The influence of text production on learning with the Internet

The findings of two studies with students doing research with the Internet about topics in science are reported. The focus is on students’ methods of text production when using external web-based information and their learning outcomes. In a first exploratory study, the computer-based text production of 45 students was analysed using log files. Two types of students were identified with respect to the ways they used information obtained from the Web: Compilers usually copied text from web sources into their own essays. They lacked adequate cognitive processing of the collected information. Authors created original text and scored significantly higher in posttests. A follow-up study with 133 students verified parts of the hypothesis that writing with external sources of information has epistemic effects. However, students with basic writing skills and little prior knowledge benefited most from writing tasks.