Welcome to the Internet in an educational setting. The Internet has become an intricate part of today's secondary education. More and more schools are using the Internet to learn about things that can't be taught in a regular classroom. It provides classrooms with an enormous amount of resources from all over the world to students, teachers and media specialists. All the information, images and computer software can be reached almost immediately.
It also allows availability to everyone regardless of geography, resources, disability, gender, income, national origin and race. Kids can communicate with other kids in the other side of the world. The classroom can have anyone there, from new and old friends to experts. Not only can schools gain knowledge from others, but they can share their work with others as well.
Vice President Al Gore challenged the communciations industry to connect every American classroom to the "information superhighway" by the year 2000. President Clinton launched a nationwide mission to have every student be technologically literate by the 21st century.
"In our schools, every classroom in America must be connected to the information superhighway with computers and good software and well-trained teachers...I ask Congress to support this education technology initiative so that we can make sure this national partnership succeeds," said President Clinton in the State of the Union on Jan. 23, 1996.
In this mission, President Clinton challenged schools, teachers, students, parents, the private sectors, community groups, state and local governments, and the federal government to meet this goal. He set four standards to help meet this goal:
1. Train and support all teachers to help students learn through computers and the information superhighway;
2. Create effective software and on-line learning resources as important parts of the school curriculum;
3. Make modern computers available for all teachers and students;
4. Connect all American schools and classrooms to the information superhighway.
So sneak a peek at what this modern technology can do for today's students. You can learn about what they are learning through the Internet.
Internet May Improve Learning Process
So what can the Internet do for students in school? In a nutshell, a lot. It can make learning even more interesting.
Students no longer have the option of just having to learn about a region or specific culture from a book. They can actually talk to people who live in that region and get first-hand information about it. The Internet brings the world to the classrooms.
The endless amount of information in the Internet is at their disposal through a computer and a modem. Forget about going to the library. This hands-on tool allows students to relate their interests on a personal level, which is believed to motivate students to do better in school. Many educators believe it can encourage the type of independence students need to progress in their learning process.
There have been a few studies that have shown that those students who use on-line technology may perform better than those who don't. They've also shown that students perform better on comprehension, presentation and communication skills when thay have access to the Internet.
One study compared two groups of students' final projects about the civil rights movement. One group had on-line access, the other didn't. The results showed that the students who had access to on-line generally turned in better work.
The study was done by the Center for Applied Special Technology.
The value of the Internet isn't only the wealth of knowledge it contains. The impact it has on the students' facilitation of learning is also a valuable factor.
Internet Has Many Benefits
There is so much that students can do with the Internet. Not only can they communicate with international students, they can gain from others' knowledge and experiences, participate in chatrooms, share ideas and solutions and learn about the many diverse cultures out there.
While the Internet does a lot for students, there are also benefits for parents and teachers. The interactive learning that the Internet provides can help students and parents with little or no English skills to learn English. Parents can become more involved in their children's education by connecting the school with homes, libraries or other access ports.
Teachers can adjust to the different learning styles and in the classroom. They can also set their own pace of teaching. Individual teaching techniques can become more available, which has been proven to be a factor in student achievement.
Teachers have the chance to be able to teach at more than one place simultaneously. They may be in a small town but through the Internet, they can be linked to students in more populated areas.
Also, the Internet enables administrators and teachers to spend less time on administration and recordkeeping. This would also give them more time to spend with their students.
Global Classrooms and Networks Offer Different Ways of Learning
Students can experience this new way of learning through many networks and global classrooms. These networks give them the chance to learn through the on-line technology from all over the world.
Some of the networks and classrooms that give the students these kinds of opportunities are:
AT&T Learning Network
It links seven to nine classrooms in different places into a Learning Circle for six, 11 or 15 weeks. Its purpose is to achieve geographic and cultural diversity with participants from all over the world.
Students can investigate the same topic and communicate on toll-free lines via the AT&T Mail Network electronic mail system. They can present ideas, create solutions to problems, question beliefs and challenge stereotypes. Classes can then work as a group to summarize, edit and evaluate ideas that were presented. At the end, they produce a final Learning Circle publication.
There are seven themes: Classroom Connections, Mind Works, Computer Chronicles, Places and Perspectives, Energy and the Environment, Society's Problems and Global Issues.
Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections This network provides international e-mail connections for students. A student can request individual pen pals from a specific area, or classrooms can be connected to other students to work together on projects. Teachers can request help or make an announcement of certain classroom projects that involve e-mail.
World Classroom Network
Students and teachers around the world are given the chance to work together on different projects. Subjects vary from science, social studies to language arts. They are able to particpate in discussions with guest speakers and multilingual student exchanges. Students can also communicate with international peers in individual and group writing activities.
