1. Prepare a lesson before your classes use the computer lab. Be sure to provide a handout which clearly lays out the purposes of the lesson, the web sites students will access, and what students will be responsible to produce during the lesson. Keep students accountable for their online lessons (e.g. writings, reflections, information they must record and turn in for credit.)
2. Preview the Internet sites you will use. When the sites you need to use in
a lesson have been previewed, tested, and recorded for a lesson, there is a
better possibility of avoiding wasted searches for resources you need to conduct
a successful lesson. Make sure your sites are reliable, alive, appropriate,
and are rich enough in content to make the lab time fruitful.
3. Give a preview of the lesson requirements to your classes before going to
the lab.
4. If you have some web programming capabilities, you can post your lesson online.
Even if you do not know how to use a web authoring program you can use some
free and easy sites to post a lesson. An example of this free service is the
Filamentality site located at http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/
At the very least, list the URL's you want students to access on the handout,
for student reference.
5. A helpful rule: "Three Before Me" rule: Have the students ask three
people around them any question regarding the assignment / technology BEFORE
they raise their hand to ask you. This organizational procedure allows you to
teach, and reduces running around like a crazy person the entire period.
6. At the conclusion of the period, set aside some time to report out, process
the lesson, turn in required work, and clean up/ shut down the lab. Previous
to a full class discussion, the use of pair-share can help students prepare
to process in a focused way.
Some computer lab lessons I have created:
1. Political Cartoon analysis - AP and CP Government and
Politics http://www.101freeway.com/users/green/sbconfpolcar.htm
2. Supreme Court Investigation - AP Government and Politics
http://www.101freeway.com/users/green
3. Virtual Stock Exchange Investment Unit - Economic
http://www.101freeway.com/users/green/apvirtualstock.htm
Some Web sites for most High School subjects:
http://www.101freeway.com/users/green/sbcon.htm