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Category: Project

Description: Over the past two decades, research on how children acquire knowledge through testimony has expanded, yet little attention has been given to the Internet as an information source, despite its widespread use at home and in schools. This study examines the preferences of 5- to 9-year-old children for the Internet versus teachers across three tasks: answering curricular and non-curricular questions, learning new words, and updating misconceptions. Results indicate that children are selective, favoring teachers for school-related content and the Internet for general knowledge. However, when no clear curricular distinction exists, as in word learning, their choices become inconsistent. Additionally, children resist updating misconceptions even when presented with accurate information, particularly younger ones (5–7 years). Older children (8–9 years) show greater openness to revision, but this tendency is independent of the source. Children perceive the Internet as more deceptive and teachers as more error-prone. The study discusses the limitations of research on testimonial learning in childhood and its educational implications.