Accessing Information on the Internet
by Ariel Summers
1. Course Title: ED 360
2. Content: Students will learn how to access information on the Internet.
3. Behavioral Objective: Given about 5 minutes, students will each be able to find information on a given topic on the Internet, evaluating the source for credibility.
4. Rationale: Students are required to complete many types of research. Knowing how to effectively use the Internet can save students valuable time. There are many shortcuts and particularly helpful sites. Knowing just a few of these, as well as how to evaluate sites in terms of validity and how to cite on-line sources can greatly help students with research papers.
5. Instructional Procedures:
1. Our class will already be in the computer lab. I will begin by explaining that the Internet is one of the fastest and most extensive tools available to us as students and educators. Although it can seem overwhelming, just knowing a few basic concepts and methods can open up a world of information.
2. As we are all affiliated with Moravian College, our best Internet resource is Reeves Library. The concept I cannot stress enough is that librarians are experts in the research field. They are the greatest resource any of us have. So after we enter the library or computer lab, what's the first thing we need to do? Find an open computer.
3. Let's see what you already know. Raise your hand if you know how to log on here at Moravian. Great. How many of you have used the Internet before? Okay. The first step is to make it to the Internet. We can do this in one of two ways here. In the library, immediately after logging on, on the start screen, is an icon that says "library homepage." We can double click on this icon and go right onto the Reeves Library homepage on the Internet. If you are using a computer in the computer lab or one in a residence that's hooked up to the campus network, you need to click on start, drag up to Network Applications, drag over to Netscape Navigator, and double click. You can get onto the homepage from anywhere on the Internet by typing the address in the "Go to:" box at the top of the screen and hitting return. Once on the Moravian homepage, you'll see the words "Reeves Library." Double clicking on these words will put you onto the library's homepage.
4. On the left side of your screen will be blue rectangles. 4 of these are great on-line resources. MOSYS is an electronic catalog of all the books, periodicals, and other materials that Reeves owns. Once you click on this, it is fairly self explanatory. The next two boxes are Electronic Databases and Electronic Journals. These are both great resources for finding articles and books from different databases and publications. These are a little tricky; you may need the librarian's help.
5. The next rectangle reads "Internet Reference Sites." This is where our library's homepage really shines. Once you choose this box, you are presented with a list of all types of subjects, from news to science to humanities. In each area are several web pages, or links, that contain information on the particular subjects or ways to search the subjects.
6. One of the topics is actually "Internet Searching." This contains about five links to web pages. One that I found particularly helpful is the "Librarian's Guide to the Best Information on the Net." It shows sites by major, web subject indexes, a reference desk, hot paper topics, and it's own way to search the web. It also has a section on internet resources that includes internet training. It recomments HotBot as its favorite search engine. I know that several high schools prefer HotBot as well. The web page also recommends AltaVista and Yahoo! as well. Some of its tips for researching on the web include keeping phrases short and exact when using HotBot or title searching. It stresses the importance of evaluating the source in terms of who sponsors the site, who maintains the site, when it was last updated, and when its links were last verified.
7. Back on the Reeves homepage, you can browse through other library's catalogs or check out links and web pages for a vast amount of topics. Another topic that's extremely helpful for students, teachers, and researchers is "Citation Sources." This section has several pages that deal with citing on-line sources in papers using different styles. There is a link to MLA style for citing electronic sources, an invaluable tool for research papers.
8. Searches can be performed by clicking on Search in the gray area towards the top of the screen. This box remains visible regardless of what homepage you are on. When you choose "Search," you will need to choose a search engine. HotBot, Altavista, Yahoo!, Lycos, Magellan, and Excite are just a few of the available search engines. Sometimes, you will know the on-line address of a particular site or company. Simply type this in the "Go to:" box and hit return. You'll be taken right to the site.
9. The Internet is not impossible to use. Alot of it is self-explanatory, and even more can only be mastered through trial and error. The number one rule to remember is this: if you don't know, ask for help. This sounds so simple and logical, but many people are embarrassed to click on help or ask someone for assistance. Don't agonize alone and confused; ask for help.
10. Now, split into groups of two and three and find an open computer. I'll come around and give each of you a question. You'll have five minutes to find the answer to the question. Use the methods I talked about today, starting off from the Reeves Library homepage. When you're done, tell me the answer as soon as you find it and keep track of how you found it.
11. Great job. Everyone found the answers to their questions. I hope this has given you some good information and plans for your next research project.
6. Evaluation Procedures: Students will be evaluated bases upon their ability to answer given questions.