Internet
Tools
Many
web sites and web-based learning materials can serve as tools
to enhance and enrich student learning. These Internet-based tools
can be used to supplement and compliment existing lesson plans.
Internet tools commonly used for educational activities include:
- Search
Engines
- E-mail
- WebQuests
- Virtual
Field Trips
Search
Engine Activities
Search
engines can be used to locate information for many student activities.
There are a lot of search engines on the Internet and some are
designed specifically for student use.
Student
Activities Using Search Engines
- Monitor
the weather
- Read
the local, state, national, and international news
- Use
the Alabama Virtual Library
- Search
for product information
- Locate
additional information about topics covered in class
- Search
for additional information about current events
- Take
a free online course to learn more about a topic
- Search
for graphic images to enhance reports, stories, and poetry
- Search
for information about report topics
- Conduct
surveys to compare items around the world
- Look for
information about jobs
- Locate
hardware and software reviews
E-Mail
E-mail
can be used for student activities that require the sending and
receiving of various types of messages.
Student
Activities Using E-Mail
-
E-mail other students in the school
-
Correspond with e-pals in classes in other parts of the country
- Collaborate
with students in a class in another school on a project
- Write monthly
reports about class activities and e-mail the reports to parents
- Correspond
with relatives of students who live in other countries
- Adopt a
senior citizen who uses e-mail to correspond with the class
- Turn in
class assignments by sending them as e-mail attachments
- Create
e-mail distribution lists
- Create
e-mail address books
- Organize
e-mail using folders
WebQuests
A
WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity that requires students
to interact with or analyze web-based resources about a specific
topic. The goal is for students to complete an in-depth investigation
about a specific topic and create a project that demonstrates
their understanding of this topic.
WebQuests
should have six components:
- An
introduction to set the stage and provide background
information about the topic.
- A
task that is doable and interesting.
- A
set of information resources for students to
use to complete the task.
- A
description of a process for students to follow
ask they strive to accomplish the task.
- Guidance
about how to organize the information that is found.
- A
conclusion to bring closure to the WebQuest.
WebQuests
can be used for student activities that require the use of higher
level thinking skills, such as:
- Analyzing
and classifying
- Comparing
and contrasting
- Inducing
and deducting
- Problem
solving and decision making
- Critical
and creative thinking
Student
Activities Using WebQuests
- Compile
information
- Solve
a mystery
- Design
a product
- Design
a plan
- Build
consensus
- Persuade
others to believe a specific point of view
- Make
judgments about a controversial issue
- Have
students create a WebQuest
Virtual
Field Trips
A
virtual field trip is a pre-planned visit to the web site of a
place of interest to accomplish specific educational objectives,
rather than a visit to an actual place. Virtual field trips can
provide opportunities for students to get a feel for a place and
see what it is like without actually being there. Students can
gain experiences and bring back facts and information.
A
plan for a Virtual Field Trip should consist of the following
components:
- Topic/theme
of trip
- Purpose
of trip
- Specific
objectives
- Specific
web sites to use/visit
- Preparation,
materials, or people needed
- Assignments
- Extra
equipment needed (projectors, TVs, longer cables, etc.)
- Follow-up
evaluation
Student
Activities Using a Virtual Field Trip
- Create
a multimedia presentation about the experience
- Write
a report
- Create
a travel brochure
- Design
a poster
- Develop
a travelogue
- Write
a newspaper article
- Present
a simulated newscast
- Estimate
the cost of an actual trip including travel, lodging, and food
- Research
the weather or the climate
- Explore
other web sites for information about the physical location
- Check
for possible traveler’s warnings and medical requirements for
that area
- Research
area food and recipes
- Research
area demographics
Suggestions
for Elementary Classes:
- Create
tickets for the Virtual Field Trip for the students
- Simulate
virtual transportation by rearranging the furniture and dimming
the lights
- Assign
jobs to students such as ticket taker, fight attendant, and
pilot
- Provide
an orientation to the physical location prior to “landing”
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(1995). Webquests: A technique for Internet-based learning. Distance
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(2001). FOCUS: Five rules for writing a great webquest. Learning
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& Burgess, B. (2001). V-trip travel guide: Classroom strategies
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