to want DS1 to use an encyclopedia. DH thinks so.

[5inthebed]

Bit of a non problem, but just wanting to know, am I being old fashioned?

DS1 (Y4) came home with a school project today, first one he's done, all about celebrations and festivals. He has chosen to do it on Halloween.

I suggested he uses one of the encyclopedias we have to look for some of the answers, DH said he can use the internet and that I'm being old fashioned (I'm only 30 FFS)

Now, I think the internet, as handy as it is, will just give him the answers to his questions and no work to be done other than copying. Encyclopedias have to be indexed, looked through and a bit of thought put in it.

Happy to be told IABU and an old fud.

I would try the encyclopaedia route too, tbh, and we have a houseful of laptops/ipads etc.

totally agree with you that indexing etc is a useful skill - can always look up on the web after if more info is needed on a particular bit.

really don't like the thought of google-click-print-voila, homework done!

YABU I'm afraid. There is far more information at the touch of a keyboard on the internet nowadays.

I'd do encyclopaedia and then the internet - no copy and paste allowed though, lol

Can't he use both?

YANBU, I encourage DD1 to do the same when she needs to do research. Books first, then Encyclopaedia of Mum, then internet. :)

Yes, thinking encyclopedia first then anything unanswered or needing more info can be internet.

There was no internet back in my day

Do both - but start with the books first. He will probably get distracted and start looking at other pages in the book and learn other stuff too.

I think I am old fashioned at time or is cos' I love books?

Ecyclopedias give you the answers too

If he Googles information on Halloween, he'll still have to read, digest and write about it surely?

Encyclopaedia here (or library books, there should be some specifically on Halloween).

I am not averse to Internet research, but IME it is better to start with learning to research with books first, and then learn to do it online. Much harder the other way round.

I work in a library (not an 'old fud' though - I am 24 and I love my kindle :o) and we have a compromise in our county, called the elibrary - free use of expensive subscriptions to online versions of britannica etc. So easy browsing, user friendly, cross-referencing links etc BUT unlike the 'proper' Internet (which for many just means wiki) you know it's all accurate. You could see if there is something like that in your area?

Books?
Books?
Fuck that.
Internet research all the way, if it's a judgment of the courts find a hard-copy after acquiring the citation from your on-line copy.

YABU. I use the internet to reearch for my job and that involves vast amounts of rewriting material.... and your DS will need to learn these skills...he needs to see how to do this without copying...it's your job to help him.

YANBU, best to learn how to research from a book first.

YABU. Information from an encyclopedia is no better than information from the Internet. You are just giving him unnecessary busywork.

"Information from an encyclopedia is no better than information from the Internet."

Guff.

Another guff.

Guff. Guff. Guff. Guff. Guff.

I dunno why I felt the urge to type that. But the word guff is brill. I am going to include it in at least 4 sentences tomorrow.

This pisses me off. Ds rapidly approaching GCSEs and is too lazy to look words up for his MFLs in a dictionary.

As a teacher, I made my student use dictionaries /the library / books to research as it is a lifeskill, and the internet does not provide all the answers. Knowing that there are other sources of info and how to access them is crucial imo.

YANBU OP, you are being sensible.

YANBU, Encyclopedia first, then internet.
I was brought up being told to look in the dictionary if I asked what something meant.

Nothing wrong with old fashioned.

And with regards to the quality of the information, at least it is reliable from the encyclopedia, unlike much of the information that can be found instantly on Google.

YABU

I don't think I've touched an encyclopedia since I was a teenager (though I did read childrens ones a lot when I was small). Learning to properly research online, and know how to filter out all of the crap is more useful skill IMO..

I think it would be simpler for him to use an encyclopedia, as there will be so much information online about halloween that it might be hard for him to see what is useful and is toss.

this might help

I think that it is a useful skill to use books, but you will find that every DC in the class uses the internet.(if they have it). I would visit the library rather than use encyclopedias.

I'm pro books.

Jareth, cheeky.

I have fond memories of going to a library to do some research on homework projects. The smell, the silence, the searching for a book.

I just think looking on the internet is too easy and an encyclopedia can be used at a table away from the computer. The homework does state library/internet and asks for references for both.

Bit 50/50 on this thread.