Selecting Information Using the Internet
This subtopic introduces learners to the fundamental skills of locating reliable information online. Learners will explore how to recognise credible sources, such as official websites and verified platforms, and avoid unreliable ones. They will also develop practical search techniques to find specific data effectively, a critical skill for academic and everyday digital tasks.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The Open Awards Entry Level Award in IT User Skills (Entry 3) (RQF) is designed to equip you with essential digital literacy skills, making you more confident and competent in using technology for everyday tasks. This qualification focuses on practical application, ensuring you can effectively use common IT tools and software. It's not just about knowing *what* IT is, but about demonstrating *how* to use it to achieve specific outcomes, whether that's creating a document, sending an email, or finding information online safely.
Mastering these IT user skills is incredibly important in today's digital world. From applying for jobs and communicating with friends and family to accessing online services and managing personal information, digital competence is a fundamental requirement. This award helps bridge the gap for individuals who need to develop or formalise their basic IT skills, providing a recognised qualification that demonstrates your ability to navigate the digital landscape effectively and securely.
This Entry 3 award serves as a foundational stepping stone. It fits into the wider subject of Digital Skills & IT by providing the bedrock of practical application upon which more advanced qualifications (like Level 1 or Level 2 IT User Skills) are built. It ensures you have a solid understanding of basic computer operations, internet usage, communication tools, and common office software, preparing you for further education, employment opportunities, or simply enhancing your personal digital independence. It's a vocational qualification, meaning it focuses on skills directly applicable to work and life.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →**File Management:** Organising, storing, retrieving, and deleting files and folders effectively on a computer or network drive.
- →**Internet and Email Use:** Safely and efficiently searching for information online, using web browsers, sending and receiving emails, and managing contacts.
- →**Word Processing:** Creating, editing, formatting, and printing documents using software like Microsoft Word, including basic text manipulation and layout.
- →**Spreadsheet Basics:** Entering data, performing simple calculations, and formatting cells in spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel.
- →**Online Safety and Security:** Understanding and applying measures to protect personal data, identify online risks (e.g., phishing), and use IT responsibly and securely.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Know how to identify valid sources of information on the Internet2. Be able to search for information on the Internet
- 1. Know how to identify valid sources of information on the Internet2. Be able to search for information on the Internet
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for identifying key indicators of source validity, such as author credentials, date of publication, or site domain (e.g., .gov, .edu).
- The learner should demonstrate the ability to use search engines effectively by entering relevant keywords and evaluating the relevance of search results.
- Credit should be given for explaining why a particular source is or isn’t trustworthy, referencing criteria like bias, accuracy, or currency of information.
- Award credit for correctly identifying at least three features of a reliable website (e.g., clear authorship, date of last update, domain ending like .gov or .sch).
- Award credit for performing a successful internet search using relevant keywords and opening an appropriate result.
- Award credit for explaining why a chosen source is trustworthy in simple terms, such as 'it is from the school website'.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Always check a website’s ‘About Us’ or ‘Contact’ page to assess its authority and purpose before using it as a source.
- 💡Use specific keywords and, where appropriate, simple search operators (e.g., quotation marks for exact phrases) to refine your search results.
- 💡Before the assessment, practice evaluating sample websites against a simple checklist of reliability criteria (e.g., who wrote it, when, and why).
- 💡Practice searching for everyday information like local bus times or supermarket opening hours to become familiar with search engines.
- 💡When evaluating a website, check if the information is up to date and if the author is named, not just the website name.
- 💡**Read Instructions Carefully and Completely:** For practical tasks, examiners look for precise execution. Don't rush; take time to understand every part of the instruction before you begin. Missing a small detail, like saving in a specific format or naming a file correctly, can cost you marks.
- 💡**Demonstrate, Don't Just State:** This is a practical qualification. If asked to show you can save a file, actually save it. If asked to send an email, compose and send it. The assessment is about your ability to perform the actions, so ensure your work clearly shows you've completed each step as required.
- 💡**Practice Under Timed Conditions:** Many assessments are task-based and may have time limits. Regularly practice common IT tasks (e.g., formatting a document, attaching a file to an email, organising folders) to build speed and accuracy. This will help you manage your time effectively during the actual assessment.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Assuming all information found online is trustworthy without checking the source or authorship.
