The Internet Explosion
The
Internet
-Brief History
-Today's Internet
-Working
Basics
-World Wide Web
-Top 10
Reasons
Communication
-Asynchronous
-Synchronous
MultiMedia
-Streaming
-Virtual Reality
*Virtual Tours
*Avatars
Online Sources
-Field
Trips
-Lessons/Games
-On-line Courses
-Research
-Scavenger
Hunt
-Web Quests
-WebCams
Applications
-GIS
-PowerPoint
-WebCT
Security
-Copyright
-Firewalls
-Filters
The Future
-Internet2
-Wireless Class
-Quicker
Band
References
Introduction
The Internet has become an integral part of our society. Everywhere you go you see evidence of the Internet. The Internet is radically redefining how we obtain information, the way we teach and learn. It makes it possible to interact with others through oral and visual information. It holds an enormous amount of information such as news, reference, entertainment, education, and much much more. The intellectual world can extend far beyond traditional classrooms and the typical business office through the Internet.
In our school systems, the SOL's (Standards of Learning) require that students learn about technology and by the end of the 8th grade have a good knowledge of the Internet. The Virginia Standards of Learning Technology Initiative is a large-scale project funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia. It began in the year 2000 to assist school divisions in improving student achievement through the use of statewide, Web-based computer resources. The initiative, focused first on Virginia’s high schools, and included funding that was targeted to achieve the following three goals:
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Provide a ratio of one computer for every five students.
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Create Internet-ready local area network capability in every school.
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Assure high-speed, high-bandwidth capabilities for instructional, remedial, and testing needs.
These goals prove that technology is important in our educational field. But the push for technology in our school systems face barriers when trying to incorporate the Internet and the World Wide Web. Some of the problems facing integrating technology and getting kids connected are bandwidth limitations, teacher training, security issues and last but certainly not lest, funding. Perhaps the future holds a brighter picture in providing greater technology and hopefully these barriers will no longer exist.
The Internet does provide a wealth of information, but if the Internet is used primarily as an information resource, then much of its potential remains untapped. In the left panel is a breakdown of a few different abilities the Internet provides. So let's start our journey through the Internet!
(Image: http://smithsonian.yahoo.com/glossary1.html )
Last Updated: 04/13/2005