Integrating the Internet into the Classroom
Facilitator: Michael Krauss, AES, Lewis & Clark College

Here are photos and comments from a few former course participants.
Click on the small photos to see larger versions.

Fall 2000

Cathy Harris - Title I Resource Teacher - Crook County School District, Prineville, Oregon Before: Objectives: Ways to access information from the Internet quickly and easily. How to use the Internet in the classroom to help students in certain areas of the curriculum. After: Looking back over the past three weeks, I cannot believe how much I have learned. I feel so much more confident and efficient when using the Internet.. . . Thank you very much for teaching this terrific course. This may sound funny, but the course has changed my life. I can now see the many ways that I could use the Internet to enrich the lives of students. I also have gained the ability to efficiently find resources for myself. Thanks again!

Osamu (Oliver) Takai - EFL teacher and teacher trainer, Otaru University of Commerce, Otaru, Japan Before: I would like to be able to design and create Web pages on "Haiku" and intercultural communication. I haven't written Web-based lessons before. I wish I could become familiar with writing Web-based lessons for my teaching in Japan. After: Thank you very much for a wonderful workshop. I really learned a lot about using not only computers but also the Internet. . . The most useful thing to me was that you gave us a step by step guidance for the assignments and also precious web sites every day. Now, I can use the skills to search information, make exercises on the Internet, and give suggestions to my students on the sites related to the topics in the class discussion. I really enjoyed working on Sampler and Scenario, about which I didn't know anything before I took this workshop. Now, I want to try to use Hotlist and WebQuest as well.. . . Thank you very much again for your earnest devotion and warm continuous support in this workshop. I surely want to recommend this workshop to my former students who are now teaching English in Japanese high schools. I believe this is one of the best teachers' training courses for EFL, which allows anybody to participate from a distant area.

Laura Bush teaches 1st and 2nd graders in a blended classroom in Oregon City, Oregon. Before: It's embarrassing, but I know so little that I have a hard time setting expectations. Anything at all that I learn will be a big step in the right direction. If I can answer this question by the end of the course, I'll consider it a great achievement! After: I had so much to learn that it all seemed incredible, and thrilling when I succeeded. I spent every day thinking about this class. Would I be able to figure it out? Would I be so busy figuring it out that I fail to make a quality piece of work? Is tonight going to be the night that I finally really don't get it?. . . As a complete novice, the greatest facet in this course was that I could figure it out. That speaks volumes for the way that you have it set up and your ability to make it non-threatening. I felt like you took me through it step by step. . .I leave this course with a belief that I can get around on the web and find what I need. And that I need not have those panic filled moments that I had before this class where I felt as if I had a tiger by the tail!. . . Once again, thanks for offering the class and being such a wonderful support while I began to come into the twentieth century!!

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Denny Nkemontoh - K-8 Computer Skills and Grade 6 Math teacher at St. John Fisher School, Portland, Oregon Before: I've never taken an online course. I wanted to experience it personally in order to better evaluate online education. . . I want to enrich my curriculum, to get ideas on how my peers might use the solitary computers in their rooms, and because it seemed convenient to take a class at home! After: This was a great experience for me! It has broadened my horizons of what I can do and create for and with my students. I always feel a class is a success if I take away one idea that I implement in my job and I'm taking away far more than one this time!. . . I've already made another hotlist and plan on doing more. I'd like to do a box of scenarios so that students can do them as independent work -- like the SRA kits of the past. I plan on doing more team work with my students. And I do want to plan a WebQuest on my own time. . .I think you did a great job. I felt you were always patient and encouraging and positive. You gave us lots of good resources. You kept on top of giving us feedback. Your directions were clear. . . Thanks for all you've done!

