Students need strategies for reviewing Internet search results.

My students consider themselves to be Internet experts. However, in my short time working with the class here is what I have discovered – they are not. They understand how to select search terms to find the information they need. However, when students are reviewing the list of search results their first and only strategy is to click on the first item at the top of the page. Their decision is based on the following logic – if a search result is at the top of the page it must be the best and, more importantly, if I click on the first item, I don’t have to read the rest of the page.

I am on Assignment 3 of TechnoJourney. So far, the students have taken an Internet safety test, been introduced to internet terminology, and explored the web browser tools. We have begun to learn search strategies.

The good news is that the Grade 3/4 students are able to select keywords to find resources on the Internet. They have no trouble typing an accurate search term into Google and locating a web page, picture, or video file that contains content related to their research topic. The bad news is they don’t know how to quickly review the results to select a good quality website from the list.

I believe one of the reasons they click on the first item is because they are applying the same reading skills they use with a book. They read from the top to the bottom, and from left to right. I need students to understand that this strategy is often not the best way to pick a website from the results list.

Since the students are eight or nine years old, their reading skills are limited. For this reason, Internet research can take a long time. Many students feel compelled to read the ENTIRE page of search results, pick an option from the list, and then read the ENTIRE web page – often only to realize the page does not have the information they need. To use the instructional time more efficiently students require strategies.

Strategies for Reviewing Internet Search Results

1. Skim the Title: Typically, the title is similar for almost all the items on the first page of search results. This is because the search engine matches the title to the keyword. With the titles being similar it can be difficult to make a selection. Encourage your students to skim the titles because they do offer a clue as to which result is most likely to have the information they need. However, they need to use at least one more strategy before they make a decision on which item to click.
2. Scan the Description: The description is a great way to know if the website has the right information. Unfortunately, it can take young readers a LONG time to read them. Instead of reading the ENTIRE description, have them look for keywords. For example, if the student needs to find facts about the diet of mountain gorillas have them scan for the words diet, food, or eat instead of reading EVERY word.
3. Preview the Page: If your students are not good at skimming or scanning, here is another tip that works great with weak readers. They can preview a snapshot of the page to see if it looks like it might have what they need. To do this in Google, have your students rest the mouse over the right hand side of the listing. A double arrow will appear. Click it to preview the page. Explain to your students that if the preview does not look professional, the website is not worth their time. A professional website typically has an attractive layout with pictures.
4. Examine the URL: This strategy works best with older children. However, I still like to point it out to younger students. The URL offers clues about whether the website will have good information or not. I tell them to look for .gov in the URL as means the information is published by the government and it will be accurate. I also tell them to look for sources that they know. For example, if the URL has National Geographic in it, the information is going to be high quality. I also give them clues about URLs to avoid. For example, I will caution them about clicking on a Think Quest link because this is a web page made by students and the source often has limited information.

What Strategies do you Use with your Students?

Do you have any strategies you use with your students to help them select an option from Internet search results? Do you have tips to improve students’ ability to skim and scan the results to find the best link? Share it!

Many younger children lack the necessary literacy skills to safely use the Internet.

The Internet has fabulous resources giving children the ability to play, learn, communicate, and share. How do you know if your students are ready to go online?

At the school where I am a guest instructor, the education committee has determined that Grade 3 is when students will complete an Internet unit. Although the students do use the Internet in earlier grades most of the activities are teacher directed. For example, students may view polar bears on a web cam, watch an online video, visit a bookmarked website, or login to an online resource. For the most part, student driven use of the Internet is limited in the primary grades to collecting images using Google or playing an online game during free time.

TechnoJourney, an Internet technology project, is introduced in Grade 3. The instructional goal of this project is to provide students with a solid foundation. By the end of the unit students should be able to practice Internet safety, ethically use digital resources, understand essential terminology, use web browser tools, bookmark websites, apply effective search strategies, evaluate the quality of web-based information, locate educational resources, collect images, map directions, and communicate using email.

Why does the school wait until Grade 3 to teach Internet skills?
One of the main reasons TechnoJourney is not taught until Grade 3 is that many younger children lack the necessary literacy skills to be online. When using the Internet students need to be able to skim and scan search results, read information on web pages, and evaluate the trustworthiness of the source. This requires a proficiency in decoding words and reading comprehension that children in Grades 1 or 2 may not yet possess.

What do you Think?

At what grade do your students begin to use the Internet? What web-based activities do your students complete?

Should you teach Internet skills?

“You should know that I use the Internet a lot and I already know everything.”

This admission is made by one of my Grade 3/4 students who pulled me aside during class. He is nine years old. I let the boy know that this is great news, because we could really use an expert. However, his comment raised an important issue: Should teachers explicitly teach Internet skills?

We have just begun TechnoJourney, an Internet technology project. In this project, students grab their passport and take an online trip through the Internet. Along the way they stop off at destinations such as search engine station, research corner, news rack, web cam observatory, e-post office, and social media place. At each stop students learn a new Internet skill.

Are Kids Internet Experts?

It is true that kids use the Internet a lot. Most children in Grade 3 spend their time on the Internet watching YouTube videos and playing online games. As they get older, they will start to use email, chat, and social media to communicate with friends. Do these activities make them Internet experts?

Many students may already possess Internet skills however this does necessarily make them experts. Educators should still explicitly teach Internet skills. This will make sure that ALL the students in the class have the skills and knowledge they need to use the Internet safely, responsibly and efficiently. In this blog I highlight six essential Internet skills or knowledge that will transform your students into Internet Experts.

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