THE INTERNET/VIRTUAL LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM

1. THE INTERNET/VIRTUAL LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM By: Jason Williamson & Jace Crossland

2. The Internet The Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks (“Internet and Higher Education”)

3. Cons of the Internet in the Classroom • Maintenance and installation • Paid Tech Staff • Malfunctions • Teacher training

4. Cons of the Internet in the Classroom • New features on websites bog down servers • Objectionable material difficult to monitor

5. Cons of the Internet in the Classroom • Computers already in use are not good enough for Internet • Schools cannot afford to replace obsolete equipment

6. Pros of the Internet in the Classroom • Current Events • Up-to-date information to the second

7. Pros of the Internet in the Classroom • Prepares student for life and workplace • Establishes networking skills

8. Pros of the Internet in the Classroom • Students can publish their work • Limitless resource

9. Pros of the Internet in the Classroom • Access to weather • Expose students to different cultures

10. Integrating the Internet into the Classroom • Step 1 • Decide what you want the internet to do? Lesson plan, worksheets, online activities, ect. • Step 2 • Research your topic with a search engine. • Step 3 • Visit the sites and review their contents to make sure that they are pertinent to your unit and appropriate for your students. When you find a site that you want to use, Bookmark it. Make your lesson plan.

11. Integrating the Internet into the Classroom • Step 4 • Run through your lesson plan the day before you use any Internet sites to make sure that the site is still posted and you can get to it. • Step 5 • Finally, organize all of your internet sites by bookmaking the sites, for later use in lesson plans. • ("How to...integrate the Internet." Teaching PreK-8 v 29 p 22-23 September 2002 )

12. Virtual Learning Environments • A VLE will normally work over the Internet and provide a collection of tools • Tools normally included with a VLE are • Uploading content • Return of students work, • Peer assessment • Administration of student groups • Collecting and organizing student grades • Questionnaires • Tracking tools New features on some VLE’s include • Wikis • Blogs • 3D Virtual Learning Spaces

13. Why aren’t VLE’s in every classroom? • Fear of change! • Teachers not wanting to change there already “perfected” ways of presenting material

14. Other Theories • “Effective communication is not happening virtually, which is leading to fragmentation of a learning community with feelings of isolation and confusion among some students.” • According to: “Collaborative learning in the virtual classroom Dr. Julie Ann Richardson”

15. Virtual learning Environments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC6QnSEChss

16. References • Phillips, M. R. & Horton, V. (2000). Incorporating the internet into the classroom: Problems Opportunities and Thoughts. Internet and Higher Education, 1, 223-230. • Sharma, P. & Maleyeff, J. (2003). Internet Education: Potential Problems Solutions. International Journal of Educational Management, 17, 19-25. • Arbaugh, J. B. (2000). Virtual Classroom Versus Physical Classroom. Journal of Management Education, 24(n2), 213-233. • Youngen, G. K. & Davidoff, G. (1988). Incorporating the Internet into Science and Technology. Science and Technology by Race, 17(n2), 23-30. • "How to...integrate the Internet." Teaching PreK-8 v 29 p 22-23 September 2002 • Swain, Colleen. "The World Wide Web : A Classroom adventure." Intervention in School & Clinic v 32 p 82-88 November '96.