Sister Kathleen Hepner teaches 4th grade to native and non-native English speakers in St. Francis School, Bend, Oregon Before: I hope to become more comfortable using the internet, not only for myself, but also for my students. I am a true novice in this area, have learned a little on my own by exploring, but I'd like to look into things I haven't discovered yet. After: I had as my goal this year to learn more about how to use the computer for more than word processing. This class has helped me go far beyond my expectations of what I could or would do to meet this goal. Initially I took this class to introduce myself to how the internet works. What I gathered to use in the classroom was a huge bonus. . . I have heard of horror stories of on-line classes where there was little or no support or communication from the instructor. I have heard that this isn't the best way to learn because there is no direct teacher interaction. That certainly wasn't true in how you conducted the class. I felt I had several ways to get and give feedback. I felt I was aware of my progress and of how I was doing at each step along the way. Thank you for being there for us, for stretching our thinking and for helping us keep frustration in check. . . It's been a full three weeks, an experience I am very glad to have had. I've learned much more than I expected and will never see computers in the same way again!

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Cathie Thomas is the library media specialist at the K-8 St. Francis School in Bend, Oregon Before: I hope to become a better, wiser, and more skillful internet user. I also hope to be able to provide my staff with resources for curriculum support. And I want to be better able to instruct students in internet use. After: When I began this class, I explained to you that I was a novice--a true beginner. And I still see myself as a beginner with maybe a few more skills under my belt. . . I cannot believe the amount of resources that I have been introduced to. . .I have such a vast amount of resources to continue to explore and figure out ways to use. The best part of the class was taking it with a colleague. We could sit and laugh together and relish in our successes... I am looking forward to sharing with my staff some of my new found knowledge. . . Thanks for all and all your quick feedback. Cathie T.

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Sharon Orchard is the Title 1 teacher at Maple Primary, the only primary school in Myrtle Point, Oregon. Before: I would like to be able to obtain the most helpful information for a particular subject in a timely manner, to learn to "get around" on the internet, and be able to help my students when the need arises. After: This has been one of the best and most useful classes that I have taken in a long time. I am overwhelmed by your sincere patience, understanding of individual needs, and encouragement throughout this entire class. I have gained a whole new understanding of the Internet, of ways to use the Internet in the classroom (I thought games and resources for teachers was all there was), and how to use the Internet. My computer skills have improved and I actually know how to create new folders and edit bookmarks. Another important skill that I gained was actually HOW to search, and, of course, how to create activities and projects that can be used in the classroom. This list could go on and on. All of these new skills are and will be useful to me... I thank you for providing this comprehensive class. It was "just enough and a little bit more" for a primary teacher.

Aimee Mercer is an English teacher at Mountain View High School in Bend, Oregon. Before: I hope to learn how to use the internet as both a teaching tool for lesson planning and for classroom use. I enjoy using the internet for teaching ideas and for collaboration with other teachers. My computer skills are not the best though. After: Well, honestly I will say that at the beginning of the course I was very frustrated and I felt like I needed someone to physically be in the room with me. . . In a way doing all of the tasks via the net forced me to really learn what I was doing well and not so well. . . This system was good for me because I did it on my own and I know that I will remember more because of this fact. I have learned a lot! Thanks!

Summer 2000

Wendy Bernard - 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, Beaverton, Oregon Before: I hope to become a smarter surfer and in general a more informed consumer of the internet. I would also like to feel more confident about using the web with kids. I look forward to being in communication with others who have the same goals. After: 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.

Jon Newswanger - ESL teacher and graduate student in Applied Linguistics, Portland State University Before: CALL workshops and seminars at conferences are like CALL websites; the good ones are few and far between. I'm hoping for some skills to help wade through the endless bland offerings of the Internet to find the real gems. After: Of all my years of working on the 'Net' using search engines, I had never really had a good training on effective use of search engines past "put it in quotes". In one afternoon, I have effectively doubled my efficiency. This is one of my goals for the class realized!

