Learning about abstract systems: Understanding children's journey in grasping internet principles across age groups in a mixed-methods experimental study

Abstract

Children frequently use the internet but often lack an understanding of its underlying principles. This contrast stems from the inconsistency between the internet's complex, invisible infrastructure and processes, and the familiar, user-friendly interfaces children interact with. This study investigates how children's knowledge of the internet evolves with age and whether targeted interventions can accelerate or alter this trajectory. We address four research questions: (1) How elaborate are children's preconceptions of the internet? (2) How much can instruction improve their understanding? (3) What forms of knowledge (everyday/scientific) are acquired through intervention? (4) Which incorrect ideas are resistant to change?

Using a convergent mixed-methods design, we examined 69 children across three age groups (Grades 4/5, 6/7, and 8/9; 9–15-year-olds) before and five months after a one-on-one, 45–60-min tutoring session. A no-intervention control group was included (n = 68).

Thematic and frequency analyses revealed: (i) fragmented initial understanding rooted in children's interactions with digital devices, consistent with previous studies; (ii) novel preconceptions, such as conceptualizing data storage in non-physical ways, e.g., “on a YouTube channel”; (iii) knowledge elevated due to instruction to a level comparable to that of peers two years older, aligning with how 9–15-year-olds spontaneously progress from intuitive understandings about visible aspects to more scientific comprehension of the internet's infrastructure; (iv) only modest resistance to change.

These promising findings suggest that interventions building scientific knowledge upon intuitive prior knowledge can effectively bridge the gap in understanding complex socio-technological systems like the internet, offering a blueprint for developing evidence-based curricula.