• Course Description
• Course Highlights
• What Teachers Say
• About the Instructor
• View the course materials
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Course Description:

The World Wide Web has become a vast and rich multimedia information resource which can be exploited by classroom teachers at all levels of instruction. Learning to use the Web for classroom teaching definitely is *not* rocket science, but it does require that teachers develop a specialized pedagogy and a new set of hands-on skills. What is the best medium for acquiring this knowledge and developing these new skills? Taking a course *on the Internet* and completing hands-on activities *on the Internet* is the most efficient way to learn how to *use the Internet* in your classroom teaching. You will also be problem solving, developing materials, and sharing insights with your professional colleagues, as well as the instructor, via an Email listserv and an on-line electronic bulletin board.

By taking this course on-line, you will have much greater flexibility than you would in a traditional classroom setting. The course is designed so that all work can be done from your home (or on the Lewis & Clark campus if you prefer). All you need is Internet access, a Web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc), and an Email account. Participants need have only very basic Email and Web browsing skills to participate. The course is designed to require an average of two to three hours of participation, five days a week, over a three week period. (The amount of time *you* spend will vary, depending on the speed of your Internet connection, your reading and writing speed, and your ability to avoid getting sidetracked by the seductive lure of Internet sites. Because the course is offered on-line, you have greater flexibility in pacing your studies. You do the work when it is convenient for you, whether it be the middle of the day or middle of the night. You will be able to choose when and where you work, and nobody will know if you are working in your well-worn bathrobe, most comfortable blue jeans, or a "dress for success" suit!

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Course Highlights:

• Access a pre-selected collection of high-quality websites, suitable for instruction in a variety of content areas. Browse the Internet to find sites within your particular professional area of interest and appropriate for your students or trainees.
  
  
• Explore new pedagogical frameworks by reading landmark articles published by expert teachers in the field. These web-based articles are linked to on-line activities and lesson plans, providing immediate access to contextualized examples which support the principles presented in the readings.
  
  
• Design and create web pages in a variety of activity formats which are directly applicable to your individual teaching/training situations. No special software or access to Internet server space is needed.
  
  
• Enhance your ability to find appropriate resources on the Internet quickly and efficiently, and to teach your students these same skills.
  
  
• Examine different models for evaluating the quality and credibility of Internet sites so that you and your students can differentiate the "treasures" from the "trash," both of which abound on the Internet.
  
  
• Observe and evaluate numerous web-based activities and courses which are currently in use to see how theory has been applied to practice.
  
  
• Review telecommunications projects which involve students from across the nation and around the globe in interactive, technology-enhanced activities, and consider how your students/trainees might participate in those projects.
  
  
• Enhance your learning by participating in electronic discussions of course assignments with your colleagues and instructor, utilizing a web-based bulletin board, a superior tool for sharing information and Web links.

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What Teachers Say:

• This course was without a doubt the best one I've ever taken. Several reasons account for this: the relevance of the content and tasks to my current teaching situation and professional needs; the clear relationship between theory and practice, which appeals to my learning style; the opportunities to interact with colleagues through the bulletin board, e-mail, and the chat room; the support and encouragement from the instructor.
  Martha McNamara
  Assistant Director, ESL Instructor, and Computer Lab Coordinator,
  ELI, University of Akron
  
  
• Wow! I can't believe all that we tackled in such a brief time together. Overall, I am really pleased in the growth of my capabilities. Your incredible support was essential for my success. Thank you. Thanks, too, for all of the links to awesome sights. They'll keep me busy for the rest of the summer.
  Wendy Bernard
  Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, 6th grade
  Beaverton School District, Beaverton, Oregon
  
  
• I had a rich experience and I have a platform to dive off of when I get to start bringing this into the classroom in the winter. Excellent course. Very useful. Your involvement was superb and above the call of duty!
  Sarah Durfee
  Middle and high school Science teacher
  Bend, Oregon
  
  
• I feel this will be one of the most useful courses I will take in the MAT program.
  Vince Jones
  Social Studies teacher
  Westview High School
  Beaverton, Oregon
  
  
• Your workshop is a gold mine of information!
  Dubravka Cokrlic
  ESL teacher/trainer
  Croatia

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About the Instructor:

Michael Krauss, J.D., M.A.T., is a member of the faculty in the Academic English Studies Program at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. His TESOL and ORTESOL presentations include: Perspectives on CALL for Project-Based Learning, Culture Capsules, a collaborative Web-based student project, and Finding What You Need and Using What You Find on the Net! Michael has conducted on-site training sessions to help teachers integrate Internet resources into classroom lessons. He has worked for the U.S. Department of State to provide online workshops for English as a Foreign Language teachers on use of the Internet, and has also served as an English Language Specialist conducting training across Russia and in Honduras. Michael has received a grant from the Northwest Academic Computing Consortium to develop the ESL Independent Study Lab, one of the most popular sites on the Net for those wanting to learn English as a second/foreign language. For more information, see Michael's home page and resume.

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Academic English Studies (AES)
Lewis & Clark College
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Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 3/2/07