Chapter 8: Integrating the Internet into the Curriculum

The three general application categories of "telecollaboration": 

1. Interpersonal exchanges - the use of technology for students to communicating one another and teachers
2. Information collection and analysis - the use of data collections that provide data and information 
3. Problem Solving - student-oriented and cooperative problem solving projects

Activity structures - all these structures fall under the three general applications of telecollaboration: 

• electrical pen pals
• electronic mentoring
• electronic publishing
• problem-based learning 
• social action projects 
• group product development 

Integration Strategies: 

• Support for student research 
• motivation for writing 
• practice for information literacy skills
• visual learning problems and solutions
• development of collaboration skills 
• multicultural experiences 

Website Support for Learning: 

1. Project overview, announcement and application - using a site to introduce the goals and purpose of an activity 
2. Tutorial instruction - the use of websites that can provide actual instruction or information 
3. Information summaries and exchanges - websites that allow students to collect and share information with others 
4. Communication and support - a virtual meeting place for student support and communication 
5. Displays of past and current student work - publication of examples, assignments and etc. 
6. Project development centers 

- A single website can address one or more of the above functions


Authoring Tools: 

• Dreamweaver
• Flash - Adobe 
• HTML
• Java
• Applets
• VRML
• PERL

- these authoring tools allow users to write and create websites without having to write actual code. 

Web Page Development and Evaluation: 

1. Development Software
2. FTP Software
3. Server to house the website

- The use of these resources provides etchers and students to create their own websites or web pages. These can be created one of two ways: 

• creating the website / web page from scratch
• Using existing pages and modifying them

Evaluation: 

• Is the website /page well organized and structured
• Is the text clear and easy to understand 
• Is the website / page visually pleasing and easy to look at 
• Is the website / page easy to navigate - can the user get the homepage in three clicks or less