- What did I find enjoyable about the Internet? (the up side)
- What did I find frustrating about using the Internet? (the down side)
- What search engines did I use? Which was more user-friendly and how so?
- What short cuts did I uncover that I will use next time to cut down on volume and time used in the search? (Two examples of discoveries are to: use inverted commas/single quote marks when using a search engine, as this gets you straight to the subject; using web programmes that search all the search engines at once.)
- What advise would I give to other Internet users to help them work smarter, not harder.
All of our lessons use the Internet to a greater or lesser extent, (except the last two which aim to synthesise the research experience). We feel that the Internet is a fun and exciting way to gather information, as well as an important skill to have. To aid students we have compiled this list that the teacher can use to help students learn from each Internet lesson. The whole class might compile tips for working wiser, or some such catchy title to display shortcuts on the Internet. This list could be displayed somewhere in the computer room to keep students aware that they can learn from each session.
Students should be asked to reflect on their experiences using the Internet so that they can work smarter, not harder, on the Net. The aim is to find better ways of working wiser, and therefore, after each encounter students might respond to such probes as: