How the internet works! (1-minute videos)

Series of educational videos on the internet

Updated: October 5^th, 2025
Authors: Brian Pham, Evelyn Schoahs, Agarjun Anand

One of Brian’s courses this semester showcases how the internet works end-to-end, we discussed how the average learner does not have knowledge of this information, this is how we decided on this idea. With this project, we aim to give other learners valuable knowledge on the ins and outs of the internet. This would benefit their digital literacy and help inform digital decision-making processes. Through a Low Cognitive load series of 3 educational videos, I aim to teach 3 concepts: What is the internet? What happens when you enter a URL? How does your browser display a page?

FINAL DESIGN COMING SOON

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DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGE

Many everyday internet users rely on the web for nearly every aspect of their lives, communication, entertainment, learning, and work, yet few truly understand how the internet actually works. This lack of foundational understanding limits their ability to use technology confidently, critically, and safely.

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CONTEXT AND AUDIENCE

The primary audience for this project is everyday learners, middle school students who utilize the internet daily but have never been taught what goes on “behind the screen.” These learners are comfortable with technology on a surface level (e.g., browsing, streaming, using apps) but may find technical explanations overwhelming or overly abstract.

For typical learners, the goal is to gain a clear grasp of how information travels across the internet and how their devices turn that data into something visual and interactive. They are motivated by curiosity and a desire to understand the technology they depend on every day.

Extreme learners include those with very little technical background, who might be intimidated by jargon, and highly curious users who want to understand internet processes in greater depth. For both groups, a visual and narrative-based explanation reduces cognitive load and promotes understanding through simple analogies and real-life examples.

Demographically, this audience ranges from ages 12 to 16, with diverse educational backgrounds. Psychographically, they are tech consumers who appreciate clarity, storytelling, and visual explanations over dense text or code. Behaviourally, they engage regularly with video content platforms like YouTube, prefer short-form educational videos, and are drawn to content that is visually engaging and easy to digest.

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POINT-OF-VIEW (POV) STATEMENT

An internet user needs to understand how the internet works end-to-end so that they can build digital literacy, appreciate the invisible systems that power online life, and navigate the web more confidently and safely.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Primary Learning Objectives:

1. Comprehension: Learners will be able to describe what the internet is, including its purpose and main components (servers, clients, data, and networks). (Evelyn)
2. Awareness: Learners will understand what happens when they type a URL into a browser, following the journey of a request and response in simple, visual terms. (Brain)
3. Application: Learners will recognise how their browser interprets and displays a webpage, linking it to the basic roles of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. (Arjun)

Sub-objectives:

• Identify what the internet is made of (devices, servers, and protocols).
• Understand how data travels through the network.
• Recognise how websites are delivered and displayed in a browser.
• Connect familiar digital actions (like clicking a link or loading a page) to the underlying systems that make them possible.

Secret (Meta-Cognitive) Learning Objectives:

• Build curiosity and confidence in understanding everyday technology.
• Develop digital literacy — the ability to think critically about how the web functions.
• Encourage lifelong learning about technology by making complex topics accessible and engaging.

Plan (Ideate, Sketch, Elaborate)

IDEATION: (Evelyn will do this part)

We met as a group over Zoom to discuss how we wanted to approach the topic “How the Internet Works.” We decided to use a whiteboard-style video, as it is one of the most effective formats for engaging a young audience. This multimedia approach has been shown to enhance problem-solving and comprehension, which aligns well with our topic. We felt that a clear, problem-solving–oriented video would help viewers easily understand the key concepts we wanted to convey.

Each group member focused on one of the three main ideas related to “How the Internet Works”: Comprehension, Awareness, and Application. We each wrote a short script for our assigned topic, following a consistent concept and tone. To make the content more relatable and engaging, we decided to use characters from Nagarjun’s first comic strip: a curious young kid who doesn’t understand how the internet works and an insightful robot who explains the concepts to him. Our goal was to keep each script about a minute long, ensuring the videos were simple, engaging, and educational for a younger audience.

STORYBOARD OR SCRIPT:

• Develop a rough but readable storyboard (hand drawn – take a picture and include) and script/plan (may be hand-written). (2–3 pages).
  • 3 videos, each member takes a main learning objective and finishes our own script.
  • Hand drawn robot and make it move around the whiteboard
  • The robot moves around and show each section

1. Comprehension Script (Evelyn Schoahs): 

[The scene starts with “How the Internet Works” displayed across the whiteboard. A character comes onto the whiteboard with a question mark bubble above his head and asks a question.]

Kid:
Hey Cyber, how does my tablet work? How am I able to play all my games and search up whatever I want?

Cyber:
Great question, kid! Your tablet uses something called the internet. Think of the Internet as a giant web that connects millions of computers all around the world!

Kid:
So, my tablet is part of that web? Like what Spider-Man uses?

Cyber:
Exactly! Your tablet is called a client. It asks for information, like when you click on a video or search for a game.

Kid:
And who gives my tablet that information?

