Chapter 7: Conclusion

Mark Warschauer
Heidi Shetzer
Christine Meloni

Introduction > Learning Goals > Teaching Guidelines > Planning Tips > Sample Web Projects > Conclusion

Although the projects discussed in this chapter were conducted by teachers working in very different circumstances, some common threads are evident. In most cases, Internet-based activity was woven into projects. Students progressed from direct instruction to immersion in project activity and gradually learned to take greater levels of responsibility for their own learning. Neither language nor technology was treated as an end in itself; rather, both were seen as means toward authentic and purposeful communication. The teacher acted as a guide and facilitator, providing sufficient instruction for students to get started, helping the students launch the projects, and supplying additional language or technology support along the way. The final products were not just turned in to the teacher but were also shared with other audiences.

These projects are only a few of the many interesting examples we have come across. There is no single right way to use the Internet in English language teaching, just as there is no one way to use textbooks, tape players, or libraries. However, it is possible to learn from the successes of others, and there is a pattern of positive results being achieved from project-based computer work in the classroom (for more examples, see Cummins & Sayers, 1995; Warschauer, 1995b, 1999).

The Internet is a relatively new medium, and the final chapter on effective use of the Internet in education is far from being written. Without a doubt, you, the readers of this book, will contribute to overcoming the challenges of effectively integrating the Internet in the classroom so that students master the language, technology, and learning skills they need.

Introduction > Learning Goals > Teaching Guidelines > Planning Tips > Sample Web Projects > Conclusion

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