Global Common Classroom
U.S. schools are linked to others nationwide through this network. It keeps and enhances existing classroom collaborations between schools in Russia and the United States. It initiates new arrangements with schools and universities in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Spanish-speaking countries in North, South and Central America.
Kids Network
Elementary school students are able to participate in science and geography projects. Students gather information locally and then share the information with other students through the network. Some of the topics have included acid rain, water pollution, recycling, weather, solar energy and nutrition.
Take Advantage of Endless Possibilities
It's never too late to do something on the Internet. Students from around the world have worked on research projects together, talked to each other and learned about each other's culture and country. Right now, as you're reading this, there are two children communicating to each other from opposite sides of the world.
Through the Internet, the possibilities are just about endless. Children can learn about the Orient or find out what's going on Argentina whenever they want. It allows students to learn at their own rates with a wide variety of classmates.
They have a headstart with computers, most likely beginning around second or third grade. By the time they graduate from high school, they'll be all set and ready to go and conquer the world with their extensive computer knowledge!
Some of those children already have homepages on the World Wide Web. Check out some of them out through Web66, a project that lists schools with homepages from around the world. It also helps educators learn how to set up their own Internet servers, link web servers and the educators and students at those schools, and help eudators find and use the right resources on the Web.
So if you want to learn about different ideas and beliefs, the Internet allows you to do that. Or if you want to share your own thoughts, hey, the Internet can do that, too. The possibilities for knowledge are everywhere in the Internet.
Other authors note
Benefits of Internet Use in Education
The use of the World Wide Web appears to offer a number of unique benefits to education such as increasing accessibility and student motivation.
The following is a survey of research concerning some of the major benefits of Internet use in education:
• Accessibility to Learning Opportunities & Resources
• Economical Delivery of Instruction
• Promoting Improved Learning
• Enables New Instructional Models
• Advantages of CMC
• CMC as a "Mindtool"
• Benefits of Hypermedia Construction
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Accessibility to Learning Opportunities & Resources
One of the primary advantages of the Internet is that it can make learning more accessible. It can remove the physical boundaries of classrooms, reduce class scheduling restraints, and offer easy access to searchable databases and a vast array of other world-wide resources. The Web is an open technology - it is accessible by any modern computer (Owston,1997 - see online summary).
The Web is playing an increasingly important role in the area of distance education. Web-based learning can supplement or replace traditional distance educational opportunities which have been provided in the past via postal correspondence, printed materials, audio or video cassettes, and television. According to Bates (1995), "Access is usually the most important criterion for deciding on the appropriateness of a technology for open or distance learning". The Internet's great strength is that it can make instruction time-independent and location-independent; it is able to reach students whenever and wherever they find it convenient to learn (in their homes, at work, etc.).
Owston details a number of benefits to postsecondary web-based instruction including: reducing residency requirements, harmonizing with family commitments, and promoting student-centered learning. He provides an excellent example which demonstrates that Internet-based learning can provide interaction equal to traditional classes: students in the Birkbeck College Crystallography program at the University of London are able participate in discussions with hundreds of students and many experts in the field from around the world and also have the opportunity to work in smaller study groups to produce collaborative research reports.
Owston and others (Hackbarth, 1997; McKenzie, 1997) also see a promising case for the use of the Web in K-12 education. For example, high school students can enroll in externally developed online high school courses, which might be impossible locally due to limited budget, small enrollments, lack of facilities, or lack of qualified teachers. In the traditional classroom, the Web can be used to consult scientists, writers and other experts or to obtain learning materials at little cost.
Many organizations have created no charge web resource collections. Two excellent examples are Canada's SchoolNet and Classroom Connect. The Texas Education Network provides links to curriculum guides, journals, reference materials, K-12 school and teacher websites, museums, libraries, academic experts, etc. The Web can also be a tremendous boon in the areas of home or private schooling by providing greater access to quality learning materials, contact with peers, and information for parents and teachers (Owston, 1997; Dooling, 1996).
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Economical Delivery of Instruction
Freeman & Ryan (1997) indicate that "specialist courses which can no longer be supported by drawing on the student base in the traditional university catchment area can now be offered economically world wide". Faulhaber (1996) states that the Internet makes economic sense in the delivery of low-enrollment university courses. Sending the course to multiple campuses lowers the per-pupil cost.
