a i m. Pe cep ions o he Use ulness o he In e ne Th ee ca ego ies eme ged o desc ibe he child en’s unde s anding o he use ulness o he In e ne . The child en connec ed he In e ne ’s use ulness o: 1) lea ning (30.0%); 2) p ac- ices acili a ing daily li e (26.7%); and 3) en e ainmen (6.7%). Ou o all he child en, 11 (36.7%) we e unable o name any use ul aspec o he In e ne . In many cases, he answe was s ill ‘I don’ know,’ e en a e he in e iewe asked he child en o desc ibe hei unde - s anding in hei own wo ds. The lea ning oppo uni ies we e desc ibed, o example, h ough a knowledge gain, as exp essed by one second-g ade s uden : ‘Yes, he e a e qui e a lo o bene i s. Fo me, i is essen ial because we a e going o ha e a ki en. I ead a lo o in o ma ion on he In e ne abou b eeding ca s and e e y hing like ha .’ In addi ion, he same second g ade desc ibed he lea ning oppo uni ies om he pe spec i es o bo h adul s and child en: ‘Yes. I is use ul. I you a e, o example, an adul , you can s udy on he In e ne , and i you a e a child, you can play he e, o example, ma h lea ning games. And you can lea n he e’ (ID20, G ade 2). P ac ices acili a ing daily li e we e ela ed o sending e-mails, checking someone`s phone numbe , ans e ing money o paying bills. A second g ade desc ibed how he In e ne has changed communica ion and inancial p ac ices: ‘Yes. When we didn’ ye ha e he In e ne , we w o e e e y hing in le e s, and we had o ca y hem somewhe e (meaning he pos o ice) . . . E en he bills, we had o pay hem wi h eal money, and you had o deposi money in he bank. Now, you can pay he bills and execu e money ans e s online, and money goes ia he In e ne ’ (ID19, G ade 2). This ex ac sugges s ha his child, who was bo n in he age o he In e ne , has discussed he seminal ole o he In e ne om a his- o ical pe spec i e wi h an adul . Only wo child en e e ed o en e ainmen , and mo e p ecisely, gaming o e ed by he In e ne . Pe cep ions o he Possible Ha m ulness o he In e ne A li le mo e han one-hal o he child en exp essed (al oge he 17 exp essions) an issue ha could be ha m ul when using he In e ne . These exp essions ell in o ou ca ego ies: 1) ha m ul con en o communica ion (23.3%); 2) addic ions (20.0%); 3) heal h p oblems (10.0%); and 4) bullying (2.7%). Se e al child en we e awa e o he ha m ul con en o communica ion ha a pe son may encoun e on he In e ne . One hi d-g ade child desc ibed ha m ul con en as ollows: ‘Yes, could be. The e can be ound con en , well, some hing ha is no sui able o child en and ha kind o hing . . . Fo example, he e a e ho o s o ies and all so s o e ible ideos and ha kind o hing. And hen I ell my mom and dad, and hen hey ell me ha i ’s no ue . . . o some hing’ (ID24, G ade 3). Ha m ul communica ion was sha ed by a second g ade : ‘Yes, could be. My iend Ma (pseudo- nym) go a nas y message supposedly om some woman and ha woman o wa ded ha message o one o ou school’s six h g ade s, ha Ma ’s message . . .’ (ID16, G ade 2). The child en also e e ed qui e o en o addic ions ela ed o In e ne usage. This was desc ibed as ollows by one hi d g ade : ‘Yes, you see, i you a e all he ime on he de ice, and you a e hooked on i , you do no necessa ily eel up o doing any hing o he han ha ’ (ID30, G ade 3). Th ee child en we e also awa e o possible heal h p oblems (headaches, eyes ain) ha could esul om spending oo much ime on he compu e . Only one child men ioned bullying on he In e ne . SIRPA ESKELÄ-HAAPANEN AND CARITA KIILI182 Pe cep ions o he T us wo hiness o he In o ma ion on he In e ne As Table 3 shows, six ca ego ies o child en’s pe cep ions o he us wo hiness o he in o - ma ion on he In e ne eme ged. Table 3 also p o ides au hen ic examples o he s uden s’ answe s o each ca ego y. Among all o he child en, 80.0% exp essed some doub owa ds he us wo hiness o he in o ma ion on he In e ne (Ca ego ies 4 o 6), and 43.3% we e also able o p o ide a jus i ica ion o he exp essed doub (Ca ego ies 5 and 6). Some chil- d en’s (30.0%) jus i ica ions we e e y conc e e (Ca ego y 5). They e e ed o a speci ic example, such as an e en om hei own li e, o a speci ic ype o he con en . We also obse ed (13.3% o child en) some sophis ica ed jus i ica ions o doub (Ca e- go y 6), whe e child en, o example, e e ed o alse in o ma ion ha someone could sp ead, e en in en ionally, on he In e ne . One child was also able o jus i y his doub wi h he na u e o he In e ne , and mo e p ecisely, wi h he ac ha anyone can publish any- hing on he In e ne . The emaining 20.0% o child en did no answe , did no know o did no exp ess any doub (Ca ego ies 1 o 3). Mos o hese s uden s we e i s g ade s. Table 3 Ca ego ies o Child en’s Pe cep ions o he T us wo hiness o In o ma ion on he In e ne Child en’s g ade Ca ego y Desc ip ion Example 1s 2nd 3 d To al 1. No answe A child does no answe a all. 10% 0 0 3.33% 2. Do no know A child does no know. I do no know. 10 % 0 10 % 6.67% 3. Exp ession wi hou doub A child says ha e e y hing is ue. Yes. 30 % 0 0 10.00% 4.Unjus i ied exp ession o doub A child exp esses doub owa ds he us wo hiness o in o ma- ion on he In e ne bu is una- ble o jus i y i . Wellll... E e y hing is no ue. Well. I don’ eally know why (ID14, G ade 2). 20 % 30 % 60 % 36.67% 5. Exp ession o doub wi h a conc e e jus i i- ca ion A child exp esses doub owa ds he us wo hiness o in o ma- ion on he In e ne and jus i ies his o he doub wi h a speci ic example o wi h a speci ic ype o con en e.g. jokes, ho o s o ies. Wellll... No all hings a e ue. Fo example, some.. some ho o s o ies o ha kinds o hings (ID26, G ade 3). 30 % 30 % 30 % 30.00% 6. Exp ession o doub wi h somewha sop- his ica ed jus i- ica ion A child exp esses doub owa ds he us wo hiness o in o ma- ion on he In e ne , and jus i- ies his o he doub wi h he possibili y o sp eading alse in o ma ion on he In e ne o wi h he na u e o he In e ne as an in o ma ion en i onmen . No. Wellll... some guys jus w i e s ange hings ha a e no o ally ue. Fo example in Wiki- pedia. No e e y - hing is ue he e (ID17, G ade 2).No. No e e y hing. Because he In e ne is bi like, whe e any- one can publish any hing (ID15, G ade 2). 0 40 % 0 13.33% To al 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %