No 25, February 2026

The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence and the pervasive presence of digital technologies underscore the importance of developing students’ information literacy, including their skills in online information searching (OIS). According to Quebec’s Digital Competency Framework, these skills encompass, among other things, the ability to plan an OIS, and to assess the credibility and reliability of the information retrieved. This study aims to provide a portrait of the perceived OIS skills of Quebec Secondary IV and V students, based on data collected from a province-wide survey on digital competency. While the majority of students reported feeling competent in conducting online searches, the observed variability suggests that the group is far from homogeneous. Some students perceived themselves as competent, yet their responses to other survey items were inconsistent with this self-assessment. We suggest that this discrepancy may be partly due to a lack of knowledge about effective search strategies—some students may mistakenly believe their approaches are optimal, despite the existence of more appropriate methods. Overall, the findings highlight the need to continue strengthening students’ training in online information searching.

The communities of inquiry dear to Dewey (1916/1990) are experiencing a revival with the advent of digital tools. Thanks to them, participants can interact remotely which, in the field of education, is likely to make them more autonomous. A scientific field is part of this movement: Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL). It defines the principles inherent in online collaboration, which is expected to benefit students in terms of reorganising their knowledge and discovering new ideas. Their choices tend to favour digital tools or devices that are conducive to the formation of small groups capable of fostering sustained discussions on common topics. Recent Studies have been examined in this regard. The methodologies adopted by the authors are of various types: qualitative and/or quantitative studies, social network analysis. These researches sometimes highlights the limitations inherent in the autonomy available to actors to interact online, hence the importance of teacher guidance to try to overcome this.