Cyber:
That’s where servers come in! Servers are super-powerful computers that store websites, videos, and data. When your tablet asks for something, the server sends it back through the network.

Kid:
So, the Internet is like a delivery system for data? 

Cyber:
Yes! The network is like the road that carries data between clients and servers. Together, they help people share information, play games, and even talk across the world!

Kid:
Ah okay! SO the Internet’s like Santa, but make it computers!

Cyber
You got it, kid! That’s the internet!

[Scene closes with the kid looking at his tablet and a graphic of servers, clients, data, and networks connecting behind him]

2.  Application Script – Arjun 

Kid:
Ugh, Cyber, how does my browser actually show a webpage? It looks like magic!

Cyber:
Not magic, just teamwork between three key players: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript!

Kid:
Teamwork? What do they each do?

Cyber:
Think of HTML as the builder. It creates the structure, the text, images, and buttons. Like the skeleton of your webpage.

[Cut to animation of a plain web page appearing.]

Cyber:
Then comes CSS, the artist! It paints everything, colors, fonts, and layout, to make the page look awesome.

[Show colors and design fading in.]

Kid:
Okay, builder and artist. What about JavaScript?

Cyber:
Ah, the magician! JavaScript makes things move and react. When you click a button, scroll, or play a video, that’s JavaScript at work.

[Show button animation or interactive menu opening.]

Kid:
So my browser reads all three?

Cyber:
Exactly! The browser interprets their code and blends them into the final page you see. Builder, artist, magician, all working together!

Kid (grinning):
That’s so cool! My browser’s like a stage crew behind the scenes.

Cyber (winks):
You got it! Webpages aren’t magic, they’re teamwork in action!

[End with cheerful music and the webpage fully loaded.]

3. Awareness script – Brian

[Scene opens with “What happens when you type in a URL?”, a kid types www.google.com into a browser]

Kid:

Cyber, what happens when I type in a website’s name?

Cyber:

It’s just like a letter! There is something called the DNS server, think of it like your friendly local post office worker, your browser would then ask the DNS server where the website lives, kind of like finding the address and the zip code of your friend’s house.

Kid:

So the DNS server gives the browser the address?

Cyber:

Exactly! The browser would then create a request, this is the letter, with the website’s address and a little postcard asking, “Hey! Can I see your page?”.

[A little postcard with the message “Hey! Can I see your page?” appears and goes into an envelope with the website’s address; this flies to a building titled “Server”]

Cyber:

Of course, any mail exchanges would be pretty boring if they were 1-sided. So the server sends a package back; this is the response. The server packages up HTML, CSS, and JavaScript into a package and sends it to your browser.

[3 sheets of paper with the titles: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript go into a small package with the browser’s address, this flies back to the Kid’s browser]

Kid:

Oh! The page I see is from the package!

Cyber:

Exactly! Every click is a collaboration effort – your browser asks, the server answers, and together they bring the web to life!

[Scene ends with the webpage loading and both smiling at the screen.]

PRINCIPLES APPLIED:

• Comprehension: Using the coherence principle, I made sure to keep the script simple and to the point in hopes of reducing cognitive load. I used the idea of a tablet because for kids today, this seems to be a very relevant topic, and something they would be able to easily picture, which pertains to the Pre-training Principle. My goal with this video is to use a simple explanation for what the internet is, including its purpose and main components: servers, clients, data, and networks, to engage the learned attention with the information in the video. 
• Application:
  • Signaling Principle: Key terms are highlighted in the dialogue and visuals to guide learners’ attention to the most important concepts.
  • Contiguity Principle: Visuals appear at the same time as the corresponding explanations, reinforcing understanding through simultaneous presentation.
  • Personalization Principle: The dialogue between Cyber and the Kid uses a friendly, conversational tone to make the learning experience more engaging and relatable.
  • Modality Principle: Spoken narration is paired with visuals so learners can process information through both auditory and visual channels.
• Awareness:
  • Cohere Principle: Each Script focused on 1 topic, there are no off-topic or unrelated visuals, each line and animation directly supports the comprehension process.
  • Segmenting Principle: Each explanation is divided into a separate step and paired with a short animation before moving on.
  • Pretraining: Each key term is introduced using a metaphor or familiar language before explaining its interactions.

Important Note: Complete drafts of Phases 1 and 2 before starting your prototype.

Create and Share the Prototype

• We brainstormed and created the above script as our prototype.

PEER FEEDBACK:

• Summarize the feedback you received; be objective – try to avoid your personal thoughts and judgments here, that’s for the next section.
• (2-3 paragraphs)

Reflect and Refine

TEAM REFLECTION:

• Reflect on the prototype, peer feedback, and your learning process. Address:
  
  • What worked well?
  • What would you change?
  • What revisions you included in your revised prototype.
  • What issues were raised, and how would you address them?
  • Strengths and limitations of this type of multimedia for learning.
  • Connect your responses to the academic literature, include references.
  • (4–6 paragraphs).

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTIONS:

• Each team member should write a paragraph about their own contributions and those of their teammates. Keep it constructive and positive, while offering suggestions for improvement.