Epistemic evaluation and comprehension of web-source information on controversial science-related topics: Effects of a short-term instructional intervention

This study examines the effectiveness of a short-term instructional intervention in the school context. The aim was to provide students with essential declarative knowledge on what to consider when evaluating the authoritativeness of Web sources, and the accuracy of their information. It also provided the opportunity to apply this declarative knowledge in a basic inquiry task on the controversial topic of the possible harm caused by mobile phones. Participants were 134 ninth graders, randomly assigned to the instruction or no-instruction condition. In both conditions the same multiple Internet sources, varying for authoritativeness and stance, were given for the basic and transfer (about GM food) inquiry tasks. Findings reveal that learners in the instruction condition outperformed the others in both the inquiry task of the instructional context and, more importantly, in the transfer inquiry task. These learners showed more appropriate navigation behavior and greater source evaluation, as well as better surface and deeper comprehension of the accessed information on GM food. In addition, prior knowledge moderated the latter. Theoretical and practical significance of the study is outlined.