Journal+2


 * Reflect upon the process of learning and using the web as a classroom tool.**

Two characteristics of the internet jump out at me when considering it as a teaching & learning tool in the classroom. The first is its non-linearity. Non-linearity allows students to explore, a critical learning process that does not always occur in a traditional classroom, particularly in the upper grades. Exploration is something students love to do. Using a medium that so naturally allows students to explore and encounter new knowledge autonomously, encourages the development of an intrinsic love for learning. The second feature I notice about the web as a learning tool is its lack of face-to-face student-teacher communication. Sure, there are other ways to communicate online, some of them very creative and effective, but the dynamics are different. Communication is contingent on students' internet writing skills and the teacher's ability to interpret exactly what a student needs without non-verbal clues.

Keeping these two things in mind is important when designing meaningful, productive assignments. For instance, a teacher might assign students to go on a virtual sightseeing trip to any country in the world and write a report. The research could take place in a computer lab so that the teacher could monitor student work and be available for questions. Thus, students expand their geographical, cultural, and social knowledge and then produce an organized written piece for assessment. This would be fair because student output is a written report -- writing being an already established skill which is only being refined in the exercise -- based on an individualized exercise in which the teacher was able to ensure each student was making progress.

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