How to enhance critical thinking at university through online skills: information assessment and netiquette

One of the key skills to cope in an increasingly complex world is critical thinking. The advent of the internet and artificial intelligence has further increased the need to develop critical thinking skills, especially among young people. University students study, communicate and have fun using the internet, although they do so in different ways. In this sense, it would be interesting to know to what extent evaluating information on the Internet can facilitate the development of a more stable critical thinking disposition. Given the lack of studies that assess this, the aim of this research is to analyse whether behaviours such as assessing the reliability of online information and netiquette, both of which require assessment of information on the Internet, predict a disposition to critical thinking, and also in a gender-differentiated manner. A total of 415 student teachers aged between 17 and 36 participated. Using multiple linear regressions, the results show that assessing the veracity of online information, especially in boys, and netiquette, especially in girls, predict willingness to think critically. Educational implications are discussed, especially for future teachers.