What do you use for the Research Box?

[John'smom]

Do you use wikipedia, encyclopedia, or something else? Thanks for the info.

[arstephia]

I have an old set of encyclopedias so we sometimes use those. I want them to be able find info in books and want them to have the skim-reading skill. Other times we use Wikipedia. The problem with the online sources is there is often TOO much information to sift through. That is when we pull out the encyclopedias.

[annaz]

I have an old set of encyclopedias so we sometimes use those. I want them to be able find info in books and want them to have the skim-reading skill. Other times we use Wikipedia. The problem with the online sources is there is often TOO much information to sift through. That is when we pull out the encyclopedias.

I also have an old set of encyclopedias. We start with those, and all the other encyclopedias I have. I also have a Bible dictionary. I also have a World Book Ency. CD. We have lousy interenet service and usually at the time we're looking things up, it's on it's momentary outage , plus I'm not sold on Wiki as it's open to what people can add in addition to sifting through a ton of information. I also like going about research as a place to find a book, not hop online. I'm teaching dd to do that but some is a bit difficult. I may change some research titles to correspond with the ency. we have and the topics we're studying.

I'd love for Carrie to use topics that can be found safely on a CD encyclopedia. Online isn't always what you bargained for. I think there's more to learning about research than plugging in a topic. No disrespect intended, it's just my personal opinion.

[OneFunSon]

We started out using Wikipedia but my son became curious about topics we were learning about in the purity study and looked up some things on Wiki that I wish (and he wishes) he hadn't seen. It is quite graphic and there are links to other things he would never have heard about or seen otherwise, things I hadn't even heard of!

I had brought up the Wiki site and the page he was supposed to be looking at and had then gone into the kitchen which has an open pass through to the dining/living area so I could see him, but I could not see the computer screen. Big mistake. He has always been very honest and trustworthy and we talk about such things easily so it didn't occur to me he would do such a thing. I tell this in the hopes it helps other moms avoid similar trouble. The Lord always brings good out of trials for his beloved so as heart wrenching as it was, there have been some positive things to come out of the event.

So, if you do decide to use Wikipedia I would definitely stay within sight of the computer screen, as we should for any internet usage. I also agree with a previous poster that there can be alot to sift through in the entries. The things on Wikipedia (as well as some of the other issues with it) left me with very negative feelings towards it so we use other resources, books, encyclopedias we have, or other internet sites that I bring up and look at WITH my son.

HTH
Peace, Karen

[John'smom]

Thanks so much, ladies, for weighing in. Annaz mentioned to me that your library sometimes has online encyclopedias that you can use for FREE. I checked my library online and it has the World Book available in 3 different levels, adult, children, and student. It also has an online dictionary. These are the same resources that I was looking to pay a subscription too for $50/year and there are all FREE. I just needed to enter my library card info. Thanks so much, Annaz. Hope this helps someone else.

[Heart_Mom]

If you're looking for encyclopedias, you might check with your local library. I contacted mine a month ago and asked them when they might be updating their encyclopedias and getting rid of old ones. At first they told me that they give their old ones to branch libraries, but there was a message on my answering machine the next day saying they had a set of 2005 World Book Encyclopedias for us for free. That was a specific answer to a specific prayer!!!

Since then, my oldest has been reading them in his free time every single day. When we get to Preparing next year, I'll have him look there first.

[leeannpal]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and haven't actually used Heart of Dakota materials yet, but I do know of several good internet sites that are safe for kids to do research. (Link removed by board moderator per board rules.)

I've personally used most of these sites in my classroom as I am currently a middle school teacher. While Wikipedia seems to be the go to site for many people, I actually don't like to use it because it can be so easily edited.

[my3sons]

We use Wikipedia. I sit right by my ds, and I have looked at this as a time for me to train him in many areas - skimming, clickable links, using "Table of Contents", beginning typing skills, arrow back feature, scrolling, enlarging photos, etc. We also talk about the moral character it takes to use the Internet properly. We explain we won't have our dc using computers in their rooms ever, as using computers in high traffic areas of the house helps keep us all accountable for using the Internet properly. We don't stray far from the Wikipedia site that comes up after we've typed in the provided words to search for in the guide, as the initial ones have always been fine. The boys have learned a lot within these parameters. It has provided many good learning opportunities and taught many new skills. We have enjoyed the time together as well. So, there are many options for how to do the research box, and there are many good ideas shared in this thread.

In Christ,
Julie

[leeannpal]

Please do be careful if you use Wikipedia. More than once a student has searched an article in Wikipedia and found inappropriate information.

(Link removed by board moderator per board rules.)

[my3sons]

Please do be careful if you use Wikipedia...

Since you haven't used HOD yet, you may not know HOD guides provide the word phrases to search for within the "Research" box of the plans. As long as we type these words in the search engine of Wikipedia, and stick to that link, it has been fine for our dc. However, I totally agree it is key to be by dc's side all of the time when using the Internet. I've taught for 16 years now - 7 in ps and 9 in homeschooling - and the Internet continues to be something to use with care. That is why we are trying to teach our dc how to do so with honor.

In Christ,
Julie

[leeannpal]

Thank you for.letting me know that. I certainly didn't mean to.offend anyone who uses Wikipedia. I have just personally come across offensive material while doing a basic search.

[my3sons]

No worries - I agree one needs to be careful! We just have used it with success within HOD, so I thought I'd share. Good dialogue here!

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

Ladies,

This is such a good topic with good thoughts already having been shared! It's important to remember when using the HOD guides that wikipedia is one possible resource that we mention for use for research in a very limited capacity, assuming your children are only reading the content that we have assigned them to research by specific key words.

We always make sure to mention in each research box that you are welcome to choose any resource you desire for use with the research part of the plans. This is where you as the parent come in as you judge how involved you wish to be in the monitoring of the research segment of the guide. If you do not plan to sit with your child for this aspect of the guide, then it is a good idea to select another resource for research instead of wikipedia that you feel more comfortable simply handing to your child. Truthfully, I've found in over 20 years of teaching (with 11 years in the public school and now 12 years homeschooling) that using any type of resource for research has its own accountability issues. Using encyclopedia type resources filled with evolutionary content as "authorities" have their own issues too.

Use of wikipedia on only the terms we have assigned in our guides is not the same as giving children free reign on wikipedia. I agree that any use of wikipedia is something that needs to be very carefully monitored. I stay right by my child's side when he uses it, and do not allow him to search wikipedia for anything other than the word or phrase noted in the HOD guide. I think that the rules that apply for any internet use also apply to wikipedia. For our boys, we have the computer next to our kitchen, they must ask permission for any computer use, and they are not allowed to get on the internet without permission or without an adult present right next to them. Wikipedia is just as damaging to search as any search on yahoo or google. It is a portal to allowing the internet into your home and by no means is harmless. Even walking away from a child for a short time when he/she is using the internet in any capacity can result in allowing things into our home we do not wish our children to see.

At our house, we do desire for our children to learn to use the internet wisely, and to learn to weigh what they read on the internet in light of God's Word. Since this is a goal of ours, we choose this opportunity to sit with our children to do the research box and teach them how to search through an extensive entry for key words, headings, phrases, and to weigh what they are reading.

We choose to do this because we feel that the internet is something that will be a part of our children's lives and a part of their day. It can be a wonderful tool, when used with discernment, or a tool of destruction. In truth, there is no such thing as a safe site, as most sites contain links to other sites that can eventually take your child to places you do not wish them to go.

We pray for each of your to have the Lord's discernment on how you will handle this important area for your own family.

Blessings,
Carrie