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Promoting Improved Learning
There is also evidence that the Web can promote improved learning, but not just by virtue of using this medium itself. As Owston states, "No medium in and of itself is likely to improve learning in a significant way when it is used as a tool to deliver instruction. Nor is it realistic to expect the Web, when used as a tool, to develop in students any unique skills. The key to promoting learning with the Web appears to lie in how effectively the medium is exploited in the teaching and learning situation" (Owston, 1997). Instructional goals and objectives should be determined first, then the technology to support them should be located (Barron & Orwig, 1995). i.e. Technological resources must be chosen to fit the curriculum, not vice-versa. "Technology is the servant, and the message, the idea, the matter" (Pettersson, 1989). As with any teaching tool, technology should be implemented only where appropriate. There will be a tremendous waste we all rush to "get everything on the Web".
Marchionini (1988) presents the view that hypermedia systems (such as web-based materials) "model human associative memory and thus can serve as powerful cognitive amplifiers". He sees the following advantages in the use of hypermedia:
• Allow large amounts of information in various media to be stored very compactly and accessed easily;
• Offer high levels of learner control which force students to apply higher order thinking skills;
• Can alter the roles of teachers to more of a guide and create richer interactions among students and teachers.
Hypermedia has potential in education due to its non-linear association of information (which can encourage active, student-centered, individualized learning) and use of multiple information formats (which can motivate learners and provide more natural, efficient, multi-channel representations of knowledge). A study by Fitzgerald & Semrau (1997) demonstrated that hypermedia learning environments can provide equally effective instruction for learners regardless of prior computer knowledge or learning style (mixture of field independence / dependence). Hypermedia systems can also promote collaboration by allowing students to work together to create new content (Yang & Moore, 1996; Jonassen, 1996).
The Web appeals to students because it is "compatible with the way students now prefer to learn" (Owston, 1997). The computer is the "children's machine" (Papert, 1993). It is an integral part of their world, they learn and play with it, and thrive on interaction with it. According to Owston, the Web can provide multimedia learning experiences instead of traditional lectures and it can enhance student autonomy and intellectual community. Teachers are not removed from the educational process, but their role shifts from a deliverer of instruction (sage on stage) to a creator of learning experiences (guide on the side). With web-based learning, teaching styles become more project-based than didactic. McCollum (1997) describes a study in which a mathematics professor divided a statistics class into two groups. One group was taught via traditional class lectures, the other studied online. The latter group, which accessed Web pages, electronic mail, and an electronic chat room, performed significantly better on exams.
The Web can open up a vast new array of learning opportunities and better prepare students to contribute effectively in our knowledge-based global economy (Todd, 1996). Natural resources and location are becoming much less important, while there is an increased emphasis on the critical thinking, problem solving, written communication, and collaborative skills that workers possess (Owston, 1997).
Information is instantly available, current, worldwide in scope, and presented in a motivating format. Via the Web, students can explore various types of information, judge their authenticity, compare different viewpoints, analyze and synthesize information, and construct their own knowledge. According to Flake (1996) the World Wide Web can promote socially relevant development and student empowerment.
The Web can supply the opportunity to write to an authentic audience, which is critical in the development of written communication skills. Telecommunications can positively impact students' development of audience awareness (Gallini & Helman, 1995). According to Keiner (1996), "the advent of the WWW as a medium for children's publication opens up a venue for real world publication of a new order". Kneeshaw (1996) describes an activity in which students get actively involved in instigating change by emailing someone who has an impact on the environment.
The Internet can also be used to advance collaboration. Ruberg et al. (1996) found that a computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment promoted experimentation, sharing of early ideas, increased and more distributed participation, and collaborative thinking. An excellent example of a collaborative CMC-based environment is the global discussions among children available via KIDLINK: Global Networking for Youth 10-15.
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Enables New Instructional Models
In A Web-Based Model for University Instruction (Duchastel, 1997), an excellent framework for the development of web-based instruction is presented. Duchastel counsels against "shoeing old models onto the web". Some course designs do not advance beyond using the Web as an information age photocopier when they have the potential to create unique instructional environments by exploiting attributes of this medium. "Access to wide-ranging knowledge on a topic from sources at all corners of the earth creates a diversity of perspectives that ill-fit the typical model of the university course based on a syllabus reflecting the knowledge and perspective of the particular professor offering the course".
Duchastel equates information to power: "those who possess information tend to have an authoritative status in society". Indeed, the Web is a very dynamic medium that is tremendously changing the way that information is distributed and accessed, which in turn affects the distribution of power. Nowadays, anyone can set up a webpage and become a published author. The Web's impact on communication is being compared to the development of the printing press by Gutenberg in the 1400's.
