We're not going to get into a baffling technical discussion about computerized curriculum. Suffice it to say that you have more curriculum available online and elsewhere than you could ever use in a hundred years of teaching. Instead, let's talk about how you can choose the best of what's out there.

     When considering the academic application of computers, you are well served to consider whether or not electronic instruction is the best possible method. As I've stated so many times, technology is just one of the many tools you have to enhance your teaching. Parking a student in front of a computer to read has no advantage over just having him read from a book. When deciding to use electronic tools, be reasonably sure that there will be some advantage to doing so. Many of the advantages of electronic learning are best realized with older students, especially at the secondary level. It's at this level that you are most developing and using skills in aggregation, synthesis, and critical thinking. A truly effective instructional program probably includes elements of direct instruction, discussion, self-study, maybe even collaborative learning. The computer is not a magic bullet.

     So you've decided that the magic electronic box can help you teach. How do you select the best curriculum? Smaldino, Russell, Heinich, and Molenda (2005) developed a template of sorts for evaluating and implementing curriculum to maximize learning called the ASSURE model, an acronym for Analyze learners, State objectives, Select methods, media, and materials, Utilize media and materials, Require learner participation, and Evaluate and revise. The fact that there is so much curriculum available also means that you have to know how to separate the wheat from the chaff.

     Analyzing your learners seems like a no-brainer, but it bears repeated conscious consideration, even if you've been teaching the same grade for decades. Knowing who your learners are and what they need to learn provides a road map of sorts. As Casey Stengel was known to say, "If you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you get there?" The curricular goals of your district may guide you, as may your state standards (hopefully, the two are aligned). Over time, both your students and the curriculum will change dramatically, and this step keeps you current.

     Stating the objectives also seems like common sense, doesn't it? In this case, you are reviewing the goal of the learning and the skills, knowledge, and attitudes (SKAs) that will hopefully result. You can only perform an effective assessment of the validity of a given curriculum if you know what standards it has to meet. It's a good idea to write out the specific goals of the lesson to serve as an ongoing reminder. Develop your assessment rubric at this stage.

     Selecting methods, media, and materials is probably the most critical step because you are committing to a course of action, and in the process tying together everything you know about your students and the curriculum. Do you require multiple elements, such as direct instruction, collaboration, research, and presentation? Are visual, auditory, and/or tactile methods required? If so, what is the nature of each? Do you require Internet access? What specific hardware and software applications are needed? Are they available? If your school uses a computer lab instead of providing you with classroom units, can you schedule the time?

     Utilizing media and materials is where it all comes together. Do the pieces work together? Do your students have the basic skills needed to use them? Are they using them effectively? You may need to provide additional instruction and guidance if your formative assessment reveals that the process is not working as planned.

     Requiring learner participation is a key component is effectively delivering curriculum. If this is a problem-based lesson, student participation is a must, but even more traditional curriculum should engage the students. Is your lesson structured in such a way as to invite and maintain student interest? How creative are your students allowed to be?

     Evaluation and revision should occur both formatively and summatively. You may have heard that the only thing constant is change, and this is especially true in the educational process. Keep your mind open to new ideas and better ways of doing things. The lesson you select may have assessment tools included, but you will more than liklely need to develop your own, especially if the lesson allows for great variations in student responses. 

     Remember through this entire process that technology is only one component of your teaching. I know this site is devoted to the use of technology, but nothing can supplant the content. Technology should integrate completely with the rest of the curriculum; it is not an adjunct. 

     Finding online lessons is way easy, and most of them are lessons submitted by your fellow educators. An Internet search for "free lesson plans" yielded over 23 million results. Three of the first 10 results are:

• The Educator's Reference Desk, with free lessons in every discipline, even multiple disciplines.
• Teachers.net, which offers free lessons in addition to its other services. This one is searchable by grade or subject. Lots of ads, but someone has to pay for it.
• Discovery Education, from The Discovery Channel, which has a lot of great lessons submitted by teachers. Other sections of the site have lessons drawn from specific Discovery Channel shows.

     I could go on and on; there is so much out there, and half the fun is seeing it all and finding what suits your needs. Some lessons are delivered electronically, others are downloaded and printed for use. Sometimes the Internet is just one more reference source for you, sometimes it does the bulk of the teaching. Beth Lewis of About.com offers this advice to guide you in searching for free lessons:

• Start with a collection of links to free lesson plan web sites, such as through your favorite search engine
• If you're looking for a particular subject, choose web sites that focus on that particular area. 
• If you're just browsing for any type of lesson plan, start with any site that appeals to you. 
• If the site offers a search function, use it to narrow down your quest for lesson plans. Otherwise, simply browse through an index of listings. 
• When you find a lesson plan that interests you, read it thoroughly, checking for quality and applicability to your classroom and teaching style. Make sure you can apply all of the ASSURE steps above.
• Copy and paste, or print, the lesson plan. 
• Continue to search for lesson plans, as desired, repeating the steps above. 
• Modify the lesson plans as you wish, for your grade level, student ability, practicality, and availability of resources. 

Reference: 

Smaldino, S. E., Russell, J. D., Heinich, R., & Molenda, M. (2005). Instructional Technology and Media for Learning, 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.