How do I even get started on the Internet? Where can I go with all my questions?

The Answer Geek's Guide to the Internet. This guide assumes that you are just getting started and that you may need help—plenty of help—getting connected, finding your way around and using the amazing resources in the online world. Users can skip the stuff they know how to do or don't need, and simply hone in on the things they need. The site introduces users to the net with some Internet folklore, a beginner's guide for navigation, information on how to get online, what to do once you are there, and how to protect one's privacy and one's children. The site also showcases places to visit.

Where would I go to learn more about how I can be using the Internet as a teacher, both in the classroom and in my own professional development?

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators. Kathy Schrock's Guide is a categorized list of sites and resources useful for enhancing curriculum and professional growth. In addition to the resources organized by subject matter, there are Teacher Helpers that address issues such as assessment and rubrics, tools for evaluating quality on the net, conducting WebQuests and TeacherQuests, and more.

Bell South Education Gateway. This gateway to educational resources focuses on using technology in the classroom to incorporate online curriculum and to foster interactive learning. The site offers not just links to online curriculum and instructional activities, but links to professional development and tutorial resources that help teachers acquire the content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and technical competencies required to make effective use of online resources.

21st Century Teachers Network. The 21st Century Teachers Network (21CT) is a national network of teacher leaders assisting themselves and their colleagues in learning how to use and effectively integrate technology into the K-12 curriculum. 21CT works to empower teachers and teacher leaders by connecting them with people and resources that can assist in the creation of teacher-driven professional development. The site includes interest-specific message boards to foster communication among network participants, a resource library and "favorite places" (member-selected sites of interest). The site also includes information on online projects, training opportunities, local chapters and interest groups, and updates on network activities.

What don't I know about searching that I need to know?

The Spider's Apprentice: A Helpful Guide to Web Search Engines. The Spider's Apprentice is not another search engine. It doesn't crawl the Web looking for new URLs. It can't find stuff for you, but it can help you find it yourself. The Spider's Apprentice helps you search the Web more efficiently. It explains how search engines work, and guides you in figuring out which search engines are most effective.

Expert Searching: A Guide to Developing Your Search Skills. This is a set of guides and tips to searching on the Internet. Taken together, they provide enough information to become a skilled searcher. If you are new to searching, use the Search Engine Guide as your starting point, and come back to the other features listed here as you develop your skills. If you are an experienced searcher, there are still plenty of tips offered that you can use.

As a classroom teacher, what do I need to know in order to do my job well and ensure my kids are learning what they need to know? Is there a checklist somewhere?

The Digital Literacy Checklist. Digital literacy is "the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers." This checklist developed by Health Services at the University of Washington can be used for a self-assessment of one's own Digital Literacy. There are two extensive categories of competencies, Desktop Competencies and Internet Competencies.

National Educational Technology Standards Project. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Project is an ongoing initiative of the International Society for Technology in Education and a consortium of partners and co-sponsors. The NETS Project is working to define educational technology standards for students, for integrating curriculum technology, for technology support, and for student assessment and evaluation of technology use. As part of the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology Project (PT3), NETS is also articulating National Educational Technology Standards for teachers as well.

I just did a search and got 47,861 results. How can I tell which sites are reliable and offering quality information?

Evaluating Quality on the Net. Originally created in 1995 as a presentation at the Kennedy School of Government, this netpaper and guide continues to evolve and be updated. It's purpose is to highlight the critical evaluative skills and criteria to use in looking for information on the Internet.

Where do I go for standards-based lessons, materials and activities?

Illuminations. The Illuminations Web site is a gateway to standards-based mathematics education on the Internet. It is designed to "illuminate" the new NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. At the Illuminations site you will fine Internet resources to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics for all students.

ScienceNetLinks. ScienceNetLinks, sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, strives to be a comprehensive homepage for K-12 science educators. The site offers easy access to web sites and lessons, web site reviews, news, and forums for science educators. To help educators integrate all these resources into a standards-based curriculum, all site content is organized around the Benchmarks for Science Literacy.

I'd like to try out some activities using Internet resources in the classroom. Where can I get some help?

www4teachers: Web for Teachers. The www4teachers site is an online space for teachers integrating technology into the curriculum, developed by the High Plains Regional Technology in Education Consortium at the University of Kansas. The site offers extensive resources for integrating technology and the Internet into classroom instruction and one's own professional development. It offers introductions and guidance in Project Based Learning and WebQuests. Technology tutorials cover an extensive range of topics.

The WebQuest Page. This Web site is designed to serve as a resource to those who are using the WebQuest model to teach with the web. Its goal is to help teachers learn from each other by pointing to examples and collecting materials developed to communicate the teaching method. The site defines a WebQuest as an inquiry oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. They are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Teachers can use this site to communicate with others about their ideas, locate information in readings and training materials, and find grade specific examples of WebQuests that other teachers have produced.