Duchastel's generic model of web-based teaching includes six functions which should replace contrasting elements in the traditional approach to teaching:
1. Specifying goals to pursue instead of content to learn;
2. Accepting a diversity of outcomes instead of demanding common results;
3. Requesting the production rather than the communication of knowledge;
4. Evaluating at the task rather than the knowledge level;
5. Building learning teams instead of working individually or in groups;
6. Promoting global communities instead of remaining localized.
He is very optimistic about universities adopting such a model. Student autonomy and the pursuit of individualized objectives would be promoted while the role of the professor shifts to coaching rather than pouring knowledge into a group of devoted disciples. Post-secondary institutions will have the opportunity to openly compete for students from all over the globe. It is also likely that most will need to enter this competition for survival sakes as well (Anderson & Garrison, 1997; Denning, 1996; Deloughry, 1996). Cooperative (multi-institution) marketing and development initiatives will also be needed (Owston, 1997; Haugen & Ask, 1997).
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Advantages of CMC
Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is currently used extensively in distance education, but can also be a useful tool within local learning environments. CMC requires the use of local area networks (for communication within a building) or wide area networks such as the Internet (for longer distance communication). These networks consist of computers which are connected together via any of a number of different media: conventional telephone wiring, fiber-optic cables, coaxial cables, microwave devices, or satellites.
One of CMC's strengths is that it enables both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (not at the same time) communication. It also supports communication in several modes of interaction (Paulsen, 1995):
• One-alone: e.g. one person accesses online resources such as online databases or journals, remotely executes software programs stored on a remote computer, or downloads application software via Internet File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
• One-to-one: e.g. two people send messages back and forth via e-mail such as a student corresponding with a teacher or two students communicating.
• One-to-many: e.g. learning materials can be posted to a website by a teacher, forming an electronic lecture which any number of students can view.
• Many-to-many: e.g. any number of participants (students or teachers) interact via a computer conferencing system. Debates, discussion groups, brainstorming, etc. can take place.
The asynchronous communication offered by the web can result in interaction in web-based courses being more thoughtful because students generally take more time to reflect (Kearsley, 1997). Another advantage is that students lose their shyness about participating in class discussions (Paulsen, 1995). Full participation in class discussion by all course members is easier to achieve than in the traditional lecture scenario (Bigelow, 1997). Web-based conferencing can also play an important role in facilitating after-hours faculty-student communication in traditional lecture-based courses (Gillette, 1996). Such conferencing is even more valuable than regular email, especially in large classes. Instead of spending hours replying to individual messages, the instructor can deal with common problems with just one message (Merlic & Walker, 1997).
The Internet also makes synchronous (real-time) communication possible using text, audio or video. Desktop video conferencing (Fetterman, 1996) can provide a new cost-effective dimension of personal contact to web-based instruction, but of course re-introduces time dependencies. Yakimovicz & Murphy (1995) found that interactive video conferencing supplemented with Internet discussion groups provided a collaborative, constructive learning environment.
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CMC as a "Mindtool"
CMC is a "Mindtool" application of computers (Jonassen, 1996) in which the technology facilitates communication between individuals or among a group of people. Jonassen's view is that "CMC affords learners the opportunity to negotiate meaning with individuals ... That negotiation process is supported by a vast array of information that can be retrieved from the network. This process makes CMC the fastest growing and potentially the most powerful of all Mindtools".
The application of Mindtools involves students learning with (rather than from or about) computers. "Mindtools" are computer-based tools and learning environments (e.g. databases, spreadsheets, semantic networks, computer conferencing, hypermedia construction, or microworld environments) which can serve as cognitive tools or extensions of the mind. With the use of such tools, learners can enter an intellectual partnership with the computer, in order to access and interpret information, and organize personal knowledge.
A recent article (Connell, 1997) concludes that "IA" (Intelligence Amplification) is preferred over "AI" (Artificial Intelligence). Educational computing: Learning with tomorrow's technologies (Maddux, Johnson, & Willis, 1997) differentiates between Type I and Type II applications, the latter of which "make available new and better ways of teaching". These authors state that "of all the computer applications that have been adapted to educational purposes, telecomputing holds the greatest potential for revolutionizing the teaching and learning process". Both of these arguments are congruent with the Mindtools approach. There is additional support for the viewpoint that this type of computer use facilitates critical thinking and higher-order learning (Agnew, Kellerman, & Meyer, 1996; Pea, 1985; Vockell, 1989).
The Mindtools approach stresses that technology provides "an array of tools for acquiring information and for thinking and expression [allowing] more children more ways to enter the learning enterprise successfully. These same experiences provide the skills that will enable students to live productive lives in the global, digital, information-based future they all face" (Dwyer, 1994).
