Students’ Reasoning on Searching Scientific Information Online:

Accelerating digitalization actualizes the importance of secondary science education in developing students’ digital abilities, such as retrieving and appraising scientific information online. However, there is little research and policy guidance on the purposes and challenges of teaching digital abilities in science classrooms. This article reports on a mixed-methods study that explored how upper secondary school students in Sweden reasoned about their digital abilities when searching for scientific information online. The results reveal three key themes: the role of scientific terminology in improving search accuracy, as students noted how precise terms yielded more credible results; the need for deliberate search strategies, including using questions or keywords depending on the context; and, the impact of selective exposure, as students became aware of how personalized results could reinforce existing beliefs and limit perspective diversity. Based on these insights, we introduce the concept of ‘digital versatility’ and outline a model, Digital Versatility in Online Searching (DVOS), that integrates essential digital abilities (source literacy, information abilities, and search abilities) with scientific subject knowledge. The DVOS model provides guidance for teachers in instructional planning and offers a basis for future research on digital abilities in science education.