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                               Learning With the Internet
Explores the potential of the Internet to support inquiry-based learning through collaborative activities, research, and authoring/publishing. Investigates goals and strategies of online learning. Examines learning theories and models of teaching/learning in relation to selected Internet activities for K-12 students.

I believe that schools must develop technology plans and implement them if they want to prepare students for the 21st century world. This includes developing curriculum that uses technology not as a new tool to instruct in a traditional way, but implementing it as a parallel for the digital environment our students belong to outside of school and one that will continue into their future. We should also be providing the means to develop collaborative and communication skills through online activities and resources and being trained as educators to use them well is a goal we should set for ourselves. Meaningful learning can occur if we trust the new direction we are taking. We are on the road “less traveled,” and while that frightens and discourages some educators, we should not resist it. We should embrace it.

The final project was to design and implement a project that incorporated technology aligned with national technology standards as provided by the International Society for Technology in Education.

The most rewarding experience of this course was to be immersed in the same collaborative environment (through projects) that I hope to provide for students. I’ve gained that perspective, and it allows me insight to their experience in education, which is a new experience entirely. Another important aspect of this online course was the communication skills developed through the discussion board. The sharing of ideas and comparative practices among my classmates allowed me to better understand the rewards technology can bring to education. It also gave me fantastic new tools to use through the course documents, readings, discussions and online resources. Exposure to them reaffirmed my beliefs that these tools are indeed the future. They are exciting and rewarding.