Evaluating the Impact of Technology: The Less Simple Answer (Johnson, 1996) presents the view that technology is best used for instructional purposes as an information processing tool: "The use by students at all grade levels of real-world productivity software like word processors, databases, spreadsheets, presentation programs, multimedia authoring tools, e-mail, video production equipment, digital reference materials, electronic indexes, and network search engines to complete complex, authentic projects. Here students will be asked to complete tasks similar to those they will be asked to do in jobs which require using information to solve problems - the kinds of jobs which are both better paying and give greater job satisfaction. The product of such instruction is not a neatly quantifiable score on an objective, nationally normed, quickly scored test. It requires using technology to build personal portfolios of thoughtful, creative work to determine if the use of technology is making our children better citizens, better consumers, better communicators, better thinkers - better people".
Traditional educational paradigms must be shifted somewhat in order to successfully incorporate technology in this way. For technological tools to become student-centered Mindtools requires a readiness for change. For example, school schedules, the physical setup of classes, and assessment of both students and teachers may require modification to accommodate these new tools (Barron & Orwig, 1995).
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Benefits of Hypermedia Construction
Learners can also contribute to the information available on the World Wide Web by constructing HTML documents. Webpage and other hypermedia construction applications are viewed by Jonassen (1996) as superlative Mindtools: "The combination of creativity and complexity required to author hypermedia in a form that is intrinsically motivating to students (multimedia) makes it probably the most compelling and potentially effective of all Mindtools. The richness of representational forms available in multimedia knowledge bases is greater than in all other Mindtools. Future research will very probably documents the effects of designing with multimedia, rather than learning from it".
Multimedia projects can improve educational outcomes by enabling students to represent information using several different media, to link and organize information in many meaningful ways, to draw knowledge and experiences from a wide variety of sources, to practice problem-solving and decision-making, to achieve high self-esteem and to become more self-directed. Such projects include a wide variety of activities and skills which groups can work on effectively over an extended timeframe. They involve a substantial amount of work, open-ended assignments, theme-based activities and interdisciplinary activities. Multimedia projects require and reward good planning and execution skills and students are motivated to create a quality product because a wider audience may view it (Agnew et al., 1996).
A study by Browne & Kinnealy (1997) demonstrated that student home page construction in a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) course was beneficial in terms of second language acquisition and student interaction. The students also experienced a sense of achievement when hearing others' comments regarding the web pages.
Benefits of Internet in Education
• Increasing ubiquity and indispensibility
• Access to interactive and dynamic material
• A million new web pages / day
• 200 million people with e-mail - "infinite" resource
• Easy to "publish" on the web
• Access to people from all over the world
• Can be liberatory and give rise to independent learning
• Can provide a solid platform for group and/or "real world" projects
The Internet Education: Benefits and Challenges
Introduction
Over the past few years, the Internet has emerged as a prominent new technology. The influence of such a powerful technological tool has pervaded all aspects of the educational, business, and economic sectors of our world. Regardless of one's familiarity with the Internet, it is repeatedly made reference to. News broadcasters and commercials, for example, will now provide web addresses, and even the recent movie, "The Net" was sparked by the impact of this new technology (Mike, 1996).
Regardless of whether one uses the Internet or not, one must be clear about the fact that the we have entered a new information age and the Internet is here to stay.
Because the use of the Internet is widespread in numerous fields and domains, without a doubt, it also carries great potential for educational use, specifically second and foreign language education. This paper will therefore focus on the following questions: 1) What is the Internet? 2) How can various facets of the Internet be used in the second and foreign language classroom? 3) What are the benefits of employing the Internet in such a setting? 4) What are the disadvantages or obstacles the Internet presents in a second language classroom? Lastly, the implications of using the Internet in second language classrooms will be discussed.
The Internet is the latest in a series of technological innovations for second language education. In order to understand the role of the Internet, it would be useful to provide a brief history of technology and language teaching, present a survey of the technological resources available to second language learners, and, finally consider the role of the Internet and its possibilities.
Technology and Foreign Language Education: A Brief History
Technology and foreign language education are no stranger to one another. In the sixties and seventies, language laboratories were being installed in numerous educational settings. The traditional language laboratory was comprised of a series of booths, each providing a cassette deck, and accompanying microphone and headphone. Teachers monitored their students' interactions by using a central control panel. The basic premise behind this technology was that if verbal behavior was modeled, and then reinforced, students would quickly learn the language in question. The language lab activities were therefore grounded in a stimulus-response behavior pattern. The more drill practice the students encountered, the faster they would learn the second language. While the language laboratory was a positive step in linking technology and language education, it was soon recognized that such activities were both tedious and boring for learners. Furthermore, the amount of student-teacher interaction was minimal, and individualized instruction was irrelevant. Besides the pedagogical deficiencies, the audio equipment was cumbersome and prone to breakdown, and had only one function-to disseminate auditory input.
