#2089. Understanding The Internet

Computer, level: Senior
Posted Sun Dec 24 20:53:06 PST 2000 by Chris Delmar (disc2chris@aol.com).
The Internaut Training Academy
University of San Francisco, San Francisco
Materials Required: Personal Computer, Internet Connection, paper and markers
Activity Time: 2 hours per lesson x 10 lessons = semester
Concepts Taught: Navigating The World Wide Web

Unit Theme: Understanding The Internet

Grade Level: Middle and Upper School
(7 - 12th grades)

Length of Unit and Time Needed: Allow 2-3 hours for the successful completion of each lesson. The entire unit can be taught in one semester or spread out over a whole school year

Materials: - a PC or Mac workstation, individually
or in groups
- a notebook to use as a manual
- drawing paper and markers
- trace map world atlas for map-making.

Note: It is recommended that teachers place students in pairs or in small as well as large groups to complete these lessons. The purpose of the manual is to record reflections, comments and answers elicited during the lesson and should be used as an individual assessment tool. Unit assessment can be determined based upon successful completion of each lesson's DO activity.
Follow the Optional Link URL to the online lessons.These lessons aspire to be constructivist and project-based in theory. To this end they seek to broaden a student's understanding of The Internet by asking them to use The Internet itself to accomplish small tasks and projects. Each lesson is partitioned into three sections. In the THINK portion of each lesson students are encouraged to confront their preconceptions and misconceptions about the topic of the lesson. THINK can be assigned as homework or pre-lesson activity. In the RESEARCH section students hunt down the specific information they need to answer questions raised during an examination of existing concepts in THINK. RESEARCH asks students to confront their pre-existing assumptions by comparing them to authoritative web-based resources on the subject. Finally, the lynchpin task of each lesson is the DO activity where students reinforce new information, ideas and concepts by successfully applying them during authentic, collaborative project-based activities. Students should be encouraged to explore new avenues of learning and periodically go "off-task" if it is in the genuine pursuit of their answers. Teachers should monitor and encourage students to apply new ideas where and when they surface in a productive,collaborative
and relevant manner.