Review of Chapters 5 of „Integrating technology for

meaningful learning‟ by Mark Grabe and Cindy

Grabe, 5th edition.By Bill Feil

EDUU 551

Brandman University, Walnut Creek, CA

4-12-10

Chapter 5 – Review

The internet as a tool for communication

1. The internet

There are more than 800,000,000 internet users

worldwide. The growth of the internet community

grew rapidly and is still progressing. The internet

is a tool for communication, inquiry, and

construction. Using internet protocol, people

communicate with each other at split second

time, even across vast oceans.

2. E-mail

Electronic mail (e-mail) was one of the first

internet applications and is still one of the most

used features on the internet. Exchange of

correspondence can be used by a student with

other students from other cultures. This

way, students can get to know how others live

and survive with first hand writings for people

who live in these cultures. They can also build

their foreign language skills at the same time.

3. Video conferencing

Synchronous video and audio communication is rapidly

becoming a way to communicate between offices across

town or across the country. Two or more computers

connected to the internet can help facilitate the point-to-point

communication and open the door to better responsiveness

to an inquiry. Video conferencing can be very functional in

the classroom, increasing the possibilities of learning in a

formidable classroom environment. Students can connects

with a sister class and increase the likelihood of learning

from peers in other classroom or even other cultures.

4. Telecomputing activity structures

Structuring the interactions in an internet

communication can help provide for many kinds

of projects. Problem solving activities can be

shared between to distant classes, allowing for

students to interact and share ideas and results. It

could be a fun way to raise a student‟s school

spirit with a healthy internet debate between rival

schools. I can also help a teacher by reducing the

load of preparation and allow the teacher to better

focus on the student if a shared classroom study

group is made with other classes.

5. Netiquette guidelines

Internet etiquette is often referred to

netiquette, where internet communication is

watched carefully for properness in our writing.

We often forget that an internet communication

can be permanent. It is useful to have a way to

make sure that we do not write something that we

will regret – like having someone say to us, “is this

the way you would like to have someone write this

to you?”