Integrating the Internet into the Classroom
Facilitator: Michael Krauss

means that the task is not required for overseas teachers and others enrolled for professional development hours.
is a link to a tutorial. Tutorial videos may vary slightly from your situation, but they should prove helpful.  

WEEK 1	Transitioning to Web-based Resources
DAY 3	Classifying and Working the Web
	TASK 1: Reading: Scan What's on the Web, Sorting Strands on the World Wide Web for Educators, by Tom March. In this seminal article (1995, revised 2005), the author provides a framework which classifies materials found on the Internet into 7 categories. The objective is to try to provide a workable organizational structure which can be applied to the wildly expanding Web. NOTE: Many of the links in this article, which provide examples of the 7 categories, are no longer functional. However, I have provided working links within the quiz that follows, so you can explore sites illustrating each of the 7 categories. Just read this article for an introduction to the 7 categories and as background for the article that follows below. TASK 2: Reading: Read Working the Web for Education, Theory and Practice on Integrating the Web for Learning, by Tom March. NOTE: This article, though "old" is also "wise." It builds on the pedagogical concepts presented in the earlier March article. The focus is on "activities," one of the 7 categories discussed in the prior reading. "Activities" is where the action is for teachers. You'll be learning how to create your own online learning activities and/or how to find appropriate learning activities created by others. This article provides great examples of five types of web-based activities, and explains which might be best in particular learning situations. TASK 3: Have you finished reading both of Tom March's articles? If so, take the quiz. Your answers will automatically be emailed to me. TASK 4: At Our Ning, click on the "Forums" tab. Click on "Michael's Discussion Assignments." Reply to my message, "Thinking critically about Tom March articles."
	Additional Information/Resources: Want to read the latest on what Tom March has to say about the World Wide Web in the first decade of the 21st century? See March's blog Working the Web for Education. Among other things, you can listen to March's recent plenary: "It's Broke, so Let's Fix it" - re-making education for our Digital Era. WWW4Teachers is a great resource that contains articles, resources, and tools for Integrating the Internet. You'll see more references to parts of this site in future lessons. Younger Learners - Are you teaching children? If so, here is a list of resources especially suited to use with youth.

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WEEK 1	Browsing On-Line Content Material
DAY 4	Looking at Quality, Content-Rich Sites
	The Web is so vast that it can be intimidating. If you have a pool of resources which you know you can rely upon, it makes things seem more manageable. Today's assignment is a step in that direction. You will also learn about blogs and make a blog post on Our Ning. Suggestion: Check your watch and set a reasonable time limit for investigating these resources. Don't get sucked into the "black hole" of Web browsing without time limits! TASK 1: Read "Blogging for ELT" (Graham Stanley) (Blogging basics and educational uses) TASK 2: Content-based ESL/EFL teaching envisions equipping students with the language skills they need to access knowledge that is relevant and motivating in their lives. With that in mind, choose a content-area of your choice that you could use in your teaching (e.g. history, technology, environment, American culture, etc.). Now, explore these Content Rich Web Sites (part of the ESL Independent Study Lab). Locate one individual site (not a directory of sites) which would be useful to assist in teaching the content area you chose. TASK 3: Blog about the site you explored. Go to Our Ning. Click on the "Blog" tab. Click on "My Blog." Click on "Add Blog Post." In the "Post Title" box, type the subject of your chosen Web site and age range of your students. In the "Entry" box, type the name and the complete URL (Web address) of the site you explored. In approx. 150 words, describe the site and why you think it would be suitable for the target student group. Scroll down to the "tags" box. Add at least 3 tags, separated by commas. One of the tags must be wk1day4 If you like, experiment with the formatting tools provided in your Ning blog. You might also experiment with adding a photo or Web links in your blog post (check the toolbar on your Blog page for those features). Click "Preview." Make any changes and when you are ready, click "Publish" and you're done! Add a comment to one of your classmates' postings with suggestions for effective use of the chosen Web resource. Note: To be sure you don't accidentally lose your work, you might want to first type your post in a word processor. Then you can copy/paste it into your Ning blog.   TASK 4: Mix and Mingle with a Purpose: What do you do when you have a very large class of students and you want to help them get to know each other and to have more individual practice learning new concepts and language? You work in small groups right? That is what we are doing too! Go to the Forum of Our Ning. You will see "Small Group Discussion Topics (Mix and Mingle). Find a topic that interests you or post a new one of your own. By the end of Week 1, engage at least one person in a conversation on your topic of interest. Note: Mixing and mingling is an ongoing assignment during the course. I hope you'll find it both enjoyable and productive!
	Additional Information/Resources: Watch the Common Craft video, "Blogs in Plain English" (LeFever) Look at this sample of student blogs from Michael's class. (Blogs for student writing: portfolios). Does the research show that blogging can improve student writing? Yes! And see examples of how blogging can be used effectively across the curriculum in "The Prose (and a Few Cons too) of Blogging." With so many "lists of links" to resources on the Web, is there any one best education source? Of course, this is very subjective and may depend on your specialty content area, but here are a few of my favorites which could be used as a starting point in the search for sites to integrate into the curriculum. Of course, teachers must be able to locate and organize sites on their own, but that will be covered in a later session on searching the Internet. For ESL/EFL teachers: (Content Area teachers will find useful resources too!) I recommend The Internet TESL Journal - One of the best single collections of ESL/EFL links available. This site has a search engine, pages which load quickly and which can be downloaded to be read offline. For content area teachers: (ESL/EFL teachers will find useful resources too!) ReadWriteThink is a partnership between the International Reading Association, the National Council of Teachers of English and the Verizon Foundation. There is an amazing amount of free Internet-based content divided into Lessons, Standards, Web Resources and Student Materials. For ESL and content area teachers who are looking for self-study materials which students can use independently in a computer lab or from home, check out the ESL Independent Study Lab. (Listening, Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation, TOEFL, Content/Research, Writing, Fun & Games).

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WEEK 1	Activities for Integrating On-Line Content Material
DAY 5	Six Web-based Learning Activity Formats
	TASK 1: Reading: "Filamentality: Activity Formats" Browse this site quickly to understand and see examples of the following types of Internet activities: Hotlist, Scrapbook, Treasure Hunt, Subject Sampler, WebQuest. Study until you think you know the basic structure and purpose of these formats. TASK 2: Focus on a Subject Sampler: Complete one of the activities suggested in the My China Subject Sampler. TASK 3: At Our Ning, click on the "Forums" tab. Click on "Michael's Discussion Assignments." Reply to my message, "My China Subject Sampler." TASK 4: Chart your progress for the week! Follow these steps: Find your participant number on Grading Grid 1 or Grading Grid 2. Click in the boxes under the appropriate tasks. Fill in "OK" for tasks completed. Fill in "O" for those not done. You can move from column to column with the "Tab" key. Press the Return or Enter key on your keyboard when you are done. Your changes will be automatically saved. Note: The grid will not show the updated information for at least 5 minutes, so don't worry if you don't see your changes. That's it! Thanks so much for recording your progress. Keep up the good work!
	Additional Information/Resources: WebQuest.Org continues to support the implementation of "activity formats," specifically the WebQuest. Many good resources there, both pedagogical and practical. Technology Standards ISTE's NETS - National Educational Technology Standards (separate ones for teachers, students and administrators) TESOL Technology Standards - TESOL standards are specific to ESL/EFL. Vignettes are included to demonstrate teaching that meets the standards

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Updated: 1/10/12