Bullshit detection
So on wikipedia it says that I created the universe in my image. True or false? Also, developing a common sense (I guess it’s not really a “common sense” then, huh?…do we have an english word for “should-be-common-sense”?) about parody websites, expertise versus novices, etc.
Why? Although this is an off-web problem as well, I have a sense that it’s made worse by the internet because the number of authors is greatly increased and the barrier to authorship is lowered.
Why not? It’s an off-web problem as well. Also, it involves advanced social skills (eg: understanding “why would someone create a parody website of this company?”) to be able to fine-tune it.
General search
Find the information that you need. This is less about Google-syntax than it’s about knowing how to go from problem (“Apparently if you flush a toilet too often in a row, it can overflow. So…. how do I stop the exploding mess of awfulness that is currently happening in my bathroom?”) to solution.
Why? Once this skill is achieved, a lot of the other skills (“how do I make html tables?”) can be self-taught.
Why not? At first glance, there’s not a lot of general knowledge here; a lot of it is today’s-technology specific.
Bullshit Detection – Life skill. Really, it might be made worse by lowered barriers, but I don’t think this is something that should be included in the definition of web literacy. I mean, if a person doesn’t understand parody, irony, or sarcasm…well, they’ve got bigger problems than being web literate, right?
General Search – Important skill. I can find ANYTHING on the web (including stuff I made up), but I’ve seen a lot of my students that really do not know how to search. Seems so elementary, but I’ve seen it lead to serious frustrations and misunderstandings.