I think it is very important for students to have experience learning online before they graduate high school.
Educational games are one of the easiest ways to encourage students to spend time online and review their skills.
Webquests are a great way to get kids started using the internet. They can be created for any topic or any age level. They can provide students access to the internet in a very limited, focused way. They are a great way for students to learn basic internet functions while exploring quality online resources. One of the best pedagogical strategies to use with webquests is simulation and problem solving. The task gives students a problem to solve, question to answer, or project to complete and then gives students resources to use to complete the assignment. Webquests are also great for scaffolding since they are created in a number of steps that can be more complicated as the learner moves through them.
Wikis and blogs are another great way to expose students to the internet. However, they should be used for students who already have some internet knowledge and typing skills. They are a great way to encourage collaboration and discussion about any topic. They can be used for students to give examples (deductive learning), to students to collaborate to make sense of an idea (inductive learning), and to scaffold learning by pushing students to answer questions and question each other.
Podcasts and Videocasts can be used in very simple or more complex ways. A teacher could simply provide the resource to students as another example of what they are learning (deductive learning). A teacher could also ask students to find resources to support their learning or their position on a topic (inductive learning). More advanced students could be asked to create their own podcasts or videocasts to demonstrate their learning.
I think I would be less likely to use RSS Feeds, Learning Management Systems, and Electronic Portfolios because they require more technical expertise or decision-making by the user, and my students are elementary students who would not be ready for that.
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI also teach elementary students. I agree that some of the online learning experiences are too advanced for younger students. However, as you mentioned there are so many other opportunities available for students to use the internet as a learning resource. I agree that WebQuest are a great tool for elementary students. They are learning content but at the same time they are learning how to use the internet and how to find resources on it. I think that WebQuest are a great place to start introducing technology into the classroom.