VIRTUAL LEARNINGWHERE ARE WE HEADED

1

• VIRTUAL LEARNINGWHERE ARE WE HEADED?
• Presented by
• Dr. Sheila Gersh
• City College of New York
• sogcc_at_cunyvm.cuny.edu
• http//www.schoollink.org/twin

2
Schools are using the Net to...

• Post information for the world to see, including
  artwork, essays, sounds, etc.
• Take virtual tours of museums, cities, and
  foreign countries
• Communication Publication Research

3
Schools are using the Net to...

• Give students access to the latest information
  around the planet
• Allow students to participate in global projects
  of all kinds

4
Schools are using the Net to...

• Bring experts from numerous fields right into the
  classroom (Ask A Scientist)
• Interact with people from around the world, via
  live video and audio -- for free!

5
What Are the Benefits to Using the Internet? What
Are the Benefits

• Better understanding of your students world
• Access to instructional tools/ resources,
• curricular/research resources
• Improves communication
• Provides exposure to places, simulations, etc.
  normally unattainable
• Provides real world experiences and skills

6
What Are Some of These Offerings?

• Tutorials/Online Lessons
• Teacher resources
• Online activities
• Online projects
• WebQuests

7
Internet projects

• What is an Internet project?
• A structured learning activity that requires
  students to use the Internet
• Types of Internet projects
• Interpersonal exchanges
• Information gathering and sharing
• Collaborative problem solving

8
Interpersonal Exchanges

• Keypals (online pen pals)
• Electronic appearances by experts
• Electronic mentoring

9
Information gathering and sharing

• Sharing data between participants
• Electronic publishing
• Database creation
• Tele-field trips
• Pooled data analysis
• Surveys

10
Collaborative problem solving

• Information searches - Scavenger Hunts
• Writing projects
• Contests and student Internet challenges
• Pooled data analysis to reach shared conclusions

11
Existing Internet projects

• Global Grocery List
• Newsday Project
• CultureQuest

12
When seeking projects...

• Keep in mind
• When does it start? Length? Deadlines?
• Is there enough lead time to properly integrate
  it into your instructional timetable?
• Will you have the right tools to participate?
• Are your students Net-literate enough to
  participate?

13
Creating your own project

• Seven steps
• 1. Think about your curriculum goals and what you
  want your students to learn
• 2. Choose which kind of project youd like to
  create...
• Interpersonal exchanges
• Information gathering and sharing
• Collaborative problem solving

14
Creating your own project

• 3. Choose the topic and content for the project
• 4. Design your project with specific goals,
  tasks, and outcomes in mind
• 5. Set specific beginning and ending dates for
  the project, and specific deadlines for
  participants

15
Creating your own project

• 6. Use the upcoming template for designing your
  call for participation, then post your call at
  least five weeks in advance of the starting time.
  
• 7. Let your project run its course! When the
  project is over, share the results/student work
  with all participants

16
Thank You