These factors put together led to a shift to the communicative approach to second language education, namely, computer assisted language learning.
Microcomputers and quality CALL software provided yet another medium for language learning. Its potential as both a teaching and learning tool are widely written about in the educational literature. At present, there are a variety of computer applications available including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation tutors, spell checkers, electronic workbooks, writing and reading programs, as well as various authoring packages to allow instructors to create their own exercises to supplement existing language courses. In addition to the range of software available, CALL has also been shown to increase learner motivation (Blake, 1987).
Chun and Brandl (1992) also propose that the interactive and multimedia capabilities of the computer make it an attractive teaching/learning tool. Computers can provide immediate feedback to students and students can work at an individualized pace. Software can be designed to include sound, graphics, video, and animation. Moreover, information is presented in a non-linear sequence enabling learners to select the exercises or concepts they wish to review.
Despite the advantages and widespread use of CALL, it continues to suffer from criticisms for several reasons. Many believe that learning and practicing grammar rules of a foreign language through fill-in-the-blank exercises, for example, does little to improve a speaker's ability to produce grammatically appropriate utterances (Armstrong & Yetter-Vassot, 1994). Others point out that CALL suffers from its rigidity in light of the complexities of natural languages. For example, a program designed to provide drill practice on French verb conjugation is useful for only that and nothing else. Recently, however, we are beginning to see encouraging and promising results in the area of CALL software development. Interactive video and programs which provide more authentic and communicative task-based activities are being created, which are more in line with the current theoretical and pedagogical views of learning.
What is the Internet?
While the computer is now used in some form or another in most language classrooms, and is considered standard equipment, the Internet is also gradually being introduced in the second language classroom as teachers become more familiar with it. The Internet is a confederation of thousands of computers from various sectors of society such as education, business, government and the military. It is a network of thousands of computer networks (Lewis, 1994). Each individual system brings something different to the whole (databases, library services, graphs, maps, electronic journals, etc), and the end result is a vast accumulation of information. It is a worldwide network of computers that interact on a standardized set of protocols which act independently of particular computer operating systems, allowing for a variety of access methods to the Internet. For example, the Internet can be accessed from an IBM computer in a student's home in Australia, or from a Macintosh computer at a school in Canada. It can therefore be conceived of as the equivalent of a telephone system for computers. It can be used to both exchange information through electronic mail, newsgroups, listservs, professional on-line discussion groups, and so forth, as well as to retrieve information on a variety of topics through the World Wide Web.
The Internet and Electronic Mail
Although the Internet has been available to most people, only recently have educators been realizing the potential the Internet can have in second and foreign language classrooms. The following section will therefore consider some of these potential benefits and advantages of incorporating such technology in language courses. The Internet has been used by some language instructors in creative ways - one of these innovations being use of electronic mail (e-mail), a specific feature of the Internet. Overall, e-mail can encourage students to use computers in realistic, authentic situations in order to develop communicative, and thinking skills. E-mail is easy to use and even teachers intimidated by computers can quickly become adept at using e-mail with their students. Furthermore, even timid or inhibited students can benefit from the meaningful interaction and communication e-mail makes possible. Kroonenberg (1995), for example, employed e-mail in her ESL classes at Hong Kong International School. She relates her initial experiences of working with two classes of ESL multinational students in grades 9-12, and a homogeneous group of summer school students involving Cantonese-speaking 14 and 15 year olds. The Dragon Bulletin Board System (BBS) using the TELIX communications software was established in order to allow students and teachers to send messages to each other, as well as make public entries on discussion conferences.
During the initial stages, students were logged on the system and each student created a password. Students were simply asked to write freely as in a dialogue journal. Kroonenberg (1995) believes this allows students to become familiar with the system and further allows their ideas to flow. Writing on e-mail can therefore be used to generate ideas about a topic, or can enable learners to free-write without any impositions. E-mail can also be used in various conference-type formats or to generate discussion. For example, Kroonenberg often provided students with topics of high interest in order to generate more writing. In fact, one student who was part of this project stated, "I usually get involved in the BBS because the subjects are interesting and I have a lot to say about them" (p. 25). Writing topics often involved school issues or issues that were directly relevant to the students' lives. In other conference assignments, students are the main audience. Students read entries and then respond to them via e-mail. This allows each student to express their opinion. In this manner, all opinions are voiced and heard, something which may not always occur in oral discussions in the classroom.
