Searching the Internet - Part 2
(by Sally Pearce)

Why let Children Search the Internet?

• By searching for information, children will be learning important research techniques (learning how to define and refine searches to find exactly what is required)

• Children can find out a wide range of information, which may be up to date (even up to the minute). Searching also brings to life research in current issues.

• Searching motivates children - they enjoy exploring ideas at their own pace, and the capacity and range of material available can challenge all children.

The following benefits are specifically related to the subject of English:

• Searching motivates children to read, and children can read a range on material (fiction and non-fiction).

• It encourages children to evaluate the texts that they read and to use relevant passages to support their opinions.

• It encourages skimming and scanning in order to locate the desired information.

• These learning resources are available free of charge.

• Searching also requires children to develop comprehension skills to evaluate and present information at an appropriate text level for the identified audience.

Despite all these benefits, there are some negative points to getting children to search the internet:

• There is little control over what is put on the internet. Anyone can publish information regardless of how little they know, or who they represent. Children will therefore need to be discerning and selective when finding information.

• There is a danger of offensive material. Teachers should therefore control what sites children visit. For more information related to Safety on the Net, see the Using Email section here.

• There is a risk of computer viruses.

• Children will need to be supervised, as it is easy for them to go off-task and visit less educational web sites.

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