harris

Though internet projects are being used in schools now I don't think they are being used to the extent that they could be. I had never really thought about it before this class; technology in class was simply a video presentation or a powerpoint. It may sound naive, but technology was just a way of presenting information and not much else, except maybe perhaps a research tool. I never quite realized the potential of the internet projects. Things like telemonitoring and electronic appearances as Harris mentions offer so many great resources and opportunities to bring the students right to the source, or I guess to bring the source right to the students. Telefieldtrips, simulations, and social action projects could be incredibly useful in bringing learning to life for students. I think that the same lack of knowledge that I had could be one of the reasons that internet projects are not being used often in schools: many teachers simply don't know that they exist. I also think that the lack of resources and time for teachers may be another block in the use of internet projects. And, of course, the damn No Child Left Behind Act that pressures teachers into getting thier students to pass the tests, regardless of whether or not that means that they actually learned anything. I think that if we could educate all teachers on ways to use these projects and how they can even assist in helping students pass the damn NCLB tests, the internet may have a better chance of being used to it's full potential in classes.