October is Computer Learning Month. Each year, more computers and better Internet access become available to students in our schools. Increasingly, more research in education confirms that when high-quality digital information is available to students and well-trained teachers know how to use it, student achievement increases in both academic content and in the essential skills of reading, writing, and critical thinking.

The good news is that the use of computers and the Internet increases the effectiveness of many traditional and research-proven practices in education. Even better news is that these new teaching and learning technologies add some significant new opportunities to learn that are not available in traditional classrooms: learning can take place anytime and anywhere; world-class resources are available to all students and not confined to local collections; significant time is saved in finding and using information through use of inquiry-based activities; and learning resources can be customized for individual learning styles and reading levels.

The bad news about educational technology is that student access to the Internet creates a variety of hazards for students and teachers: cyber-bullying, pornography, identity theft, spreading rumors, cheating, etc. How are schools trying to cope with these personal threats to students and the major distractions that erode the teaching and learning process?

Assign students to create a report of at least 150 words (or a PowerPoint presentation of at least two minutes and seven slides) that cites at least three resources and addresses the following essential questions for critical thinking:

• What do you consider the greatest threat to students using the Internet in school and why?
• What is your position on the use of school filtering systems for students and why?
• How can schools improve the use of the Internet in schools and make it safer?
• What do you think is the best existing use of the Internet in schools and why?

Pathfinder: Type "Internet, Educational use" in the Subject Headings Search box > Click the link Internet, Educational use

Use our custom ProQuest models for written or PowerPoint reports written and PowerPoint-style reports.