This paper describes the creation and evaluation of a World Wide Web-based courseware module, using conceptual models based on constructivism, that teaches novices how to use the Internet for searching. Questionnaires and interviews were used to understand the difficulties of a group of novices. The conceptual model of the experts for the task was derived using Applied Cognitive Task Analysis (ACTA) and analogy developed to assist novices in understanding the expert cognitive model. The Web courseware module was evaluated using a second novice population. The outcome demonstrated that using conceptual models in learning could help novices to acquire an understanding of the search mechanism and so enable them to learn better. (Contains 11 references.) (MES)