Internet in the Classroom By: Brad Corfman, Marcie Palte, and Megan Sympson MW9
Dec 30, 2015
What is Internet in the Classroom?
Defined: Internet in the classroom is utilization of the resources available to us through the worldwide web for the benefit of a more complete education.
It is a benefit to both to students and teachers, so it’s important that we understand how to use it.
UsesActivities
Pen pals or “cyber buddies”.
Learning websites with game
Help inform parents (communication tools)
Class websites
Standardized tests
WHY?Legally Mandated
NCLB requires that students be technologically proficient by the end of 8th Grade
This is the end of middle school years in most districts
Mullen and Wedwick, quoting S. Witte:“Because NCLB states that every student should be technologically literate by the eighth grade, schools must focus their efforts on bridging the gap between the traditional definition of literacy and technologies”
DisadvantagesChallenging Age
Physical/Emotional Development; Patience
Frustrated/OverwhelmedCyberspace is vast/hard to use
Safety is a concern
TemptationStudents like to get distracted
Advantages Impressionable age
We can teach them to research
Excited ageStudents more eager to learn/less apathetic
Technological Literacy=Marketability
The Internet is a toolVastness of drivel and of resources
Fosters engaging education
AdvantagesSites can be used to share notes and homework problems (Utilizing Internet to Facilitate Classroom Learning)
Able to reach children quicker and more efficiently without spending a lot of money
Can access all types of teaching tools to enhance a lesson
Video lectures, discussion questions,
notes, etc.
Increases student awareness and attention
Connect with student’s by staying in touch with the times
Allows the students to research projects easily and can teach them about safe internet use
DisadvantagesSome people believe the Internet is harmful to a student because of all the non-educational sites it holds (Ling Zhao, 346)
Can become a distraction from schoolwork
The Internet is not reliable to work well at all times
There are sites that are not credible
Makes students think books are not needed
Online Collaborative Office Suite
Advantages
• Easy to collaborate
• Don’t have to meet in person to complete a task
• Easily accessible
• Can see the work’s previous version
• Division of work
Allows multiple users to edit a document online in order to collaborate from virtually anywhere.
Can be used for: sign up lists, group work, peer editing, post due dates
for assignments and brainstorming as a class
Disadvantages
• Some software lacks advanced capabilities
• Conflicts between editors
• Can’t show detailed sketches
• Formatting difficulties
Blogs
Advantages
• Instructor can gain rapport with students
• Monitor student progress, according to themselves
• Identify issues with teaching techniques
• Allows a student to open up in a non-threatening setting
A web page that has updated posts, which are usually short and frequent, that are arranged in reverse
chronological order.Can be used for:
Posting opinions on class work, writing poetry, showing your ideas and posting updates on news for the school
Disadvantages
• Students may not think the assignment is important
• Others may go off topic about the course
• Difficult to grade
• Takes a lot of time to read and respond to each blog
Social Networking Sites
Advantages
• Establish and maintain relationships with people from all over the world
• Outlet for creativity
• Includes numerous features
These types of sites serve as an online community.Can be used for:
Contacting other students about assignments, making pages for upcoming events and posting important
announcements
Disadvantages
• Distraction from work
• Privacy issues
• Stalkers/Bullies
• Hackers
Video Sites
Advantages
• Attention-grabber
• Visual learners can process ideas
• Adds a new type of information delivery
• Shows the real world
Web sites where people can view, upload and share video clips.
Can be used for:Additions to lectures, show students what they should do for a project, enhancements to projects and post
previous presentationsDisadvantages
• Technical issues
• Some videos are offensive
• Impaired may not be able to see/hear the video
• Videos could have poor quality
And the Teacher Says…
Do you think the Internet in the classroom is
needed?
How do you use the Internet in your
classroom?
“Yes, it is a media that students use everyday and is a quick resource tool. I don’t know how teachers survived without it!”
“I show clips from the internet—History Channel, Youtube.My notes are full of maps, pictures, etc. from the internet.”
Mr. Kory Snyder is a History teacher at Springfield Local High School and told us a few things about his views about the internet in the
classroom.
Do you encourage your students to use the
internet for projects/homework?
“To an extent, I know they use it, but they have to know not everything is reliable!”
Do you use tools such as Google Docs or blogs in
the class?
Google Docs: “I don’t know what that is!”Blogs: “We have students who do not have computers at home, still difficult to make that a mandatory assignment.”
Do you think social networking sites can be
used to educational purposes?
“Eh…I think there are too many negative aspects of it that the average 16 year old would be distracted by, instead of the educational purpose.”
How do you believe the internet will affect
classrooms in the future?“Unfortunately, with the direction of education internet classes will become readily available and students can learn from home. There is a positive: schools like ours that few electives could allow students to take a class in another school via live feed.”
ResearchDo
Use online databasesConcentrate on Academic Journals
Think CriticallyDiscernment is good
Use relevant sites and authors
Ask for help!
Do Not
Simply Copy and pasteIllegitimate and Illegal
Search. See. Use.
Use questionable material or “unaccredited” information
Take shortcuts
Evaluation Practice
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site 4
http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~abutz/index.html
Sites You Need to Know About!
Enchanted Learning-Elementary Teachers
Thinkfinity-All Ages!
Literacy Network-English Teachers
Illuminations-Math Teachers
Science NetLinks-Science Teachers
Smithsonian’s History Explorer-History Teachers