TIP Model Phase 4-Preparing the Instructional Environment

This is the scenario in which we have been tasked to access.

Esmerelda is having her students do a social studies project in which they do "virtual interviews" of experts on various periods in U.S. history. She schedules time in the computer lab and has them locate experts by searching Internet sites. She gives them an initial list of sites, but encourages them to branch out from there, looking for additional sites on their own. There is no lab manager and she has to go back to the classroom for periods of time as they work, but she knows they are competent Internet users and can be trusted not to leave the lab without permission. For their contacts with experts, she has them prepare a standard email with the school name; their names, ages, addresses, and personal email addresses, if they have one; and a description of what they would like to know.



1. Assuming she is correct that students will not leave the lab with permission, is Esmeralda's plan for having students use the Internet a good one? Why or why not?

Leaving the lab without permission would be the least of my concern when dealing with the internet.

The concept of using the internet is both a good and a bad idea. When using the internet for research, it is a valuable tool in which they are able to expand to out of the box thinking with the initial list of sites she has provided for them. Also, with allowing access to the internet to do research, it is reinforcing confidence to become familiar with the use of the internet.

But with the idea of performing an on line interview with a so called "virtual interviews" of experts on various periods in U.S. history is something I feel is only asking for trouble and placing her students into possible harm. There is no way she can be sure that her students are dealing with reputable people and not a predator. She is especially encouraging them to branch out from there to look for additional sites on their own in which she has not gone to herself first to determine if they are safe. I believe Esmerelda is performing poor judgment by allowing them to continue this assignment without her constant supervision.

2. Do you see any problems with the email she is having them send?

There are several problems with the email she is having them create to send. First of all she is having them prepare a standard email with the school name; their names, ages, addresses, and personal email addresses, if they have one.

No one should ever put personal information like their ages, schools, email address and definitely not their addresses. It is an open invitation to help predators to target children. The email they are composing contains too much information for a predator to be able to physically locate one of the children.

3. How would you change her plan to improve it?

If I were the teacher, I would not have them perform a "virtual interview". It is a subject that would be too difficult to monitor 100% without endangering the students. But I would utilize the internet by showing them how to obtain information from sites that I had already explored prior to demonstrating the lesson in classes. I could perform the searches in class using the equipment provided by the school and stress the importance of not providing information to anyone on the internet even if it may seem harmless. I would also, direct them to other resources such as other teachers, text books, the library, and the local colleges with the assistance of their parents.