Internet & Its Use in Education

The Internet offers a host of ideas, a broad array of information and engaging, interactive opportunities to educators and students. Teachers of K-12 students use the Internet in the classroom to support the attainment of learning outcomes. Outside of school, students go online to complete teacher-directed research and interactive activities. Under the guidance of their instructors, elementary and secondary students benefit from using abundant resources otherwise unavailable to them.

History

According to the Internet Society (ISOC), the Internet had its origins in the 1960s. Over recent decades, the Internet has exploded in growth and accessibility, as the "digital divide" narrows.

Students

K-12 learners integrate the Internet as a tool into their classroom curriculum. Students can interact in real time with other classrooms in remote locations and complete teacher-designated projects.

Teachers

Teachers use the Internet to access teaching tools and multimedia resources for the classroom. For example, NASA provides historical and cutting-edge science content specifically designed for use in K-12 classrooms, including NASA TV online.

Significance

Integrating multimedia content from the Internet into the curriculum may especially appeal to auditory and visual learners.

Potential

Next steps include incorporating subject-specific, Internet-based content into the curriculum, designing lesson plans, creating assessments, and learning objectives. Teachers often require professional development to gain proficiency in using the Internet.

Fun Fact

Middle-school students study Earth from the International Space Station by using the EarthKAM. During live missions, classes use an Internet portal to communicate with staff at the University of California at San Diego, and the digital camera on the International Space Station.

References

• NASA TV
• NODE Project
• Technology Based Learning Strategies

Resources

• NASA's International Space Station EarthKAM
• Integrated Ocean Observing System
• Internet Society