Online Experience for Grades K-12

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. 

WebQuests

There are many challenges to consider when creating online products used to teach children, such as WebQuests and educational websites.  First, it must be appropriate to the child’s reading level and current level of understanding of the topic.  Next, it must be user-friendly.  This means that students need to be able to navigate simply and without help.  It is also important to be sure that the information and links are up-to-date.  Information also needs to be presented in an interesting, engaging format without being too distracting from the objective. 

Here are some WebQuests I have found that would be useful for a Library Media Specialist:

http://www.barnstable.k12.ma.us/mme/news/studentinvestigations/WebQuests/dewey/index.html

This is a WebQuest about the Dewey Decimal System for 4^th-6^th Grade students.  I am currently learning to teach students about the Dewey Decimal System.  This WebQuest is entertaining and user-friendly.  It gives students an overview of the Dewey Decimal System as well as explanations of each  level.  Students learn through deductive instruction since they are looking for specific information and writing it down, rather than completing a project or doing analysis. 

http://www.longmeadow.k12.ma.us/ws/dewey/

This is another WebQuest to teach about the Dewey Decimal System.  It is designed for 5^th grade.  The introduction really gives students a problem to solve- the library was accidentally knocked down and students need to write a manual for volunteers to put the books back in order.  The process is broken down so different groups work on different parts and the final product will be a book students create using a word processor or other publishing program.  This WebQuest also uses deductive instruction since it requires mainly information gathering and requires students to present the information in a new way. 

http://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/teachers/epes/kgeorge/Web%20Quest/frogandtoad.htm

This is a WebQuest to help students connect literacy (Frog and Toad books, by Arnold Lobel) to science (frog and toad facts).  Students are told that Frog and Toad are fighting and they need to help by showing them how they are alike and different.  Students first read some stories, then work with a partner to explore websites to learn about frogs and toads. The project is to create a poster about frogs and another about toads.  I like this WebQuest because it presents a great way to help students make connections between fiction and non-fiction.   Students learn through a deductive process, but are then required to do analysis of the information to compare and contrast the information they gathered.