Guidelines for Planning Successful Internet Classes

• Teach students to navigate the web as part of, or prior to, the lesson. Make sure they can use the standard buttons, navigation buttons and the links within the document.

• Everything on the Internet is not true. Teachers and students should evaluate web sites for validity before using them as resources. (Evaluating Quality on the Web)

• An Internet class should be structured. Students do not benefit from simply "surfing" or "searching " the web without a purpose. Have a definite lesson plan with goals, objectives, and procedures. Provide students with a handout listing the objectives and instructions for the lesson. 

• Search engines can be very frustrating to use and information is not always easy to find. Teach students how to use search engines effectively before using them as part of an Internet lesson. (How to Use Search Engines)

• Internet addresses change constantly. Be sure to test all sites included in the lesson. Make sure they load properly and contain reliable information and appropriate material.

• The present filtering system blocks many valid internet sites for various reasons. They are also blocked at various levels. Teachers have less restrictions than students. You may be able to successfully reach a site at home or at school that is blocked for students. Try to test the site by having a student log on prior to the lesson. Contact the Technology Department to unblock any site that you need.

• Sites that move quickly when tested alone in the lab or at home will not necessarily move quickly when a whole class is trying to access the site. Plan for this by having a number of alternate sites available and allow each student or pair of students to access different pages.

• If a site takes an extraordinarily long time to load or has problems loading, click Stop and move on to another one.

• Using a different computer or browser can change the way the site looks.

• The Internet is always slower in the afternoon because of the Internet traffic. When possible, try to schedule your time accordingly.

• Allow students to work in pairs at one computer.

• Be flexible. Technology does not always work. Always have alternate lesson plans available.

• The Internet is great but it is not always the best way to teach the material. Make sure it is the best resource for your purpose.

Teaching with the Resources of the Internet
Cool Sites
Teacher Resources