from BBC NEWS -- Net beats books with children
"Children apparently know more about the internet than about books, a survey suggests.
Six out of 10 youngsters questioned knew that "homepage" was the front page of a website - but only 9% could explain what the preface to a book was.
More than a third knew that "hardback" was a type of book, but 57% identified "hard drive" as part of a computer.
Children said they were regularly using the internet to help with their school work. "
I wonder what this study actually tells us. Knowing what a homepage is helps you navigate-- it's a term you have to learn to be able to use functionality. A preface is common in books for older kids, and not all books have them, and if you don't know what it is, it doesn't harm your ability to use the book.
I would have liked to see something on how books stacked up in leisure time... how does Harry Potter do against Yahooligans? Still, it's clear that the web is here to stay is a vital research tool for everyone from children to the scientists who spawned the beast.
Ceesar sent me a makeover of a newly designed 2 million euro website : ThinkTank. | Diseņo Centrado en el Ciudadano. (in spanish)