Do you use the web as part of your homeschooling?

[terrarose]

Hi! I am new to the web and as a homeschooling mama wonder how others use it. I would really appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!

[UnschoolnMa]

We use the web every day in our house My son is on for at least 2 hours a day playing games and doing research for them. (He plays fantasy RPG's online with kids and adults from everywhere) My daughter likes to play games at kids sites alot. We also like to just jump on google.com and look for info about any question we might have. It's a great homeschooling tool in my opinion!

[sha_lyn]

We use it fairly often, just today 7yr DD and I visited several websites on ancient Egypt, including one that had free on line games. We looked at maps and photos and read about Gods and Pharaohs that weren't in the books that we have.

[teachinmaof3]

Right now...only for free time.

Sometimes if we are studying a topic in history and I want to show them pictures, we'll sit down together and look things up.

Other than that...they aren't online. I'm sure that will change as they get older and use the 'net for research.

[meowee]

unless it is a specific research issue, only after 3:00 PM when "school hours" end. Basically I have a household rule that no TV, computers, DVDs, games are on before 3 pm. in part for my own sanity as I hate the background noise. It does get them reading more books, too, to not have screens on during those times.

yesterday we used an online medical encyclopedia to do some research, but generally the kids go to lego.com, starfall.com, and nick.com to play after 3.

of course in grand hypocrite fashion I get to read MDC during school hours! :

[meowee]

*sorry double post*

[Amy in NH]

My kids generally don't use the computer too much. Every now and then they will get 1/2 hour each for game play, but that is not on the web usually (sometimes Neopets). In my experience, computer becomes a big addictive problem with the kids constantly begging for more, more, more. I had set daily limits in the past, but the begging continued until I cut them off completely. Now it is just a random treat.

BUT *I* use the web to do tons of research - everything from which books to use to whether they're available through state interlibrary loan, I look up museum trips, websites that pertain to our studies which we might browse together once in a great while, and art pics that we wouldn't otherwise get to see. It's really nice when the kids have a question - I can just use it like an encyclopedia or to contact an expert. I don't know what I'd do without it!

[UnschoolnMa]

Originally Posted by Amy in NH

It's really nice when the kids have a question - I can just use it like an encyclopedia or to contact an expert. I don't know what I'd do without it!

I agree. We love always being able to use it for info that way too. My son and I are night owls and are online often at 2 am lol. We learn some cool stuff

[SagMom]

Oh, I'm always googling things! Ds uses it for his games, dd e-mails, they both use it for research on whatever interests them at the moment. My youngest plays some games on line. We all shop on line.

I remember when we used to say, "Let's look it up" and go to the bookcase--now we hit the keyboard.

[mama_kass]

I wish the internet existed when I was a kid! Anything that you ever have a curiosity about is on the computer. I love the internet and I think it is very good.

I have considered one down side to it though. I worry that children will explore life in an artificial way instead of exploring their natural enviorment in order to satisfy their curiosities.

[Dar]

Yep. We google stuff every day. Rain also keeps up with her online journal at livejournal and IMs people all the time.

Dar

[terrarose]

Thank you all for the input!

This whole www thing is so new to mw that I have to abmit it is a bit overwhelming. The possiblities are exciting, too!!!