Chat rooms can also be carried out through e-mail. In this situation, two or more individuals can "talk" on-line about various topics or issues. For instance, language learners can be paired up and can be given a debatable topic to discuss.
Such experiences, once again stimulate authentic communication and assist students in developing specific communication skills such as arguing, persuading, or defending a particular point. Listservs from around the world can offer news and discussion groups in the target language providing another source of authentic input and interaction. Cononelos and Oliva (1993) organized e-mail exchanges between entire classes of students in order to generate discussion, improve writing skills, and promote peer interaction. In this particular project, advanced level Italian students employed e-mail newsgroups to improve both their writing, as well as their knowledge of contemporary Italian society. In this manner, the teaching of culture was also facilitated through the immediate feedback and contact of L2 speakers who were interested in informing others about their culture.
E-mail can also be used to communicate long-distance with language learners in other schools, or other countries for that matter. A study exploring the potential of long-distance communication involving second language learners was carried out by Chang (1993). The goals of the study were to provide students with a real context for improving their writing, help them to expand their ideas of "content-area" reading and functional writing across cultural boundaries, make students familiar with international telecommunications, and investigate with students, the potential effects of telecommunications on literacy acquisition (Davis & Chang, 1994).
The subjects involved in the study included undergraduate students at Taiwan's National Kaohsiung Normal University (NKNU) and students at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). The 8-week teleconference began with Prompt 1 in which students were asked to write letters to one another. In addition to personal introductions, students were asked to include a focus on their previous English language learning experiences and the difficulties associated with this. In Prompt 2 and 3, students were asked to use their textbooks on the History of English Language to report on interesting uses of English, (ie. connotations, spelling, etc). Prompts 4 and 5 asked the learners to work with sections of specific texts to comment on pronoun and lexical use, as well as syntactic structure. In the final prompt, both groups of students collected examples of English slang and idioms used in each country's films and music. Questions pertaining to the above were asked and responded to by students in each group.
Davis and Chang (1994) point out that as writers on both sides of the world shared questions and comments, jokes began to surface. Over time, the students' reading and writing began to change as well. Through surveys and informal case studies of student writing during the conference, it was found that for the most part, students' writing had improved in both fluency and organization. Surveys also indicated that students saw some carry over to their study literature, and that they had a better understanding of English usage. While the above examples illustrate a few uses of e-mail in the second and foreign language classroom, without a doubt e-mail can provide authentic communication and can foster awareness of both the language learner and the languages they are learning.
The Internet as a Teaching and Learning Tool
In addition to the communication benefits of the Internet, the Internet can also be used to retrieve and access information. The World Wide Web is therefore a virtual library at one's fingertips; it is a readily available world of information for the language learner. While the Internet offers numerous benefits to the language learner, a few such possibilities are examined here, in the context of language learning.
Perhaps one of the most essential pedagogical principles of language teaching is one that emphasizes the study of language in a cultural context. I, along with many other language instructors believe that language and culture are inextricable and interdependent; Understanding the culture of the target language enhances understanding of the language. To this end, the Internet is a valuable resource to both language teachers and learners. As discussed previously, e-mail on the Internet allows language learners to communicate with native speakers. In this manner, the Internet facilitates the use of the specific language in an authentic setting. The Internet can also be used to acquire information from language resources for a variety of purposes. For example, students can access current information from countries around the world. They can obtain geographical, historical, social/cultural, economic, and political information from the countries in which the target language is spoken. Students can read web versions of daily newspapers and same-day news reports from sources such as the French Embassy's gopher service, the daily Revue de Press (Armstrong and Yetter-Vassot, 1994). Such experiences can allow learners to participate in the culture of the target language, which in turn can enable them to further learn how cultural background influences one's view of the world.
The Internet also serves as a medium for experiencing and presenting creative works. While students can peruse the information on the Net, they can also use it as a platform for their own work such as essays, poetry, or stories. Numerous public schools, for example, are making use of the World Wide Web for publishing student work which can be accessed by other web users. Students therefore become not only consumers of content, but in fact generate the content.
As Mike (1996) describes, the use of the Internet has also been shown to promote higher order thinking skills. A language teacher, for example, may instruct learners to search for specific information. Searching the Web requires logic skills. Once information has been obtained, the results must be reviewed which requires scanning, discarding, and evaluative judgment on part of the learner. The information must be put together to make a complete and coherent whole which entails the synthesis process. Such an endeavor permits students to practice reading skills and strategies. The Internet also promotes literacy for authentic purposes, as stated previously. In addition to being a supplement to reading materials, especially current information, when students are exploring the Net, they are essentially exploring the real world. Such browsing or exploration can also lead to incidental learning as they encounter a variety of information in this way. Communication with native speakers furthers literacy development for authentic purposes, enables language learners to compare student perspectives on an issue, and allows them to practice specific skills such as negotiating, persuading, clarifying meaning, requesting information, and engaging in true-life, authentic discussion. Promotion of literacy also occurs within a social context. The interaction that results from the above situations can lead to cooperative projects and increased communication between students from all over the world, in turn leading to the development of social skills. Finally, use of the Internet can promote computer skills and the technical and conceptual experiences of using a computer.
