Using the internet to find useful information for the teachuing and learning process

Content
Accuracy:
• Error-free information
• Current information
• Updated frequently
• Recent "last" update
• Objective, balanced presentation of information
• Bias-free viewpoints and images
• Correct use of grammar, spelling, and sentence structure
• Primary out link (link that takes you to additional site) content is relevant, authentic, and appropriate
• Authority
• Expertise/reputation of author/designer
• Contact information for author/designer
• Expertise/reputation of host site
Appropriateness:
• Concepts and vocabulary relevant to students' abilities
• Information relevant to the North Carolina K-12 curriculum
• Interaction compatible with the physical and intellectual maturity of intended audience
Scope:
• Information of sufficient scope to adequately cover the topic for the intended audience
• Logical progression of topics within original site (site being evaluated) and primary out links
• Information offered not easily available in other sources
Technical Aspects
Navigation:
• Ready access to site; site not overloaded
• Images load within reasonable time frame
• Intuitive icons, menus, and directional symbols that foster independent use
• In-links (links that take you to locations within the original site) that allow easy navigation throughout the site
• Standard multimedia formats
• Logical options for printing/downloading all or selected text and graphics
Presentation:
• Site follows good graphic design principles
• Screen displays uncluttered and concise
• Captions, labels, or legends for all visuals
• Legible text and print size appropriate for the intended audience
• Graphics and art functional, not merely decorative
• Information presented through text, motion, still images, and sound
• Information presented in a manner to stimulate imagination and curiosity
• Product advertising not intrusive

USING WIKIS TO FACILITATE TEACHING AND LEARNING

What is Wikis?
At its simplest expression, a wiki is a web page that anybody can edit. The spirit behind the original wiki idea is that any user of the World Wide Web could now read and write at the same time using their web browser, therefore simplifying the web editing process.
Figures 1 represents a traditional web page editing and publishing process, where the author pushes content to a passive crowd of internet users. Figure 2, on the other hand, illustrates what a wiki web page is: a page that is readable and editable by every user.Typical Usage of Wikis (What Wikis Are Good For)
Wikis are used to support a large number of different activities. Here are some of the most common ways wikis are used.
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Brainstorming: When starting a specific project or a creative process, participants are invited to add items and thoughts on a wiki. They are also asked to link all these random thoughts and concept together in order to stimulate creativity.
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Group project: A wiki can act as a private intranet for a specific group project so all participants can communicate, share resources (including texts, videos, spreadsheets, links, etc.), and write a report or a book together.
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Meeting support: An agenda for a specific meeting is posted on a wiki and participants are invited to consult and edit it prior to a meeting. The wiki is edited during the meeting to include was discussed. Participants can later use the wiki to post missing information or follow‐up items. This technique is also very useful for training, presentations, and birds of a feather sessions during conferences.
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Make lists: From a list of best restaurants in town to a glossary of terms used in a specific field of expertise, a wiki is a great way to organize this kind of content. In the same spirit, wikis can also be used to build an online repository of relevant documents or FAQs.
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Collections of links: Wikis can be used for social bookmarking. They give to all participants the possibility to post, comment, group, and classify links of all nature or in a specific field of expertise.
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Writing a collective letter, position, statement, web content: When writing something that is intended for an official legal instance, to clients, to upper management or to the general public, a wiki is an excellent tool to reach a consensus, define key ideas, and write down the content to be clear and non‐offensive.
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Building a group portfolio: Any organization can use a wiki to post past projects, testimonials from clients, history of the organization, etc. This kind of portfolio is a powerful marketing tool. Page

using digital story

Digital storytelling is a powerful tool for both teachers and students. The concept provides teachers and students with the opportunity to express themselves in a personal and creative way. Digital storytelling provides students with the necessary skills to develop and express their thoughts and ideas and to use technology to enhance them. They are at the same time weaving all the structures of traditional story writing into the process. The digital storytelling strategy can be used to (a) introduce a lesson, (b) enhance students’ understanding of difficult concepts, (c) engage students in discussion and integrate multimedia into the curriculum and thus appeal to the different ways in which individuals receive information.

Webquest

What is a Web quest?

A Web quest is an assignment students complete using the Internet to research a specific topic. A Web quest can be printed on paper, presented in a PowerPoint, or on the Internet itself.

Why use a Web quest?

A Web quest is a valuable tool to use with students. It allows students to work at their own pace either individually or in a team. A Web quest is a fun, research based tool to help students learn more detailed information about a specific topic being studied and creates a greater sense of importance for that topic. Web quests also provide variety in the classroom routine, help students improve their internet and researching skills, and provide excellent opportunity to explore and learn.

