At what age/grade level do you think students should be encouraged to "search independently" by using search engines such as Google or Yahoo and not using links that have been bookmarked by a teacher ?
Please make 3 statements to support this decision.
I presently work in a elementary school library in which students use computers to do research. I see first hand the way in which students use the internet. A majority of the students from k-4 did not have the maturity level to search independently unless they are supervised 'very' closely. I believe that the process of teaching students about how to use search engines should start in 5th grade. The maturity level would be greater. The process should be reinforced in 6th grade. In middle school, students have technology/computer classes. The technology teacher would teach the students how to navigate search engines and how to tell whether information is accurate or not.
Also, what strategies or techniques should a teacher use to make sure what happened to Zack won't happen with other students ?
A strategy would be to monitor each step of the student's learning process regarding technology. Technology classes in middle school should be given at the very beginning of the school year. In 7th & 8th grades the technology info/techniques should be reinforced and any new data/technology should be presented as well. Since the internet is in every students' future, all teachers giving a research project to students should make sure students can tell what is fact or fiction regarding information.
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Charlene, I liked your comment about how kids in grades k-4 are not mature enough to independently research information on the Web unless they are supervised very closely. That is so true with today's kids and I agree with you that maturity plays a huge role in what students are able to handle on their own!
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