Exploring the roles of education and Internet search experience in students' Internet-specific epistemic beliefs

The main purpose of this study was to explore the role of education and Internet search experience in students' Internet-specific epistemic beliefs while searching for course-related information on the Internet. The Chinese version of the Internet-Specific Epistemic Questionnaire (C-ISEQ) was utilized to evaluate participants' epistemic beliefs regarding the uncertainty, complicity, and source of Internet-based knowledge as well as the justification of Internet-based knowing. A total of 1070 students with educational levels ranging from junior high school to undergraduate were surveyed. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships of education and Internet search experience with students' Internet-specific epistemic beliefs. In addition, the interaction effect between years of education and Internet search experience was recruited in the regression model to explore its correlations with Internet-specific epistemic beliefs. The results showed that years of education were positively correlated to uncertainty and source of Internet-based knowledge as well as justification of Internet-based knowing. Also, Internet search experience had negative relations with uncertainty, complexity and source of Internet-based knowledge; however, it was positively related to justification of Internet-based knowing. In addition, the interaction effect between years of education and Internet search experience was significantly linked to justification of Internet-based knowing. The results of this study highlight the importance of education in students' development of Internet-specific epistemic beliefs. Implications for further research and Internet-based instruction are discussed.