Introduction
The World Wide Web has arguably had the biggest impact of any
learning technology on higher education teaching in the last ten years.
The network of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) files which make up the
Web allows a high degree of cross-platform compatibility opening up many
new opportunities for teaching and learning. The new developments in the
Web make it possible to have many types of learning technology available
online, including simulations, assessment and computer-based
communication.
Although the Web does not provide any novel pedagogic strategies it
allows people to assemble coherent sets of media rich resources very
easily. The educational implications of using the Web are that students
are no longer tied to the campus network, and therefore can conduct
their studies at a time and place convenient to them. Meanwhile the role
of the academic evolves from being a deliverer of knowledge to being a
facilitator of learning. The development of Java, Javascript and Dynamic
HTML has increased the interactivity of the Web, making it an even
richer learning environment. Furthermore, standardisation of
administrative and course management systems under initiatives such as
the Instructional Management System (IMS) project will soon provide all
the components for registering students, running courses, and charging
fees online, forming a completely integrated learning and teaching
environment.
Use in Teaching and Learning
The WWW can be used for teaching and learning in the three main ways
listed below:
1) Resource-based learning
A vast amount of information already exists on the Web, therefore
there is great potential for using the information like a library
resource. Various starting points exist for locating subject-specific
material on the Web including search engines and subject-specific
indices and gateways. Many search engines return results ranked
according to the relevance of the site to your search topic. In contrast
to Web indices, subject gateways contain information on the content and
quality of the sites they catalogue. The drawback with this approach is
that you will recover too many sites to evaluate thoroughly before
including them in your reference list. Therefore it is a good idea to
build up your list slowly to make sure you only include relevant,
quality sites. In addition, consider including additional notes with the
reference list to relate the sites to the context of your course,
enabling students to make informed choices on the sites they visit. The
referenced sites should be checked periodically to ensure that the
address is still valid, as Web pages may be frequently removed or change
location. Finally, making the resource-based learning part of an
assessed task discourages students from surfing randomly.
2) Web-based courseware
Another approach is to create pages to present course information or
for delivery of lecture notes or simulations. One advantage of the WWW
is that it was designed to make authoring as easy as possible. Basic
HTML authoring is no more complex than using a word processor, and
capacity for inclusion of images and animations makes it ideally suited
for the presentation of tutorial courseware in an interesting and
stimulating way.
Furthermore, the development of programming languages such as Java
and Javascript as well as plug-in software for Web Browsers means that
the types of courseware now being delivered on the WWW are approaching
the range of applications found in stand-alone courseware. Examples of
Web-based courseware already being used in courses include database and
simulation-based applications, and assessment tools. Many Institutions
now offer whole courses on the Web for distance learners, by combining
lecture notes, reading material, and assessment information with
computer conferencing facilities enabling students to contact their
lecturer and others in the class.
3) Student project work
The Web is an excellent medium for students to organise and publish
their own work. Linking a set of files together will require students to
provide a logical framework for their work and to relate to the
different aspects of the subject. This will result in a deeper
conceptual understanding of the subject than by following the structure
imposed by the author of an existing Web site. The types of learning
activities which can be set for students could include:
critique of existing Web sites
build a collection of links for a particular topic
write a Web-essay, linked to relevant sites
design and create a tutorial for learning on the
Web.
Examples of Interactivity
Web-assisted assessment
The Web offers new opportunities for the delivery of both formative
and summative assessments, on and off campus. Indeed many institutions
have recently developed their own Web-based assessment. The CASTLE
engine was developed to deliver simple multiple choice tests for
formative assessment purposes and is freely available to UK HE (http://www.le.ac.uk/cc/ltg/castle/.
More information on Web-based assessments can be found via the mailbase
email list: web-assisted-assessment@mailbase.ac.uk.
Web conferencing
Web conferencing tools are now widely used to support student-tutor
and student-student interactions. Asynchronous conferencing enables
discussions to occur without participants having to meet overcoming
time-tabling problems. Tutors can use bulletin board systems to inform
all students of new course information, without having to answer
individual emails. In addition, messages can be threaded so that the
progress of the discussion is maintained over time. As with email lists,
restricted groups can be set up to support different projects and
tutorial groups. Prices and functionality of Web conferencing systems
vary from simple, free bulletin boards to integrated course management
systems with integrated document sharing functionality.
Plug-ins
Plug-ins are small helper applications that display a particular file
type within a browser window thus increasing the capability of the
browser. Common plug-ins such as Shockwave (http://www.macromedia.com/) allow
the display of stand-alone applications (in this case Authorware) on the
Web. Other useful accessories include the Acrobat PDF reader from Adobe
(http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html)
and a decompression utility such as WinZip (http://www.winzip.com/) or PKZip (http://www.pkware.com/).
Java applets
It is increasingly possible to convert existing stand-alone material
into Java for delivery on the Web. Although this is a time consuming
exercise which requires Java programming skills, the benefits for
increased delivery are obvious. A large number of Educational applets
are available at Apple’s Educational Objects Economy site (http://eoe.apple.com)/.
Resources
See CTICH resources History | Archaeology |
Art History
Original Authors
Christina Smart
Jacqui Nicol
Peter Miller
Version:
7.1.10.1