- Using vague or overly broad search terms, resulting in a large number of irrelevant results.
- Neglecting to verify the date of information, which can lead to reliance on outdated data.
- Assuming the first search result is always the best or most accurate.
- Using a whole question as a search term instead of picking out key words.
- Not looking at the web address to check if the site is official (e.g., .gov, .org).
- **Misconception:** Entry 3 means I only need to know how to turn a computer on and off. **Correction:** While basic operation is covered, Entry 3 requires you to *apply* skills to complete specific tasks, such as creating a formatted document, sending an email with an attachment, or performing a targeted internet search. It's about demonstrating practical competence, not just awareness.
- **Misconception:** I don't need to worry about online safety much, as long as I'm careful. **Correction:** Online safety is a crucial component. Students often underestimate the importance of strong passwords, identifying suspicious emails, and understanding privacy settings. The qualification expects you to actively demonstrate safe practices and knowledge of common online threats.
- **Misconception:** I can just guess my way through the software tasks. **Correction:** While exploration is good, the assessments require you to follow instructions precisely and use specific features of the software (e.g., using 'Save As', inserting a picture, applying bold formatting). Familiarity with the software interface and its functions is key.
Revision Plan
How to revise this topic in 1–2 weeks
- 1**Week 1: Foundations & Word Processing:** Start by reviewing basic computer operations and file management (creating folders, saving, opening files). Then, dedicate time to word processing: practice typing, editing text, changing fonts, sizes, and colours, and inserting simple images. Complete practice tasks that involve creating and formatting a short document.
- 2**Week 1: Internet & Email:** Focus on safe and effective internet usage. Practice searching for specific information using keywords, navigating websites, and understanding basic browser functions. Then, move to email: practice composing, sending, receiving, and replying to emails, including attaching files. Understand how to manage your inbox and contacts.
- 3**Week 2: Spreadsheets & Online Safety:** Begin with spreadsheet basics: entering data into cells, using simple formulas (like SUM), and formatting cells. Ensure you can create a basic data table. Conclude by thoroughly reviewing online safety: identify common threats (phishing, viruses), understand strong passwords, and know how to protect personal information online. Discuss and apply safe practices.
- 4**Week 2: Practical Application & Review:** Spend time completing mock assessment tasks that combine multiple skills (e.g., find information online, copy it into a word document, and email it to someone). Review all the core concepts, focusing on areas where you feel less confident. Seek feedback on your practice work and refine your techniques.
- 5**Ongoing: Regular Practice:** Digital skills are best learned by doing. Continuously practice using the software and online tools. The more you use them, the more natural and efficient your actions will become, which is crucial for demonstrating competence in the assessment.
Exam Question Types
How this topic typically appears in the exam
- 📋**Practical Task-Based Scenarios:** You will be given a scenario and asked to complete a series of tasks using specific software (e.g., "Create a new document, type the following text, format the heading as bold and size 14, save the file as 'MyProject.docx' in the 'Documents' folder"). Advice: Follow each instruction meticulously and ensure your final output matches all requirements.
- 📋**Demonstration of Skill:** The examiner may observe you directly performing a task (e.g., "Show me how you would attach a file to an email" or "Demonstrate how to create a new folder"). Advice: Practice these actions until they are fluid and confident. Explain what you are doing as you go, if appropriate.
- 📋**Short Answer/Multiple Choice Questions:** While less common for the practical elements, there may be questions to assess your knowledge of concepts like online safety, file types, or basic IT terminology (e.g., "What is phishing?" or "Which of these is a strong password?"). Advice: Understand the definitions and implications of key terms, especially those related to safety and security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for OPEN AWARDS Selecting Information Using the Internet
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic familiarity with computers (e.g., turning a device on/off, using a mouse and keyboard).
- •Basic literacy skills (reading and understanding simple instructions and on-screen text).
- •Basic numeracy skills (understanding simple data in spreadsheets, following numbered steps).
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Know how to identify valid sources of information on the Internet2. Be able to search for information on the Internet
- 1. Know how to identify valid sources of information on the Internet2. Be able to search for information on the Internet
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