Communication in Cyberspace: Powerful
Ideas Shaping Our Educational System
by David Moursund
This month, David continues his discussion of powerful
ideas shaping the present and future of information technology (IT) in education.
Communication is one of the basics of education. And technology can assist students
in communicating during and after their schooling. Dave provides information
about different types of communication and ideas for integrating communication-based
activities into the classroom.
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The Web—Link Your Students to the
World
The World Wide Web has engendered much enthusiasm and
controversy in education. Many educators have used it personally but still are
not incorporating it into their classrooms. Thankfully, educators who are using
the Web in their classrooms are willing to share their knowledge here to help
others maximize the Web’s effectiveness and minimize its pitfalls.
The Web as Instructional Tool: Advantages
and Disadvantages
by Mark Francek
Mark outlines the dilemmas of using the Web in education
for us: The Web provides a variety of current content as well as biased and
unreviewed content. The Web can save you time but also consume a tremendous
amount of time. With the Web you can reach remote audiences, but only if they
have access to the necessary technology. The Web provides many resources, but
when is it okay to use them and when does copying resources constitute plagiarism?
Moreover, is it really free? Not if you need more and more computing power to
access the goodies. Mark encourages conversation at all levels to fully explore
these dilemmas and find the balance.
Subject: Educational technology, science
Grade Level: Teachers at all levels
Technology: Internet/Web
Standards: ISTE Recommended Foundations in Technology for All Teachers
1C
Teaching Students to Use the Internet
as a Research Tool
by Elizabeth Caulfield Felt and Sarah C. Symans
Acknowledging that using the Web for research can be very
fruitful, Elizabeth and Sarah discuss teaching students how to use the Internet
as a research tool. They cover finding information, evaluating it, and citing
it appropriately.
Subject: Technology, information literacy
Grade Level: 5–12 (Ages 10 & up) and teachers
Technology: Internet/Web, search engines, online databases, e-mail
Standards: NETS•S 2 & 5 (http://cnets.iste.org). ALA Information Literacy Standards for
Student Learning 1, 2, 3, 7, & 8 (www.ala.org/aasl/ip-nine.html).
Metasearching the Net
by Ruth Kohut
Extending the information about search engines, Ruth writes
about using metasearch engines to find information on the Web and conducting
advanced searches using MetaCrawler or SavvySearch.
Subject: Technology, information literacy, research
Grade Level: 5–12 (Ages 10 & up) and teachers
Technology: Internet/Web, metasearch engines
Standards: NETS•S 5 (http://cnets.iste.org).
The Web appears to be here to stay. Have you found it
useful for a particular purpose? Are there more dilemmas yet to be discussed?
Please share your experiences through conversations, articles, letters to the
editor (e-mail Kate Conley at kconley@iste.org), and in the online
discussion pages of ISTE’s Web site.
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Processing Ideas: Move Beyond Word Processing
into Critical Thinking
by Sara Dexter and Susan Watts-Taffe
Technology can help students access and process information
to generate knowledge and communicate it to others. However, most classroom
technology use focuses on access and communication without paying adequate attention
to critical processing. Sara and Susan provide a detailed look at how teachers
can support students in using basic word processing technology to influence
the way students reflect on and respond to a wide variety of print and nonprint
text to build understanding.
Subject: Language arts, graphic design, multidisciplinary
Grade Level: 5–9 (Ages 10–14)
Technology: AppleWorks (Apple), Word and Works (Microsoft)
Standards: NETS•S 3–6 (http://cnets.iste.org). NCTE/IRA 3–8 (www.ncte.org). New Standards: Language
Arts 1–5 (www.ncee.org/OurPrograms/nsPage.html).
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Too Few Computers and Too Many Kids:
What Can I Do? Part 2
by Jacqueline Scolari, Douglas Bedient, and Tamela D. Randolph
In this second installment in a four-part series, Jacqueline,
Douglas, and Tamela provide 30 more activities for teachers and suggest meaningful
ways to use technology when means are limited.
Subject: Teacher resources, language arts, social studies
Grade Level: K–12 (Ages 5–18)
Technology: Internet/Web, word processing software, database, software,
spreadsheets, word-find or crossword puzzle software, e-mail, desktop publishing
software, graphics software
Standards: NETS•S 3–6 (http://cnets.iste.org). NCTE/IRA 3, 4, 5, 6, & 8 (www.ncte.org). NCSS 1, 2, 3, 6,
& 10 (www.ncss.org/standards/teachers/standards.html).
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Authentic Science Learning in the Digital
Age
by Anne M. Cox-Petersen and Joanne K. Olson
In this authentic research project, upper-elementary students
used e-mail, the Internet, CD-ROMs, and more to research various science topics.
The project emphasized constructivist learning. It concluded with a science
conference at which students presented their work.
Subject: Science, marine science, constructivism
Grade Level: 3–8 (Ages 8–14)
Technology: Internet/Web, e-mail, PowerPoint (Microsoft), digital cameras,
scanners, CD-ROMs, PowerBook (Macintosh), slide projection system
Standards: NETS•S 3–6 (http://cnets.iste.org). NSES A, C, & D (http://bob.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html).
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Find the Formula: Using a Spreadsheet
to Solve a Pattern
by Louis Feicht
Spreadsheets are powerful tools that help students understand
and communicate about math. Students use spreadsheets to study consecutive integer
problems.
Subject: Algebra
Grade Level: 6–12 (Ages 12–18)
Technology: Spreadsheet (e.g., Microsoft Excel), graphing calculators
Standards: NETS•S 3 (http://cnets.iste.org). NCTM 2
(www.nctm.org).
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Meet Harriet Tubman: The Story of a
Web Site
by Patty Taverna and Terry Hongell
In response to their study of Harriet Tubman’s life,
second graders created a Web site with a time line of Harriet’s life, a
multiple-choice quiz, teacher resources, crossword puzzles, and more.
Subject: Language arts, social studies, technology
Grade Level: 2–5 (Ages 7–10)
Technology: Internet/Web, Kid Pix Studio (Mattel), word processing software
(e.g., Microsoft Word), Web authoring and management software (e.g., Microsoft
FrontPage)
Standards: NETS•S 1, 3, 4, & 5 (http://cnets.iste.org). NCTE/IRA 2 (www.ncte.org). NCSS 1, 2, 4, 5, & 10 (www.ncss.org/standards/teachers/standards.html).
New Standards: Language Arts 1–5 (www.ncee.org/OurPrograms/nsPage.html).
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Incorporating Imagery into Instruction
by Glen Bull, Gina Bull, Judy Thomas, and Judy Jordan
Despite the deluge of visual images students are exposed
to these days, text is still the medium of the moment when it comes to presenting
instructional materials. To help you incorporate images into classroom activities
and perhaps tip the scales toward center, this month’s Mining the Internet
column contains strategies and online resources.
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Distant But Not Out of Touch: What Makes
an Effective Distance Learning Instructor?
by Barbara K. McKenzie and M. D. Roblyer
Interactive video and the Internet are increasingly seen
as means of providing more equitable access to high-quality education at all
levels by decreasing the disparity between course offerings at large and small
schools. But the quality of such courses depends largely on how they are designed
and taught. Read more about effective teacher strategies for distance learning.
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Software Releases
by Judi Mathis Johnson
Judi describes software for young learners, study of Egypt,
literacy, and more.
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Software Reviews: Save Time Selecting
Software
by Judi Mathis Johnson
Judi profiles the 2000 Educational Software Preview Guide
and discusses various modes of educational software.
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Copyright © 2000, ISTE (International Society for Technology
in Education).
All rights reserved.
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