Make sure you view the README File for important information related to this course.

You must be organized- know ahead of time what you will be doing and plan ahead. Flexible – The Internet can be very unstable.  If the sites you had planned for your students to use are not available, make sure you have a back-up plan.  Have a plan ready if your Internet connection is not available at all. Creative – It takes extra time and effort up front to create Internet lessons and activities, but the motivation factor for your students makes it worth it. Patience – Slow connections, error messages on sites you just checked, model and teach patience to your students as well! Techno-Savvy – it’s a good idea to know enough about the equipment you are using and the software so that when things do go wrong (and they will), you will be able to restart, check connections, etc.  It’s a good idea to know just slightly more than your students!

How you have your classroom set up has an impact on how successful your Internet experience will be. If you have only one computer in the classroom, it should be located in a place where you will be able to see what is on the screen at all times. You should also make sure that it is located in a place where it will not distract the rest of the class. Another important consideration is access to electrical outlets and  your Internet connection, whether it is a phone line or Ethernet connection. The last thing to consider is whether or not your computer will be used as a presentation station – will you connect it to a television or projection device for whole class viewing? Setting up a good work station environment from the beginning can save you a whole lot of headaches at the end!

Students defining words using an online dictionary is not nearly as motivating as planning a trip around the world using the Internet as a resource.  Just because you have the Internet in your classroom doesn’t mean that students have to use it for everything.

Click on each of these links to view examples of different levels of Internet integration.

Just as any good lesson plan must have a clear purpose and objectives, so too must an online project. What is it you want your students to learn?  How does your activity fit into your curriculum framework? Choosing sites – Make sure you have pre-selected a few sites that match your objectives before the students get on the Internet.  Unless your objective is to teach them how to conduct a search, do that part for them.  Most of the major search engines allow businesses to “buy” the top ten hit spots, no matter what the subject area, and we can’t control what will come up when we conduct a search.  Having the sites pre-selected keeps the students much safer and also focused on the task at hand. Creating a bookmark file clearly labeled for your classroom is a good way to keep the links together that you want the students to use.  Another option would be to create a web page list of links for the students with the names of the sites and a short description of what they will find there.  The page doesn’t have to stored on a web server, it can just be on the hard drive of the computer, with the links taking them directly to the sites. If you do your planning and creating at home, make sure you take the time to recheck the activities and web sites on the computer in the classroom using the browsers that the students will be using.  Sometimes things that work on one computer don’t load properly or are not accessible on another.  Differences in software versions, computer hardware, and other factors contribute to your user’s experience on the computer. As always, check links to make sure they are still there when you go to use the activity.  Just because it worked great last year, doesn’t mean the site will still be there for now!

Learn the Net is a great site to use to brush up on your Internet skills.  Learn about e-mail, telecommunication projects, and a whole lot more at this very informative web site. If you will be having students conduct a search, teach them how before you turn them loose on the computer.  This is a great web site on how to make your searching easier, faster, and more productive. Make sure what you have the students doing on the Internet is purposeful and necessary.  Don’t just create busy work that could have just have easily been accomplished at their desks using the textbook.  Before beginning any Internet project, review the AUP with your class, make sure each student has received one and signed it, and also refresh their memories about netiquette.

Just as it was always so easy for students to simply copy out of the Encyclopedia, it is twice as easy for them to copy and paste information from the web.  Make sure you explain what plagiarism is and take the time to demonstrate how to take notes, rather than copying. Creating a bibliography to complete a project requires students to be able to cite Internet references.  This is a great handout to teach students the correct way to cite all electronic references, including e-mail! 

The building blocks of a successful project – A WebQuest.  Learn from the original at San Diego State University, Bernie Dodge.  Consistency in project design insures that students will always know what to expect and you will save yourself time when creating subsequent projects once you have the layout created for your first project.  Each section has a specific purpose and when all are put together, the project is complete.

Evaluation – make sure the students know what they will be graded on and how they will be assessed. The conclusion and the extension activities are designed for students to “go beyond” the basic learning of the activity.  These help them make the connection to their own lives and bring the project to a close.

The project evaluation is for yourself – What did you learn from this experience?  Would you do it again?

The best place to start is where you already are – use a tried and true lesson and turn it into an Internet project. These are three examples of projects I had created for my classroom before I even thought about using the Internet in the classroom.  By adding a few Internet links, changing the task and evaluation, I created very motivating online activities that keep my students on task. Review the projects and think about how you can turn your favorite activity into an online project.

Don’t feel like the Internet has to take over your teaching – it’s just another tool for you to use in your classroom, to whatever extent you are comfortable with are willing to try.  The possibilities are endless!