Top Ten Internet Uses in Teaching and learning

1. Top Ten Internet Uses in Teaching and learning Janice A. Malone eTroy T1/13 ADE6606

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XaftdE_h60 I.) YouTube videos that complement classroom delivery - Started by Salman Khan, Khan Academy has created at least 3,400 free videos on a wide variety of topics – such as medicine, math, chemistry, history, and anatomy and physiology. Many videos are approximately 10 to 20 minutes long. Their length, presentation style, graphics, and accessibility make them ideal for both home and classroom use. The link above is for “Flow through the Heart,” which describes the structure of and the blood circulation through the human heart. This video was well-received by my college-level Biology students as a supplement to traditional classroom instruction.

3. http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses II.) MOOCs and free online courses - Open Culture labels itself “The best free cultural & educational media on the web.” The link above leads to their list of 750 free courses from well-know universities. Many are in YouTube or iTune format. The over two dozen categories cover a wide range of subjects such as archaeology, business, psychology, and math. This web page also contains a link to 625 free MOOCs (massive open online courses) that lead to some type of certification. The MOOCs page includes “evergreen” courses – asynchronous courses that can be begun whenever the learner wishes. Other free resources on the Open Culture site are language lessons and ebooks.

4. http://www.getbodysmart.com/ III.) Well-visualized materials with self-quizzes - Educator Scott Sheffield of Portland, Oregon created the GetBodySmart site to aid the learning of gross anatomy and physiology. Not all body systems are included, but additions to the site are anticipated. Mobile apps are available. GetBodySmart has quizzes with immediate feedback. The skeletal system section allows self-testing on a choice of artists’ drawings or photos of real bone, both with or without coloring to aid in identification.

5. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm IV.) Resources with a myriad of outside , expert contributors -MERLOT is the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching and was started by California State University. Contributors from various countries submit peer-reviewed, post secondary lessons in the arts, business, education, the humanities, math, science and technology, and the social sciences. Each discipline is divided into categories but also by format – online courses, animations, social networks, case studies, tutorials, quizzes, etc. Access to the materials is free of charge, but one must be a member in order to submit contributions. (Current membership exceeds 115,000.)

6. http://mw.concord.org/modeler/index.html V.) Online simulations - Molecular Workbench was developed by Dr. Charles Xie of the Concord Consortium. It features free tutorials with interactive simulations with embedded assessments. The simulations can be embedded as applets on one’s own web page. Screenshots can be taken of a simulation in order to record a description or possible explanation of what the learner is seeing. Topics on Molecular Workbench include physics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. An impressive array of topics are covered, from gas laws and chemical bonding to genetic code and quantum phenomena.

7. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/ VI.) University-based online learning centers - The University of Utah’s Genetic Science Learning Center hosts a website that carries a variety of resources. Some background information of a topic is needed before their use. There are links to virtual labs, slideshows, videos, pdf files, etc. Though the focus is genetics, the topics vary from extraction of DNA, the cells’ reactions to the flight or fight response, gene expression that results in the firefly’s glow, and how licking a rat pup affects its genes. There are also printable lesson plans.

8. http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ VII.) Online case studies – The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at the University at Buffalo offers 477 peer-reviewed case studies. They also offer conferences twice a year to teach faculty how to administer the studies. The educational level of the studies ranges from middle school through graduate school. Topics vary, – ethics, women in science, history of science, science and the media, and social justice issues, to name a few.

9. http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/flipped-classroom-the-full-picture-for-higher-education/http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/flipped-classroom-the-full-picture-for-higher-education/ VIII.) The flipped classroom – This is a newer, innovative form of instruction with many possible variations. In a traditional classroom setting, the instructor teaches during class time and assigns homework and projects to be worked on by the student outside of class. In a flipped classroom, out-of-class time is used to view lessons captured via dvds, videos, or online resources. Class time is then utilized for projects, group discussions, in-depth answering of questions, etc.

10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3530058/ IX.) A combination of POGILs, vodcasts, and flipped classroom – This article gives a specific example of utilizing a flipped classroom at Shenandoah University that integrated vodcasts (video podcasts) and POGILs (process oriented guided inquiry learning). A POGIL is a learner-centered format in which the students work in small groups yet each student has an individual role. Many aspects of such a project benefit from the use of online materials.

11. http://seceij.net/seceij/winter11/brownfield_acti.html X.) Multimedia simulations – This “web-based simulation and curricular model” was developed at Barnard College. The students delve into environmental forensics by exploring brownfields – former commercial or industrial sites that, though now in disuse, contain levels of contamination too low to be classified as Superfund sites. The students perform mock environmental consulting and site assessments, and even attempt to keep their “costs” within a pre-determined budget.