Just-In-Time Training
by Marilyn Kelly, OPEN staff
 kelly_m@4j.lane.edu
"OK, I'm online, what now?" Millions of people, schools, businesses, governments and other institutions have gone online since the first program to access the World Wide Web was made available to the public in January, 1992. New Web sites appear by the minute, all over the world. Newcomers are often overwhelmed by the vastness of the Web. There's so much information you just don't know what to do with it. And the Web is seductive-even though you've found plenty of good material for that class you're teaching on women in politics, you can't stop looking because you know there's more and possibly better stuff out there. With all this information at your fingertips, it's really important to take time to learn the skills of evaluating, searching, and forming queries, and to teach these skills to your students. Luckily, there's lots of help on the Web. For a Quick Start, visit JITT's online adaptation of the USWest/NEA Teacher Network Workshop Guide, written by Lynn Lary and Sam Miller. The guide is an easy introduction to the Web. It covers the basics of Netscape, searching the Net, and e-mail. It even throws in a bit of basic computer information and supplemental activities like capturing images and creating a slide show in ClarisWorks. One of the best sites for a comprehensive look at the Web and how to use it in your classroom is the Global SchoolNet Foundation's Harnessing the Power of the Web: a Tutorial. The tutorial is designed for teachers and covers everything from the basics, to designing student projects, to understanding the unique opportunities for collaboration and communication you can find on the Web, to guidelines and policies for protecting your students, and more. If there is such a thing as a Web "classic," this is it. It's been around a long time and is one of the most respected guides for instructional applications of technology available on the Web. Visit it, bookmark it, and come back to it. For questions and answers, check out AskLN, an electronic mail mentoring service for educators who have questions about using the Internet and other technologies in the classroom. You can ask a question by filling out the online form or by sending an e-mail to AskLN@ericir.syr.ed. You'll receive a response within two business days. AskLN (Ask the Learning Network) is a free service from Syracuse University's AskERIC, the Internet-based education information service, in cooperation with AT&T's Learning Network.
For those of you who've been on the Web awhile and have developed some successful strategies for integrating technology into your lessons, remember how you felt when you were just starting out? You probably have a wealth of knowledge that would be a boon to someone else. The OPEN Clearinghouse is building its own e-mail mentoring service, and you can help by letting us know what experience and skills you have that you can share with your colleagues. The next time you're online, visit the OPEN Help page and fill out the Be A Helper form.
If you feel like honing your Web skills this summer, check out the Oregon Online Internet Institute (OII). OII offers a combination face-to-face/online learning environment for teachers and media specialists interested in the effective use of technology in the classroom. There will be two sessions this summer. Visit the Oregon OII home page for dates and enrollment information.
The Web is an incredible resource for learning. The goal of OPEN and JITT is to help you, and your students, to make good use of it.
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