Developing Critical Internet Literacy Skills: Blog Evaluation for Information Quality

Vol. 3 No. 1

Year: 2007

Issue: Jun-Aug

Title: Developing Critical Internet Literacy Skills: Blog Evaluation for Information Quality   

Author Name: Gulsun Kurubacak   

Synopsis:   

The main purpose of this study is to develop the Internet literacy through The Theory of Communicative Action for critically evaluating information quality. There is an imperative need for a new approach of online communications that will transform social actions through communicative action. By concentrating on global values, ethics, norms and feelings, open and flexible discourse through The Theory of Communicative Action enables the unquestioning foundations for critical and dialogical discussions. Communicative action, therefore, can coordinate action through consent as a result of discourse. In addition, the critical Internet literacy can guarantee every individual life and freedom meaning safety of person, the established liberty of speech and equal opportunity. In this context, the lifeworld as a crucial part of communicative action can develop and become valid based on communication, not manipulation. This is a Praxis Research, collecting useful knowledge derived from reflection on experience. The author is to find a proven method of enhancing the Internet Literacy skills of youth. As part of the study, she is testing a radical way to help youth about how to read, understand, and critically evaluate the information they find online, through a mutual model of the Theory of Communicative Action. How to discuss and analyze major aspects of the Internet becoming knowledgeable about Web sources, online communications, the researcher seeks how to youth can realize radical changes in racial hierarchy, include patterns with disparate amounts of political power, and rely on goodwill to build and maintain cohesiveness. The guidelines for identifying biases provided by the Safe School Coalition’s (2003) and modified by the researcher provided youth with a checklist for discussing information quality on the net. Based on the main purpose of this study, eleven youth aged 15-19 utilized this checklist to equip with new visions of the Internet resources in September 2007.