Chapter 7

Distance learning tools and Role of the Internet in Education

Brief History
ARPAnet- Advanced Research Projects Agency
WWW- World Wide Web
In order to view HTML documents, one can use a web browser to access it
-Most common internet explorers used today are Mozilla Firefox, internet explorer, and for apple, a program called safari

Using Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)
- these are also known more popularly as internet addresses
-The last three letters are known as domain designator, or ,com or .net or .gov, etc...

Three Uses of URL
- There are three primary uses for URL
-Locating them - making an educated guess about where the URL is going to be
-Reading URL-  Often can tell where is it by reading it
-Fixing errors in URL-
-- Five types of errors are Omitting one of the parts, wrong domain designator, punctuation errors, omitting punctuation and misspellings

Three methods for navigating the net
-navigating with links -traveling the internet using links
-navigating with buttons- forward and back buttons are available
- using history to navigate- looking at past history to know where to go

Using Bookmarks, favorites and Online Organizers
- adding a bookmark or favorite- finding a page and saving it
- organizing a Bookmarks or favorite file-  collection of bookmarks for a particular topic
-using an Online Organizer- using website to organize online

Basic Internet Troubleshooting
Problem type 1#- Site connection failures
- site wont come up on the screen
URL syntax errors
- as mentioned earlier, each dor, punctuation, letter and URL

Local or domain server domain
- Technical problem, or simply may be down for regular maintence
-Server traffic- sometimes server will fail and connection lost
-Bad or dead links- dead links
-Firewalls- network firewall will block a site

Other reasons internet will not work
-plug- in required- and cannot be found
-Compatibility errors, Java and other program error

Current Pitfalls in Internet Use
-Potential pitfall 1= Accessing site with inappropriate material
-- internet may have materials parents don't want students to see
-Safety and privacy issues of students is the second pitfall of the internet
-- examples are online predators, privacy issues , and sales pitches aimed at children

Fraud on the internet- many things are the internet are fake or counterfeited

Computer Viruses and Hacking; also a problem
- some different ways this happens is through email attachments and downloaded files and programs with viruses
-Most of the viruses are sent to people via "Hackers"

Communicating on the Internet
Different ways this is done is through email, listervs, bulletin boards and blogs

Chat rooms, Instant Messaging and videoconferencing
-Chatrooms - internet locations where people talk
- Instant Messaging - service allows users to use private chatrooms
-Videoconferencing- allows those involved to see each other and hear one another

Distance Learning: Placing the Internet in Context
-Background on Distance Education
--"acquisition of knowledge and skills through mediated information and instruction , encompassing all technologies and other forms of communication"
-Delivery Systems
---Student Research, Online classroom materials, web-based lessons, virtual courses and programs.

Current Issues in Distance Learning
-Digital Divide issues, Positive and socialization issues, positive and negative impact on education reform.
-Development and socialization issues -  students may spend too much time on computers
-Positive and negative impact on education reform- many believe this will reform teaching methods
-Virtual schooling issues- thus promotes the following, Curriculum alignment, teacher certification, accreditation, funding and possible negative consequences.