Characteristics of a good Web quest

A good Web quest helps students learn about a specific subject as part of a greater

Framework. It must have a “hook”, something that interests students and be age appropriate. Additionally, a good Web quest should also be highly visual, easy to use, relate to the students, and have a built-in assessment mechanism. Most importantly, a Web quest must have purpose and direction. Knowing ahead of time the answers to some important questions will really help the process along.

• What do I want my students to learn from the web quest?

• Why is this information important?

• How does this information fit into the overall curriculum for this unit and

Correspond to the state core?

Resources for a Web quest

It is imperative that the Internet sites used for a Web quest are accurate and of the highest quality. It is best to use websites that are designed for educational purposes so that you can control the content your students are accessing. Having a sound list of resources before you start designing a Web quest will be invaluable throughout the process. Using websites that end in .edu, .org, .k12.us, or .gov will be some of the most valuable for you and your students.

A quick list of Internet sites

www.teacherfirst.com

www.surweb.org

http://pioneer-library.org/

www.google.com (advanced search

USING INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS TO SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Overview

Internet tools can be categorized under four broad headings:

(a) Information search and retrieval,

(b) Communication and collaboration, (c) management of information and (d) publishing.  This session will focus on the Internet as a tool to search for information which can be used to support lesson planning, enhance instructional activities, and promote student learning. You will therefore use a range of Internet search tools to locate suitable instructional resources. You will be required to explore a variety of websites taking note of the features that can facilitate the attainment of specific learning outcomes. You will also be required to develop a lesson activity on how you can use the web-based resources in a lesson.

1.    A Web search engine is a tool designed to search for information on the World Wide Web. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. The information may consist of web pages, images, information and other types of files.

i.        General – Google www.google.com and Yahoo www.yahoo.com

Visual – Cuil www.cuil.com  and  Viewzi www.viewzi.com

Using Powerpoint to Enhance Learning.

PowerPoint is a complete presentation graphics package. It gives you everything you need to produce a professional-looking presentation. PowerPoint offers word processing, outlining, drawing, graphing, and presentation management tools- all designed to be easy to use and learn.

The following gives you a quick overview of what you can do in PowerPoint:

• When you create a presentation using PowerPoint, the presentation is made up of a series of slides. The slides that you create using PowerPoint can also be presented as overhead transparencies or 35mm slides.
  
• In addition to slides, you can print audience handouts, outlines, and speaker's notes.
  
• You can format all the slides in a presentation using the powerful Slide Master which will be covered in the tutorial.
  
• You can keep your entire presentation in a single file- all your slides, speaker's notes, and audience handouts.
  
• You can import what you have created in other Microsoft products, such as Word and Excel into any of your slides.

Now that you know what features PowerPoint offers it's time to learn how to work in PowerPoint.

Three Benefits of Technology Integration In the Classroom

What is Technology Integration?

Technology integration in K-12 education requires students to actively use technology, not just view technology-based content created by their teachers. The goal of technology integration is for teachers to apply the use of technology in a seamless manner so that it supports and extends curriculum objectives and engages students in meaningful learning. Teachers should strive to make technology a part of everyday life in the classroom, while using it to enrich learning activities. They should not use technology just to use it. They should find ways to use it so that it enhances instruction and improves student learning. The focus of technology integration activities should not be on the technology that is used, but on the student activities that are conducted using technology. Technology integration does not happen by accident. Teachers must learn how to incorporate student use of technology into meaningful activities in their lesson plans. There is a learning curve to becoming proficient in technology integration, but once the skills are learned and activities are identified and located or developed, teachers find that technology can actually reduce preparation time.

Why is Technology Integration Needed? Education leaders have recognized the importance of students learning how to use technology and have enacted new technology standards that require teachers to integrate the use of technology into the curriculum for every subject. They have seen the great need for K-12students to learn to use technology as a part of their daily lives in order to prepare themselves for a future filled with technology. Almost all workers in business, industry, government, and education are now required to use technology. The technology skills and knowledge that students gain in the classroom will create a foundation for the technology skills and knowledge they will need in the future. There are many reasons technology integration is needed in education. Robyler (2003) compiled a list of reasons why technology should be used based on current research. Elements of a Rationale for Using Technology in Education

1. Technology provides motivation for students by:

•       Gaining learner attention

•       Engaging the learner through production work

•       Increasing perceptions of control

2. Technology offers unique instructional capabilities, such as:

•       Linking learners to information and educational resources

•       Helping learners visualize problems and solutions

•       Tracking learner progress

•       Linking learners to learning tools

3. Technology gives support for new instructional approaches, such as:

•       Cooperative learning

•       Shared intelligence

•       Problem solving and higher level skills