Sarah Durfee - Middle and high school science teacher, Bend, Oregon. Before: [My expectations include] improved web-browsing skills for lesson plans, research projects (my own and students), and interactive web sites to enhance classroom learning in the sciences. After: EXCELLENT COURSE. VERY USEFUL. YOUR INVOLVEMENT WAS SUPERB AND ABOVE THE CALL OF DUTY. I'll try to go in order of MOST MOST useful to most useful: 1. Information on HOW the web is used in the classroom: activity structures and WebQuests, Scrapbooks, etc. 2. The vast sources you offered everyday to get us started and excited about what is out there. 3. Examples of student-produced works on the web that have meaning. 4. Search tips, DOING the activities. (The day we had to answer all those super random questions!) 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.

Carol Radich - Former junior high teacher and Peace Corp EFL teacher in Thailand. Currently a graduate student in TESOL, Portland State University Before: My goal in taking this class is to become very familiar with the resources available on the internet and find out how to best facilitate their use. I also hope to improve my internet skills and learn how to do some basic web development. After: Great course. My first online course and I didn't know what to expect. Turned out that I learned a lot and have enough bookmarks to keep me busy for a year!! All the data that's out there for me to use - so many ideas, so little time! I really liked the 'hands on' - building the hotlist and developing a scenario.

Joann Miller - Institutional Academic Coordinator for English at Universidad del Valle de Mexico (14 campuses), Mexico City. I had a very good overall impression of the course. As I have said, this wasn't my first on-line course. It's actually my fourth and I must say it was the best. The big difference was your involvement. I think any on-line course, where you don't meet with the teachers, needs constant instructor involvement. Your daily e-mails and constant feedback were very useful and you even managed to individualize a course that included people with such different interests.

Rebecca Popelka - Teaches freshman through seniors in an alternative education program at Crook County High School, Prineville, Oregon. This was the most important, most relevant course I've ever taken. . . now I have to go home and spend all summer applying what I learned to help my kids be more successful.

Michael Hyder - Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Computer Applications, Drama, and Volleyball Coach - Culver Middle School, Bend Oregon. Michael, this was an awesome course and experience. . . This class confirmed for me the tremendous potential that the Internet can have in my classroom and with the entire school curriculum. In the past, my students barely scratched the surface as to the potential power that the computer can bring to our learning community. Thanks to you, and what I have gained from this experience, their "quality" time using the computer tool will escalate at least 150%.

Carl Sumsion - Art Teacher - St. Helens High School, St. Helens, Oregon. I can see now how to make use of the Internet. Before this class I had not caught the vision of it, and viewed it as a big encyclopedia. Now I have some great ideas for really using it to it's potential.

Nat Palmer - Teaches high school chemistry and physical science at Crook County High School, Prineville, Oregon. This was an outstanding experience for me. The information revolution is like a giant onion. Layer after layer of possibilities. . . I have used the Internet in a basic way, but now I feel that I can move up on the ladder of competency. I am in the process of creating my own WebQuests for my classroom and other teachers, this is cool stuff.

Debbie Yang - Director and instructor of English as an International Language at BYU's Language Center, Laie, Oahu, Hawaii. This was a VERY useful course, well organized and taught. I started out with a 1" notebook and now am in a 3" in addition to a few dozen bookmarks. My husband is an Information Systems Administrator, my eldest daughter was a student researcher in college, my second daughter graduates in April with a B.S. in Information Systems. The youngest, 16, would climb up on the computer chair to play computer games while still in diapers. I am the "black sheep." Thanks to you, I am beginning to speak the same language as the rest of my family!!! Aloha, Debbie

Dana Lineback - Teaches ESL at Longfellow Junior High in Enid, Oklahoma This course addressed a huge void in my teacher training. Truly, it was just what I needed - an excellent investment of my time and effort!. . . Please keep me on your emailing list for any future courses/workshops/seminars you might offer - without a doubt, I'd be interested in your top-quality training.

Harlan Harouff - High school math teacher, living in Salem, Oregon, currently subbing and working on a Master's degree at Lewis & Clark College. My overall impression-excellent course, the information was useful in the extreme. Truly the experience was like dining at an "all-you-can-eat" restaurant, plenty of food; if you didn't get enough it's your own fault. I enjoyed, thank you, hh.

Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 11/8/02