Using Online Information Sources
In this age of the ubiquitous Internet, we are all – students, teachers, librarians and parents – faced with incredible opportunities and enormous challenges. On the one hand, we have more information available to us than ever before, at the touch of a mouse or a swipe on a touchscreen. On the other hand, useful and accurate information can be difficult to discern in the mass of web sites of all kinds that even a carefully constructed Google search returns. Particularly in the elementary school, how can we help students to find their way to information that is accurate, understandable and timely?
Our approach at ECS is flexible and geared to specific projects. We encourage students to approach information with a critical eye, and we guide them through the process of using different kinds of resources.
We emphasize the importance of beginning a project with information from a reputable or authoritative source. Possible sources would be, for example, an encyclopedia, a book, or a bookmarked site from a reliable institution such as a college or a museum. Our catalog, Destiny Quest, allows students to search for books, encyclopedia articles, and vetted websites in a single search. Once the student has a secure knowledge base and is able to assess the accuracy of information s/he may find, we may suggest using a search engine such as Google.
Each major research project in 4th and 5th grades has its own research guide on this web site, in which we make specific recommendations for each project. On the general Online Resources page we provide links to online encyclopedias and databases.
All students who use computer technology are required to abide by an Acceptable Use Policy in order for us to provide a safe learning environment for everyone.
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