The use of the Internet in the classroom promotes not only an immersion into the target culture, but also a restructuring of teaching techniques and approaches. With the electronic extension of the classroom walls it becomes evident that the traditional role of the teacher will change. The foreign language teacher is likely to become more a motivator, mediator, and designer of tasks rather than the transmitter of information. Instead of lecturing, the teacher will be more involved in conducting and directing student activities to foster an environment of expectation, possibility, and performance.
Teachers will need to restructure their lesson plans in order to incorporate the Internet resources. The new lesson plans will allow teachers to fulfill their educational objectives while taking full advantage of online communication and navigation tools. Even though this process seems to be time consuming, teachers need to remember that they can be used again and again in future classes.
It is very important to advance from the simple to the more complex things. Teachers need to make sure that their lesson plans are geared to their students' needs and the lessons' objectives. Sometimes with just one or two Internet components a teacher can develop an excellent instructional plan. Students need time to get used to seeing the Internet as a learning tool. Therefore, exposing them to Internet tools such as gopher, Telnet, the Web, or e-mail will help them to feel confident and secure in their ability use this new resource.
Very motivated teachers can become a catalyst on their school
system. They can start creating their own Web pages and incorporate
on them both, professional and educational material to be utilized
by teachers and students alike. One of the big advantages of the
WWW is its flexibility regarding changes in any material posted
on it. Unlike CD-ROMs, on the Web the author of a page can make
changes to it anytime he/she considers it necessary. This is the
reason why the Web presents up-to-date material. On Internet Tools
teachers can find all the necessary information to start designing
a Web page.
As the primary performers in the learning process students will face new roles and responsibilities. They will become more responsible for what they learn, how they learn, and how they internalize this knowledge. They definitely have to assume more control of their own learning. This requires them to respond more to their own intellectual needs as well as to the interests of their classmates.
Since the computer is the instrument that brings us the Internet,
students will need to realize that it will not be used as a playground.
They will have to learn to approach the use of the Internet in
a serious and mature way. Also, good behavior and Netiquette
observance will be expected from them. This will be another learning
process that will come to its plenitude after much practice and
follow up on the part of the teacher.
