Harris Response

In Harris' article (2000), some critics believe that there's no room for Internet projects in today's world of high stakes testing and empahsis on student achievement. According to Harris, this is not the case. She makes some very good points by saying that Internet projects are useful when used in the right way. For example, telecollaboration is most appropriate when students are a) being exposed to multiple points of view, perspectives beliefs, interpretations and/or experiences; b) comparing, constrasting, and/or combining similar information collected in dissimliar locations; c) communicating with a real audience using written language (like a blog); and d) expanding their global awareness. She also talks about how teleresearch can be useful when used in the appropriate way: a) accessing information not available locally; b) viewing information in multiple formats (e.g., text, graphics, video); c) comparing and contrasting differing information on the same topic; d) considering emerging and very recent information (e.g., interim reports of research studies in progress); and e) delving deeply into a particular area of inquiry. I really think that these points of interest within the realm of technology in education are important for teachers to understand and realize. Teachers need to know why they are using technology and simply help it to integrate with the curriculum, not replace it.

Another point that Harris makes in spite of this criticism is time. Going with what was just said, once teachers learn the skills for these Internet tools, using online components shouldn't take additional time or space in the classroom. Teachers need to learn about the types of telecommunicating projects that are worthwhile in terms of time, effort and resources needed. These worthy projects are student-centered, active, problem-based, multi-modal, and interdisicplinary. With the use of these Internet tools, each project should effectively combine curricular goals, telecollaborative activity structure, and serve teleresearch purposes.

The last point that she makes is her strongest. At the end of the article, Harris claims that if the testing instruments are reliable, vaild, and matched to the relevant curriculum standards, then the benefits of project-based learning should also be shown in higher test scores. If not, then we should question the tests before we question the creative ways in which teachers are helping their students to learn. I completely agree with this, because before you can get students to pass tests, you need to get them actively engaged in their learning. Students aren't being actively engaged by listening to a teacher up front lecture about a certain topic. They're being actively engaged in their learning by using technology in the classroom, which includes these Internet-based tools and project-based learning.