As a high school and junior college teacher I am somewhat baffled by all
of the fuss over the current educational fad - the internet. In
discussions with many colleagues I have yet to find anyone working on a
project where the internet is a truly beneficial and original aspect of
the project. In most cases the projects are chosen just so the internet
can be used (usually to fulfull the requirements of some grant) rather
than the internet helping to achieve already recognized educational
goals.
The use of email as a means of coordinating long range projects or of
maintaining contact with groups of interested peers I see as a nice, but
not vital aspect of physics education.
If there are some of you out there that truly use the internet (at an
introductory level) in the classroom I would like to hear how - I see it
as the current educational buzzword that will soon dissipate in the
winds of educational examination. It seems to be the current
technological quick-fix for "what ails education" (those who are old
enough think back to 8mm film loops and cassette tape players, to
filmstrips with coordinated records, to interactive videodiscs - all
were the ultimate solutions to educations woes). Without addressing
the deemphasis of the importance of education as its own reward -not to
get big $$$ , but just to know how to know we will continue to lose
ground in the quest to make assertive learners.