Integrating the Internet into Instruction
Integrating the Internet into Instruction
Kathy Gauthreaux
Submitted to: Dr. Mary Ford in
partial fulfillment of requirements for
EDCI 495(G)
June 30, 2001
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The World Wide Web and other Internet-based collaborative tools have significantly enhanced the ability to train and educate electronically. It is clear that the Internet, with its ability to connect people and information around the world, is already having a significant impact on education at all levels. As this fast-paced technological age directs the future, ways to integrate it in the classroom becomes a primary focus for educators today. Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule for integration in any classroom. Ultimately, it depends upon many factors before a plan for integration can be made. First and foremost access to computers should be considered. Depending upon the access, integration can occur on varying levels. Gradual integration is the best way to start utilizing the internet in the classroom. A great starting point is to use a single lesson for the student's first immersion into this new form of teaching. As familiarity and comfort increases the teacher and student would progress towards a project involving a thematic unit. Finally, as a long-term commitment the teacher and student could try a yearlong activity structured as a project (Karchmer 2000).
Whether integration occurs as suggested above or in another modified fashion, the following core components should be incorporated and considered during this integration.
* The agenda for integration should always be curriculum correlated and driven.
* The lesson or mode of integration should be thoroughly prepared and researched by the teacher.
* The teacher should be knowledgeable about the components of the lesson and in using the internet.
The benefits of the Internet for teachers are many. First, teachers can use the Internet for sharing resources. Teachers can display their own innovative lessons for others to use, or they can utilize the World Wide Web as a resource for gathering information such as lesson plans and activities ...
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* The agenda for integration should always be curriculum correlated and driven.
* The lesson or mode of integration should be thoroughly prepared and researched by the teacher.
* The teacher should be knowledgeable about the components of the lesson and in using the internet.
The benefits of the Internet for teachers are many. First, teachers can use the Internet for sharing resources. Teachers can display their own innovative lessons for others to use, or they can utilize the World Wide Web as a resource for gathering information such as lesson plans and activities for use in the classroom. Second, teachers can interact with others in order to share ideas and determine solutions for the common classroom. Finally, it is important to remember that the Internet provides global access to resources (Dyrli & Krona-man, 1995). Such resources can be found in locations all over the world and are specifically designed for the benefit of teachers, students, and other individuals. The Internet fosters the sense of a global teaching community because it allows individuals to correspond with each other from anywhere on the globe.
As with teachers, the benefits to students are many. Access to the Internet and the wealth of information it provides allows students to have greater control over their own learning. The Internet empowers students to make decisions regarding their research and to become more independent learners. . It also opens the doors to places and opportunities a student would not be able to access in a normal classroom. The ability to email students from different parts of the world and receive first-hand accounts on current events in that part of the world as well as exposure to the different culture in that part of the world is an example of two things that would normally be impossible in today's classroom.
Another benefit to the student is that the Internet is flexible and provides a forum for creating, publishing, searching, and making decisions. There are many ways of exploring, and no single correct way exists. Students must decide on the searching path for themselves. This type of decision-making skill will prove to be invaluable to the student as they grow and enter college and the work world.
Before deciding to bring the Internet into the classroom, teachers must investigate the barriers to implementation as well as the potential benefits of Internet use. As with most things, along with the positive, there are often negative aspects. Several barriers to use are related to initial setup for Internet access; others are related to actual use of the Internet.
One major barrier to implementing Internet access in classrooms is the lack of computers and for those schools with computers there is a lack of teacher training in Internet use (Sanchez, 1995). Many teachers do not know how to use the Internet or to integrate the resources available on the Internet into their curriculum. Another barrier to implementation is the lack of class time that can be devoted to using the Internet (Frazier, 1995). Another problem is that many school districts are fearful of the cost of implementation and are skeptical in regard to the benefits of having access to the Internet. Because children are involved--and teachers are responsible--the problem of Internet pornography is particularly acute in the school setting. This is probably the main reason many school districts and parents are hesitant to integrate the Internet.
Now comes the hard part, how do I plan to integrate the internet into my classroom? First, I plan on using blackboard as a means of communication with my students. Because many of them will attend ULL, this can prove to be an invaluable learning experience for future collegiate endeavors. Since I am talking about eighth grade gifted Algebra I, my expectations will not be as stringent as a college instructor. I plan on utilizing the forum discussions, possibly an online quiz, and the fostering of communication among my students from the three different schools I teach at. I plan to require that they fill in their homepage as well as download a digital picture (I will take with a digital camera and save on disk) so that they can experience some technological aspects of the internet as well as foster some familiarity between students. I also plan to try and have an open chat time concerning a chosen mathematical topic. The primary goal I will have is to have the students become familiar with blackboard and to have the student's foster communication and feel a sense of familiarity with students taking the same class across the parish.
I also plan on having students turn in the problem of the week on MATHCOUNTS.org for every week. These problems are always NCTM driven and meet the requirements of the state and nation. These problems are very similar to ones the student will be expected to solve on the Math Leap. Since the problems deal with current events on a weekly basis, it will also serve the dual purpose of incorporating Math and Social Studies by keeping the student's abreast of some aspect of what is going on in the world today.
REFERENCES
Dyrli, O. E., & Kinnaman, D. E. (1995). Connecting classrooms: School is more than a place! Technology & Learning, 15, 82-89.
Frazier, M. K. (1995). Caution: Students on board the Internet. Educational Leadership, 53, 26-27.
Karchmer, R. (1998). How to ... integrate the internet. Teaching PreK-8, 29, 22-24.
Sanchez, R. (1995). A wired education. Internet World, 6, 71-74.
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