Internet-Based Curriculums
There are many things to think about when planning for an Internet-based curriculum. The Internet provides a medium in which one can research and share information and collaborate with others on a variety of fronts. This week we offer some food for thought on using the Internet in the classroom.
This Week's Tips
Encourage Active Learning on the Internet (Monday)
Organize Internet-based assignments that involve hands-on learning. To begin, encourage students to use Internet resources when completing daily and long-range research assignments. They can also produce documents and conduct peer assessment using its tools.
Explore the Web (Tuesday)
Use the Web to get energized about your teaching. Visit Web sites with teaching ideas, lesson plans, and other professional development information. Bookmark the sites you find most useful and make an effort to visit them regularly. Our
Web-Based Resources section is a good place to start for teacher-specific Internet resources.
Keep Internet Time Focused (Wednesday)
Keep students on-task by providing clear and specific directions for them to follow. Before class, bookmark the sites that should be used with the lesson. This allows students to focus on content, rather than undertaking a time-consuming search. Curriculum goals should guide the limited time your students have access to the Internet.
Encourage Safe Behaviors for Internet Use (Thursday)
Instruct students about what constitutes safe Internet use. While filtering programs and focused instruction can help keep students on-task and thus safe from inappropriate activity, be sure all students understand your rules for Internet use. Also, check with your central office to see if there are official policies regarding Internet use.
Internet for Curriculum-Based Collaboration (Friday)
Craft a collaborative class project with another teacher in your building. Using the Internet as a source of research material, have students forms groups to collect data on different facets of a curriculum topic. Extend their learning and skill sets by having them create and publish a Web site about the topic.
