Information and Media Literacy of Polish Children According to the Results of “Children of the Net” and “Children of the Net 2.0” Studies

Abstract

No empirical multidimensional research investigated media and information literacy (MIL) of Polish children and youth until 2012. To fill that gap, we executed two projects: “Children of the Net: Communication Competencies of Children” (2012) and “Children of the Net 2.0: Communication Competencies of Youth” (2013). This paper presents our research findings. The studies aimed to identify the MIL level in students aged 9-13 and 13-16, respectively, and to explore competencies development contexts. We adopted a qualitative approach called a methodological bricolage which was described by Denzin and Lincoln. Central to the studies was competence assessment based on a structured qualitative interview (group 9-13) and a survey (group 13-16). Other research tasks based on different methods referred to the common framework, i.e. our MIL model. The findings provided knowledge about actual MIL competencies in the studied groups and helped establish where particular MIL competencies develop and children’s attitudes to new technology-mediated communication are shaped.