A little learning is a dangerous thing

     Technology is on the rise. As a result, misinformation has also become a significant issue. It has never been easier than today to access information on any device and look up answers to a multitude of questions. The problem is that some of the information that we see isn’t always the most accurate. Often, we type in a question and take the first answer as the truth. A significant issue with that is that people can usually find a way to make their answer fit your question. By skewing the numbers or wording, a person can present a “fact” that is based on misinformation (Middaugh et al., 2022). 

It is no different when looking at published works. A research student might examine a paper and see that it has been published, using that fact to lend it validity. Issues might arise if the student doesn’t explore the numbers or facts behind the statements being portrayed. If a research study has only a few participants, it doesn’t provide an accurate representation of what is being shown (Bardwell, 2025). Ultimately, to obtain accurate facts, it is essential to conduct thorough research from the outset.

We need to take this knowledge with us when we are finding an answer to a question. It isn’t about getting to the answer fast. It is about getting to the correct answer. Ensuring there is sufficient data to support the overall answer is just as important as the answer itself. The only way to ensure that we gather the correct information is to do enough research to make the answer valid.


Bardwell, G. (2025). Paradigms, values, assumptions and debates regarding ‘proper’ qualitative research. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, 30(1), 46–47. https://doi.org/10.4103/cjrm.cjrm_88_24 

Middaugh, E., Bell, S., & Kornbluh, M. (2022). Think before you share: Building a Civic Media Literacy Framework for everyday contexts. Information and Learning Sciences, 123(7/8), 421–444. https://doi.org/10.1108/ils-03-2022-0030 





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Replacement or Enhancement

       No one can deny the importance of technology in today's society. It is difficult to find any job or activity that doesn’t require some level of technology to be added to it. In the classroom, many schools and students have one-to-one devices. This has introduced technology into the everyday lives of students. However, a common use of technology hasn’t enhanced the learning process, but only replaced the pencil, paper, and books that would have been used instead (Vahedi et al., 2019). The problem with this is that the technology being used in the classroom isn’t being utilized as the tool intended to be. Instead, it is just a replacement for something already available.        Technology can individualize learning. By utilizing technology properly, students can receive learning designed to enhance the lesson at a level they are most likely to succeed. By using technology in this way, students will likely be more engaged, increasing the learn...
Read more

Digital Citizenship Responsibilites

                We live in a new digital era. Everything related to technology is constantly changing. With these changes come new dangers. With limited knowledge of technology, an individual can steal a person's information, track actions, or utilize technology to bully another person anonymously (Nikolaou, 2021). It is for that reason that digital citizenship has become an invaluable tool in today's society.             Technology has provided society with a fantastic tool that has made work easier, helped us learn new things, and revolutionized the possibilities that we can achieve. However, with every tool, it must be used correctly. When social platforms first became popular, what a person posted was relatively private. Now, however, anyone with a digital device can find almost any information that has ever been posted about someone else. That is why it is es...
Read more