The Learning Highway
- — 15 January, 2000 10:43
At first glance, this book looks like it should be incorporated into a school curriculum, and perhaps it should be, as it offers guided learning, not only in a classroom environment but also in a self-guided learning approach.
No doubt many younger readers may see the book and think, "Great, another text book," but The Learning Highway is a good aid for parents, teachers and kids alike to have by the PC, at home or at school. Many children and adolescents are becoming very accomplished on the Net and have grasped the general concepts of getting online and surfing, which can make some adults - who may not be as PC literate - feel a little out of their depth when assisting in educating the younger generation about computers.
This book sets out to channel the basic Internet skills that young people are developing, and to harness their abilities to extend learning beyond just browsing online, to participating in the wider communication avenues the Net offers.
Well structured, the book moves from the basics of introducing the Internet in the early chapters, through to using e-mail and newsgroups as a learning tool, discusses resource and research strategies, and finally presents online projects to tackle. It even discusses how to tie your Internet skills and learning into the classroom, and how to involve your teacher in your projects.
This book also explores the issues that the Internet is bringing to the learning process, and enables adults and children alike to understand how the static classroom experience is shifting with the introduction of this technology. It reminds us that we cannot always be prepared for what the Internet will throw up, but it will always provide plenty of subject matter to generate important discussions.
If you want the Internet to open up more than gaming and download skills, and browsing the Web is leaving you a little lost, The Learning Highway will definitely expand your exploration of the Internet.
