Better knowledge with good research
When it comes to growing up in the digital world, we usually only talk about the negative aspects of the internet. In doing so, we sometimes forget the fact that the information age is a wonderful gift. Never before has so much knowledge been available to us all.
As a reminder: In the past, if a child wanted to find out something, their parents were the first point of contact. If they didn't know the answer, they would consult the family encyclopaedia together. However, the information was usually cryptically brief or the encyclopaedia was already out of date. Today, the internet is available to us in all its abundance and is also incredibly fast, up to date and free of obstacles. To find information, all you have to do is use a search engine.
But what do you do when Google & Co. only need a measly 0.29 seconds for the term «entropy», but then spit out 2,910,000 results? So let's talk about research.
What is a search anyway?
In general, this refers to the search for a wide variety of information from analogue and digital sources. Research is part of information literacy. This is possessed by those who, among other things, get to the bottom of a topic in a clever and results-orientated way in order to subsequently evaluate the search results in a targeted manner. From a legal point of view, it is good to know how and where a text passage may be used.
Even more important, however, is the question of whether the facts are credible and correct. After all, the real art of research lies above all in verifying sources. In my opinion, schools and the media are currently limiting this skill a little too much to the issue of fake news - as if the verification of information would only serve to uncover digital lies. That would be nonsense.
Why does research have to be learnt?
Checking sources is something fundamentally positive and always important. We all know the satisfying feeling when we find exactly what we were looking for. And nobody wants to share written or verbal content with others that is incorrect.
Researching helps children and young people to form their own opinions. They can form their own point of view.
This applies not only, but especially, to everyday learning. That's why it's right that children today learn how to use this powerful research tool at school. After all, using it is a key skill that is indispensable for the education and personal development of children and young people. They will need it for the rest of their lives.
What do children and young people learn?
It doesn't matter whether children and young people have to do research for a presentation at school or whether they are highly motivated to pursue their own interests. In any case, they must learn to filter out the information that is relevant to them and check its usefulness.
Research ...
... serves to deepen a wide range of topics;
... accompanies children from primary school through to education, university and work;
... promotes critical thinking because children learn to analyse, reflect on and evaluate their results in a differentiated way;
... leads to improved self-confidence. Approaching a subject independently and being able to understand and comprehend it for yourself makes you independent;
... helps children and young people to form their own opinions. They can form their own point of view. They will benefit from this beyond school.
Where can I find the right information?
Searching the web is very convenient with smartphones and computers. When searching the internet, precise formulations for search engines and AI programmes are particularly important in order to achieve good results. Specific questions limit the search radius better than individual keywords. Podcasts and documentation can also help.
But as convenient as internet research may be, a visit to the public library provides more accurate and reliable results. This is where children and young people can find information from newspapers, magazines, books, reference works, maps and much more.
Objects and equipment, such as a microscope, can also be borrowed from the so-called Library of Things. These educational centres also have expert staff on hand who are highly trained in research. With a mix of web and library, every child can get a comprehensive picture of a subject.
What should be paid particular attention to?
A major challenge is finding the right balance in research and keeping the focus. An older professor of molecular biology once told me about the research of his younger colleagues. They would only consult the internet. They then came across things that they hadn't even been looking for and were happy with them.
An important piece of advice is therefore not to be satisfied with the first thing you find. This is not helpful. But the opposite often doesn't help either: if you collate too much material, you end up with a huge mountain of information and don't know where to start.
Copy-and-paste and alternatives
- What about cheating? Of course, the internet also tempts people to cheat. However, texts copied from Wikipedia and Chat GPT are quickly recognised as cheating by today's teachers with a trained eye.
- What about traps? Children need to recognise filter bubbles, identify fake experts and have an antenna for false information. They should also be able to distinguish between facts and opinions.
- Is it just the internet and the library? No, it can also be helpful to ask a real expert about a topic from time to time.
What is the value of good research?
We adults are constantly doing our own research. A purchase decision is no longer made in a shop alone, but after careful analysis online. We look things up often enough when it comes to travelling or financial matters. At work, we might also prepare a presentation.
So we know the value of research. That's why children need our support to become strong. The industry has long since stopped looking for kippers and yes-men, but people who are hands-on, creative and approach problems in a pragmatic and solution-orientated way.
