Using the Internet for Research
by Donald J. Leu Jr.

We live in an information economy in which students' futures will depend on how quickly and effectively they can use new information technologies, such as the Internet, to solve important problems. This so-called information literacy is now thought of as an essential skill, and one of its core components is the research process.

The research process, of course, involves other sources of information besides the Internet. But as students use the Internet in their research, they will develop a whole range of skills in using information technology to enhance their creativity, support their choices, and understand how to access and use information effectively. Here are several ways in which you can help them.

Use a Central Research Site

As your student researchers venture onto the Internet, consider having them begin at a central website that functions as a kind of training ground for K-12 researchers. You will find such a site at the Research page of the Nueva School Library Website, where this outstanding resource helps students understand effective research and search-engine strategies and also provides models for citing sources. After you review this site, you may want to bookmark it for your students.

Get In-Depth Teaching Tips

You will also find many useful teaching tips and classroom examples on using the Internet for research in the recent books Teaching with the Internet: Lessons from the Classroom, 3rd Ed., by Donald J. Leu Jr. and Deborah Diadun Leu, Christopher-Gordon, 2000 and Scott Foresman Internet Guide: An Introduction to the Internet by Donald J. Leu Jr. and Tim C. Lauer, Addison-Wesley, 2000. The latter book is printed in both English and Spanish. Use a Concept Map for Internet research (a printout for students).

Once your students are ready for a specific research project, encourage them to use the following printout of questions and tips as a guide for mapping out their Internet research strategy. Encourage them to conduct their research as "healthy skeptics" by always questioning the quality and accuracy of the information they find. Be sure they support the information they use by citing their sources. Using the Student Research Guide to the Internet will help them get into the habit of questioning sources.

The research process is central for preparing students to use information. Using this process with the Internet will also make students aware of the rich information resources available to them with this new technology.

As students use the Internet in their research, they will engage in authentic experiences to understand their complex world. In the process, they will also identify important questions, locate useful information, analyze that information in critical ways to answer their questions, and evaluate their work.

Developing skills in each of these research phases will prepare your students to use information effectively, another essential skill in this information age.