How Can Social Studies Teachers Best Use The Internet With Young Learners?

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by SANS

Integrating technology in social studies is most effective when it supports inquiry around authentic, complex, real-world problems that build higher-order thinking and problem-solving abilities. Student-controlled learning environments enable critical and analytical processing, access to diverse resources and tools, and creative application of newly formed knowledge. For younger children, guidance is needed to navigate these settings, and a structured approach like a WebQuest is presented as an effective starting point.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

What Are WebQuests?

Purpose and learning approach

Communication and role-based learning

WebQuest Components

Introduction

Task

Process

Resources

CANADIAN SOCIAL STUDIES VOLUME 39 NUMBER 1, FALL 2004 [www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css](www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css) Special Issue: Social Studies Research and Teaching in Elementary Schools How Can Social Studies Teachers Best Use The Internet With Young Learners? Susan E. Gibson University of Alberta Return to Articles Abstract The most effective integration of technology for enhancing learning in social studies has been found to engage students in inquiry centered around authentic, complex, real world problems in order to develop higher order thinking and problem solving skills. These technology enhanced learning environments allow for student control over the learning activities, provide opportunities for students to think critically and analytically about information, provide a variety of information resources and tools for constructing knowledge to solve these problems, and engage students in representing and creatively applying the resultant new knowledge. While such learning experiences have been found to be very successful with older students, young children need to begin building an understanding of how to navigate in these student controlled learning environments. A good place to begin developing that understanding with primary children is to use a more structured online learning approach such as a WebQuest. A frequently asked question regarding technology use is how to most effectively integrate computers into the teaching of social studies in order to enhance children's learning. The research literature is quite clear about what encompasses effective use of computer technologies. According to David Staley, what is needed in classrooms are technology uses that help to develop students' higher order thinking and problem solving skills by providing opportunities for them to think critically and analytically about information and represent their new understandingsin multiple ways.1 David Jonassen, Kyle Peck and Brent Wilson add that we need technology uses that engage students in inquiry centered around authentic, complex, real world problems. This inquiry should begin with students' prior background knowledge and experience, allow for student control over the learning activities, provide them with a variety of information resources and tools for constructing knowledge to solve these problems, and engage them in creatively applying the resultant new knowledge.2 These are admirable goals for technology integration; however, setting up a learning environment that addresses each of these goals does not necessarily guarantee success. It is imperative that children be taught the skills to work successfully in these environments beginning at the primary level. Over time and with experience, students can build up to being able to independently engage in higher level thinking and problem solving. Initially, however, a more structured type of online learning environment such as a WebQuest can provide young learners with a guided process for developing the requisite skills. There is a growing body of literature on the value of WebQuests as an instructional approach for integrating structured inquiry and the use of technology. What are WebQuests? A WebQuest is an inquiry oriented activity in which most or all ofthe information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to efficiently use learners' time, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.3 Through a WebQuest, students can actively explore issues and problems from a number of different perspectives in a guided and meaningful manner, as well as search for solutions and make moral and ethical decisions about real world contemporary problems. In an authentic WebQuest there is no single correct answer. While engaged in inquiry using a WebQuest, students are constructing their own personal meaning about the problem under

FAQs

Why is technology integration in social studies most effective?

It engages students in inquiry centered on authentic, complex, real-world problems, supporting higher-order thinking and problem solving.

What is a WebQuest and how does it work?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all information comes from the Web, efficiently using learners’ time and supporting analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

How do WebQuests support young learners who need more guidance?

A structured online learning environment like a WebQuest provides a guided process to build the requisite skills, enabling children to gradually develop independent higher-level thinking.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by SANS