Lastly, the Internet provides supplemental language activities which can provide students with additional practice in specific areas of language learning. These include reading tests and comprehension questions, grammar exercises, pronunciation exercises possible through the available multimedia capabilities, cloze tests, vocabulary exercises, and so forth. Students can search the Web for such sites, or teachers may recommend specific sites on the Web. Published lists are also available from various sources. For example, Paramskas (1993) offers a list of sites for both language teachers and language learners, some of which relate to issues of language learning, others which use language as a medium for discussion of culture or current affairs, and others which assist in locating native speakers.
The Internet Challenges
Up to this point in time, the above discussion has described some of the potential benefits of the Internet and how it can be used in the second or foreign language classroom. However, such a discussion would be incomplete without addressing the disadvantages or obstacles related to the use of the Internet in the language classroom. While the Internet and its various facets offer a great deal to the language learner, it is not without its problems. The nature of the Internet itself can be a disadvantage at times. When lines are busy due to many users, it may take time to access information or browse the Net and technical glitches themselves can lead to frustration. Lack of training and familiarity on part of the teachers can make it difficult to implement the Internet in the language classroom. This requires that school administrators budget for training in this area. Foreign language teachers are especially anxiety prone to computers since they often have little experience with computers. For the most part, computers in schools are used for business or computer science courses. Costs related to training, as well as on-line costs of using a provider are issues that may interfere with implementing such a technology in schools, especially in schools that have little funding. Censorship may also be a concern to language programs and instructors. The Internet offers access to all types of issues and topics, some of which are unsuitable for children, and this in itself may result in various problems. While some precautions can be taken at the present time, they are not full proof by any means. Equity issues may also present difficulties when attempting to implement such technology in the classroom. As the commercial sector begins to assume a more prominent role in the Internet's infrastructure, rural and inner-city schools, already hard-pressed to provide Internet access, may find it less affordable. This is certainly discouraging for both language teachers and students in such educational settings (Mike, 1996).
Many institutions such as these may also not have the computers or computing facilities necessary to implement such type of technology.
Implications and Conclusion
Despite these limitations and obstacles, it must be realized that the Internet's educational potential is immense. Although electronic, the Internet is an entity related to literacy - people still interact with it entirely through reading and writing. For this reason alone, the Internet is a technology that will, without a doubt, have significant implications for both teaching and learning. So what does this imply for language teachers and learners? Teachers must become familiar with using the Internet and its various functions such as e-mail. They must also learn how to use specific search tools in order to access information, search for lesson plans, or material and ideas to supplement their lessons. Lastly, language teachers must learn now to transfer files from Internet sites to their own computer and vice versa. Obtaining information or literature on the Internet, either through the Net itself, through books, or by attending workshops and courses will further assist this process. To avoid facing the same difficulties or problems associated with use of the Internet, teachers can ask students to keep track of problems that arise during use. In essence, language teachers must take the plunge and approach the Internet as a learning experience themselves. The more enthusiastic and more knowledgeable language teachers are, the more successfully they can implement Internet in the language classroom. For the language learner, the Internet offers a world of information available to students at the touch of a button. While it must be recognized that the Internet cannot replace the language classroom or the interaction between the language teacher and student, if offers a vast amount of information and lends itself to communication possibilities that can greatly enhance the language learning experience.
Certainly at this point in time, several questions need to be asked to guide future research in this area. How can use of the Internet correspond to the communicative or pedagogical goals of language teaching? How will the Internet and its related facets assist language learners in functioning in the global community? What will the real impact of the Internet in foreign language classrooms be? How can the Internet be used more effectively along side the present language curriculum? While these questions have been examined to some degree, researchers and language educators must further investigate and implement this technology to provide others with guidelines in this area.
Without a doubt we are in the center of a "monumental technological paradigm shift, one which will eventually change the way that all instructors teach and the way students learn" (Jensen, 1993). While technology should not take over the language classroom, it must be embraced in order to allow educators to do those things which they are unable to do themselves, or those which will improve what is currently being done in the classroom. As we approach the next century, it is essential that we make informed decisions about how the Internet can be successfully integrated into the language classroom.
