A year ago many educators had no idea that "RAM," "modem speed" or "URL" could have an important place in their lives. Since then, the rush has been on to bring new technology into schools and keep up with the changing world. The buzz around the teachers' lounge is evolving from magazines to modem speeds, from recess to Internet access.
Schools across the nation are upgrading curriculum to incorporate new technology and bring the Internet into the classroom. This means that school business officials find themselves faced with questions like, "How do we fund new computers?" "How do we "wire" our schools?" and "How can we use the Internet to our advantage once we are wired?
Getting Started
Ironically, some of the best answers to these questions can be found on the Internet. Here are a few sites that help educators get started:
If you're undecided about what computer system is right for your school, two sites that offer information on computers and network systems are Education World's administrative resources page (www.education-world.com/articles/admin.html) and Edweb (http://edweb.cnidr.org:90/resource.cntnts.html).
Getting wired is the next issue. One grass roots effort helping to solve this problem is NetDay (www.netday.org), a nation-wide volunteer effort to put people from all walks of life to work wiring schools. Since the program started in 1996, nearly 30,000 volunteers have joined the effort and wired thousands of schools. In a radio address in February, President Clinton called on volunteers to hold NetDays in all 50 states in 1997. The next national NetDay is scheduled for October 25, 1997.
With the President's initiative to wire all schools by the year 2000, schools are looking for ways to get online. Programs like NetDay are moving schools forward. However, becoming wired for Internet access leaves schools with another big question: "What do we do now that we are out there?"
"What Do We Do Now?"
One of the primary problems of the Internet is finding the information you're looking for. If you've ever searched on-line, you know that there are millions of sites out there. So how do you quickly locate the resources you need as an educator?
One of the most complete Web resources is Education World (www.education-world.com). Education World is a Web site and search engine designed to meet the specific needs of educators. The site helps educators find education-related materials online, while also guiding educators to money-saving resources for their schools.
Finding Resources On-Line
The primary feature of Education World is a search engine with more than 50,000 links to education-specific sites. This means that a search for "grants" will bring up sites like "Cash for Class" rather than "Grant County, South Dakota."
Using online resources such as Education World also helps your school save money. For example, Education World provides direct links to state and federal grant information, free lesson plans and curriculum materials. Plus links to online news publications such as USA Today and The New York Times save on subscription costs while downloadable shareware programs from the Internet reduce the cost of buying software.
Lots of time-saving resources are also available on-line. For example, Education World offers free job postings so anyone involved in education can review your listing. Schools can also sign up to receive a monthly review of 20 other educational Web sites so that they will have a pool of on-line resources to choose from.
Leveling the Playing Field
There is no doubt that the Internet levels the playing field between schools. Even rural schools and schools with limited funding can access the best educational resources in the world through the Internet. Many educators are already using online libraries and archives such as ERIC (ericir.syr.edu) to get the most from their current resources.
Education World and ERIC are just two useful tools for expanding your links to on-line resources and expanding the value of your money without expanding your school's budget. Both are free educational resources designed to help educators use the Internet and ultimately help make educators' jobs easier.
Looking back, it's easy to see how far technology has come in the last year. From the question, "how do we get wired?" to the current "now what do we do?" the Internet has evolved faster than anyone thought possible.
Schools nation-wide are working hard to take advantage of these changes. Using the Internet helps schools find ways to do it efficiently. With such vast resources available on the Internet, schools that aren't taking advantage of online opportunities may ultimately find themselves left behind on the Information Superhighway.
Brian Mauck is an expert on integrating the Internet into education. He has provided Internet training seminars for several national associations including SASBO, NEA and AASA. Brian is Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Concourse C, Inc. Digital Marketing Services. For questions or suggestions, please contact Brian at bmauck@educationworld.com or call (405) 523-5480.
