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Tips for Teaching with the Web
Student discovery, critical thinking, and technology integration are just a few benefits of using Explore More Web sites in your classroom. Review these suggestions for making the most of this online experience for your students.
1. Recognize the value the Internet can bring to the teaching/learning experience.
- Students improve learning efficiency.
- Teachers improve teaching strategies.
- Students become partners in the learning process.
- Teachers become chief learners.
- Students become producers of knowledge.
- Students/teachers will have virtually limitless resources.
- Students can move toward self-directed learning.
- Teachers can develop lessons and collaborate with other teachers more easily.
- Teachers can combine Internet activity with other computer applications.
2. Choose the appropriate time to use the Internet.
- Is the information needed time sensitive?
- Are various types of media needed?
- Is it more interesting on the Internet?
- Does the Internet provide first-hand information not available elsewhere?
- Is the Internet more convenient?
- Does it address the multiple intelligences and various learning styles?
3. Use the Internet with appropriate guidance.
- Anticipate problems.
- Plan each lesson.
- Provide guides to appropriate Web sites.
- Provide guidance on narrowing topics.
- Teach basic types of searches before actual searches (browse, hypertext, analytical).
- Focus on using information found on the Web rather than searching for the information.
- Support learners' use of information and higher-level thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
4. Apply the Internet resources to the learning/teaching experience.
- Use WebQuests, an inquiry-based activity using most (if not all) of the necessary information from the Web.
- Brainstorm questions/problems to be solved.
- Use Internet for remediation and challenge.
- Use Internet information for specific outcomes.
- Use email to link students to other students and to experts.
- Combine efforts into joint projects/group efforts.
- Focus on real-life applications of information (i.e., geography = historic sites).
- Cite sources of information.
- Evaluate/critique authenticity of information.
Sources:
- Journal of Staff Development, Fall 1998
- "How to Guide Students Through the Banquet on the Web" by Bob Vojtek and Rosie O’Brien Vojtek
- "Internet in the Classroom: Five Questions Discussed" by Neal Topp, University of Nebraska at Omaha http://ois.unomaha.edu
- "The Internet and the Elementary Classroom Teacher" from Western Hills AEA 12, January 1999
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