Site helps kids assess the Web's usefulness

Kids are being urged to be Net savvy by learning to assess for themselves the information they find on the Web. And a new Web site launched earlier this week by the Health Education Authority (HEA) is helping them do it. Called Quick – The QUality Information ChecKlist – it helps kids weigh up the validity of different sources of information. With a bunch of madcap characters to help out including Cyberquack the duck and the bearded Dr Bob this site is designed to help young people develop general critical awareness and information skills. According to the HEA, this free site helps kids decide whether the information they find on the Web is useful enough. They're taught to question everything they find on the Web. For example, is it clear who has written the information, is the info biased, does the site achieve its aims? "The sheer volume of information available can be overwhelming so it's vital that children's research and evaluation skills are sharpened when using the Internet for learning – be it in school, at home, in libraries or community services," said HEA head of multimedia, Cathy Herman. A similar site is being planned to educate adults – heaven knows, if they read The Register they might even need it. ®