Finding and checking – learner digital skills toolkit

Learners should know how web browsers and search engines work and how this might affect their search results. They should also understand that anyone can publish anything on the internet and that they should check the reliability and integrity of any information they find.

They should be able to use ‘common apps’, such as Edge, Chrome or Safari browsers and be able to use the search bar, or a search site, to find information using search phrases and controls to make the results more accurate.

This learning covers Experience and Outcome x-02a. 

back to digital literacy

skills for finding and checking

“The ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. It empowers us as citizens to reach and express informed views and to engage fully with society.” – CILIP Information Literacy Group

go to the Cyber Toolkit for advice and guidance on Information and Media Literacy

Where to start

This section focuses on the knowledge and skills that learners need to find and evaluate the reliability of online information. 

BBC Bitesize has useful information on how technology stores and shares information and how it can be used to communicate. Go to BBC Bitesize

GCF Global has a range of tutorials on using the Microsoft O365 and Google Workspace productivity suites. Go to GCF Global

 

 

What next? (for teachers)

Building on the previous digital knowledge and skills, digitally literate learners should take a critical approach to the information they find online and consider the accuracy and validity of the information, as well as who created it and their reason for doing so. This aspect of digital literacy can be considered Information and Media Literacy and cuts across a wide range of curricular areas.

Teacher who want to know more, might find these links useful:

An in-depth analysis of What children are watching online and why can be found here at Ofcom

Home Page 1 – Media and Information Literacy Alliance (mila.org.uk)

Media and Information Literacy | UNESCO

What next? (for learners)

The Ferret Fact Service is a Scottish fact-checking service and accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network. Go to the Ferret Fact Service

Project Real is a series of lesson plans and resources for six lessons, each focussed on the government SHARE guidelines and covering a different element of online misinformation.  Go to Project Real

Microsoft Teams Search Coach is useful to help learners evaluate the reliability of search results. Go to Microsoft Search Coach

project real resources

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