Teens get frustrated with the net

Teenagers are losing their confidence because they don't know how to use the internet properly, new research has found. According to a report from Northumbria University, most teenagers lack the information gathering skills needed for using the internet efficiently. Dr Alison Pickard, a lecturer in research methods at Northumbria University, said her four-year research study into the subject shows that schools are not educating pupils about internet technology. "Schools are spending a fortune on computer facilities and access to the internet... while the internet is an amazing resource, kids need to be empowered with information literacy skills to be able to use the internet properly," said Dr Pickard. Dr Pickard argues that providing young people with the skills to search, retrieve and use information from the internet is essential. "I watched teenagers blame themselves because they were unable to find the information they were looking for. I watched their confidence gradually being eroded," said Dr Pickard. "If we are opening the floodgates of information we have to provide our young people with suitable survival equipment to help them navigate their way around." Dr Pickard observed, interviewed and conducted focus groups with 16, 13 and 14-year-olds from four schools in the North East.