Getting to grips with the internet is extremely important in the modern era as this is one of the top ways in which you can find out information and connect with friends and people from across the world. However, getting to grips with the internet or your Wi-Fi connection is not always easy, especially since it can sometimes feel as if every other person is tech-savvy. Fortunately, there are some top ways that you can get to grips with the internet in 2023, including the tips below. 

• Understand the Key Terms 

The first step that you should take to get to grips with the internet is to understand many of the key terms that you will hear when you are using it. For instance, when you have a Wi-Fi router and internet connection installed at home, you might hear the terms latency and jitter and have no idea what they mean. However, a basic knowledge of these terms can help you to understand what internet companies are offering you and the problems that your internet connection is facing. Look around for online guides that can help you in terms of understanding latency. Once you have read these guides, you may be able to make a better decision when it comes to your internet connection. 

• Attend an Internet Training Class

If you are struggling to understand the internet or to use a computer or laptop properly, you should also consider attending an internet training class, many of which are in person. You might be able to find these classes taking place at your local library and community center, and, at these, you will be taken through the basics of using the internet through easily manageable steps. You might even be able to find online tutorials. Once you have mastered these, you can start to play around with the internet and try out more complex tasks. One of the great elements of internet training classes is that you will be surrounded and encouraged by others who also struggle with using the internet.

• Experiment With the Internet 

The best step that you can take to get to grips with the internet, though, is to experiment with it yourself and in your own time. Although it can be frustrating at first, the more practice you have with using the internet, the easier using it will become, whether you want to send an email or even play an online game. Many of the different aspects of the internet you can learn simply by trying them out. However, you should always make sure that you stay safe on the internet and that you have knowledge of how to do this before you head online. 

• Follow Top Trends

Learning the basic elements of the internet once is not enough, though, as the internet is ever-changing. Your learning needs to be continuous when it comes to the internet, and you should always try to stay aware of the trends that are taking the internet by storm and that might have an impact on how you use it. 

One of the things that we should continually be doing as teachers is to think critically and help our students do the same.  In a world of ever increasing amounts of information, it becomes important to find strategies that encourage learners to take a step back and evaluate the reliability of information.  Who wrote the text?  Why was it written?  When was it written?  Do other sources corroborate what is being said?  As the web is now our main source of information, we should help our students to identify the telltale signs of inaccuracy and misinformation.  One way to achieve this end is to introduce students to a website that is intended to deceive the reader – yet begin by presenting this information as true.  After all, we all know that if we experience an emotional reaction to something then we’re more likely to remember it.  It’s all well and good telling students to think critically, but if we can engage their emotion in the process, learning is far more likely to occur.

Following a recommendation from a colleague, I therefore read my students the Home Page of this blog by Brittany Ozarowski:

I read the story with a solemn expression on my face.  I then followed it up with a question: What is wrong with Brittany’s webpage?  Looking around the room, even the least sensitive of students looked sympathetic.  Most were quick to say that the webpage looked easy to navigate, that Brittany had provided us with all the necessary information.  Other students pointed out that perhaps the design could have been improved – but under the circumstances she’d done a good job. After skirting around the subject and listening to my students’ ideas for a few minutes, I finally told them.  What is interesting about Brittany’s story, I explained, is that it’s all made up – none of it is true.  Brittany was a heroin addict – she had created the site not to raise money for cancer treatment, but to fund her addiction.  All the students were shocked, appalled and could straightaway see the need to question the reliability of information.  This introduction proved to be an effective way to remind students that anyone can post information online – and that just because someone writes something, it does not mean the information is accurate or even true.

As an independent activity, I asked the students to explore this website about the famous tree octopus.  All of the information contained on the website is fake, yet provides students with a good opportunity to look for clues about what makes this website unreliable.  Using Comic Life, students then began to make some comic displays, giving their readers tips about what makes a reliable website (below is an example).

What is important to realise is that it’s not always obvious whether or not the information contained on a website is reliable.  By using examples of websites that look genuine but which are in fact completely false, learners can begin to develop their skills in critical thinking and research – skills that they’ll need throughout life.