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Introduction
> Learning Goals
> Teaching
Guidelines > Planning Tips > Sample
Web Projects > Conclusion
Putting these guidelines into effect can be a complex process,
especially in light of the additional complexities of using computer
laboratories and accessing the Internet (see Figure
1). Here are some planning tips:
- time—Be aware that on-line projects
take a lot of time to implement. It is better to do a few tasks
or projects and do them well rather than to take on too much
the first time. Start with something clear and relatively straightforward,
and add new dimensions in future semesters if you wish. For
example, WOW!
Washington on the Web (Meloni, 1999; see chapter 5)
began with reviews of restaurants; students themselves later
asked to add reviews of other institutions, such as museums
and theaters.
- computer and Internet access—If
possible, make sure ahead of time that students have access
to school computers outside class so they can practice on their
own. If you have a choice of either hardware or software, choose
the most user-friendly types. (See Figure
2 for tips on doing projects when access to computers and
the Internet is limited.) Also help students get individual
e-mail accounts, either through the school or through a free
Web-based e-mail service such as Yahoo!
Mail or Hotmail.
Many projects, such as the high school e-mail exchange project
described below, can be done entirely by e-mail.
- communications—Set up e-mail lists
for small groups or the whole class to facilitate interaction
either through your institution or through a free on-line service,
such as eGroups.com. For
example, in the US-SiberLink
project (Braunstein, Meloni, & Zolotareva, 1999;
see chapter 3), students formed small "netgroups"
to collaborate by e-mail on their projects.
o hands-on training: The first time you provide hands-on training,
try to find one or two assistants to help you, and prepare a
clear handout for your students. See How
to Create a Basic Web Page With Netscape Composer (Shetzer,
1999b) and How
to Use WS_FTP in the Storke Lab (Shetzer, 2000b) for
handouts created for the class English Through Web Page Creation,
described in chapter 5. And, if possible, train a couple of
students ahead of time to see what problems might arise when
you train a whole class (Robb & Tillyer, 1994, as cited
in Warschauer, 1995a).
- partners—Multiclass projects are
especially complex. When choosing partner classes, be aware
of differences in schedule, level, or goals. Differences can
be managed as long as they are taken into consideration. Collaboration
on several such projects (see, e.g., Corio & Meloni, 1995;
Meloni & Braunstein, 1999, http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~gwvcusas/coasttocoast.htm,
described in chapter 5) was possible in part because the teachers
involved were able to find partners whose teaching schedules
matched their own.
- team teaching—A multiclass project
involves close coordination with one or more teachers. Choose
a partner who is reliable and, if possible, who has a similar
teaching approach. Discuss your goals ahead of time. If several
teachers are involved, set up an e-mail list just for the teachers.
For example, d'Eça (n.d., http://www.malhatlantica.pt/teresadeca/spiritofxmas.htm)
and her partner teacher discussed in detail the goals and activities
of the cultural exchange they organized for their classes (discussed
below); see the site for copies of their planning messages.
- student interaction—Help students
in long-distance projects create a hospitable atmosphere before
beginning intense project work. Encourage students to introduce
themselves and exchange personal information. Have them share
artifacts such as pictures, artwork, or school memorabilia (Sayers,
1993) either on-line (see, e.g., the US-SiberLink project, described
in chapter 3) or by sending cultural packages in the mail (see,
e.g., the high school e-mail exchange project described below).
- monitoring—Establish clear guidelines
and timetables for on-line projects. If appropriate, involve
students in developing the guidelines, but in all cases make
sure to communicate them clearly to all participants. See Culture
Web Site Project (R. S. Davis, 1998a) for a clear list
of assignments and a time line for a semester-long, project-based
course.
- assessment—Explain clearly to students
how they will be assessed, and let them know whether you will
be monitoring their on-line interaction. Consider evaluating
students by means of electronic portfolios, which contain samples
of students' computer-based work (see, e.g., A Middle School
Web Publishing Project, below).
- a shared experience—Allow students
to share their work with other teachers, students, and family
or community members through computer or Internet fairs at your
school. Also share the experience yourself by writing about
it for an on-line discussion list or journal (see chapter 2;
see also Robb's 1995/1996 article, which documents an Internet-based
project).
Figure 1. Potholes on the Information
Superhighway
- slow downloads—When an entire
class uses a laboratory at the same time to visit a handful
of sites, the students might experience the "World
Wide Wait" rather than the World Wide Web. To avoid
this problem:
- Have students work in groups to minimize the number
of Internet connections used.
- Even better, visit the sites from each computer
right before the lesson begins so the sites will be
cached (i.e., saved) on the computer's browser.
- Better still, download the entire site onto the
computer's hard drive using software such as Teleport
Pro (1997) or WebWhacker
(1999).
- dead links—Internet sites
change their addresses over time, and Web servers crash,
making sites temporarily or permanently unreachable. To
minimize this problem:
- Use larger, well-established sites.
- Check sites regularly to see that they are still
functioning.
- Most important, orient your students to the fact
that Web addresses change and that they may need to
conduct their own searches to ?find updated or alternate
resources.
- lost in cyberspace—Using the
Web can be a very disorienting experience for students
of English, especially those who are at lower English
levels or who have minimal experience with computers.
- Create a friendly home page for your course to
give students a secure place from which to begin their
Web browsing.
- Take the time and effort to see that the Web browsers
in the laboratory are properly configured (e.g., with
the appropriate home page, language, and outgoing
e-mail address).
- Later, if you wish, teach students how to configure
the browsers themselves. Also teach students how to
bookmark or e-mail themselves their favorite sites
so they can visit them later.
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Figure 2. High Tech in a Low-Tech
Environment
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Are you working in a school with limited access
to the Internet, few computers, or out-of-date equipment?
Here are some tips especially for your situation:
- Focus on e-mail. Many effective Internet projects
can be done with simple
text-based e-mail and don't require multimedia.
- Combine off-line and on-line work. Most of the work
on successful Internet projects-for example, writing
or reading e-mail messages-is done off-line. Students
working on a Web publishing project can also do much
of their research, writing, and Web page creation off-line,
and Web pages can even be stored and viewed on a local
computer rather than on the Internet.
- Have students work in groups. Students often benefit
from sharing a computer. Even in a one-computer classroom,
one group can work at the computer while other groups
work on other tasks. For further suggestions, see the
following resources:
- Make use of computers outside school. Many international
exchange projects have relied on a teacher's home computer
to send a weekly report by e-mail. Other possibilities
include a computer and Internet connection at a local
library, community center, business, or university.
You can also make use of students' home computers, but
try to do so in a way that includes the students who
don't have home computers. For example, one student
with a computer and Internet access can find or download
information for the entire class.
- Learn to make do with an older computer: NewDeal
Inc. provides low-cost e-mail and Web-browsing
software with a full graphical interface that runs on
almost any personal computer, including computers with
Intel 286, 386, and 486 processors.
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Introduction
> Learning Goals
> Teaching
Guidelines > Planning Tips > Sample
Web Projects > Conclusion
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