Linking Students to the Infosphere

Dr. Boris Berenfeld
T.H.E. Journal, Vol 23, No. 9, April 1996, p. 76-83

As part of the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996, all schools and classrooms should have access to advanced telecommunications services. This article explains what to do after the wires have been laid. Online functions have been adapted into classrooms at three levels: 1) From extracurricular use to curricular augmentation; 2) From augmentation to added-on telecommunication based curricular inserts; and 3) Telecommunication features fully integrated into the curricula. In the process, new pedagogical goals are developed that include: bringing real-world relevance into the classroom; helping students perceive knowledge as constructed; providing students with an effective model of lifelong learning; bolstering social, communication and critical thinking skills; meeting emerging standards for inquiry-based learning; increasing the authenticity of the learning environment; putting a human face on learning; finding role models for students; and equity among the poor and the rich students.

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Howard J. Bender, Ph.D.
President
The Education Process Improvement Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 186
Riverdale, Maryland 20738
hjbender@epicent.com