4.1 Introduction

The aim of this chapter is to identify relevant research and literature which form the conceptual framework for the study. The research will explore the application of Intranet technology in the elementary, secondary and in some cases tertiary classrooms. Through the review of current academic writing and the investigation into the efforts of a number of individual schools, the research identifies a range of consequential activities and strategies that can be used by schools who are keen to apply the concept of a school-based Intranet.

The bulk of the information that exists on how schools are using Intranets consists of occasional individual success stories from a number of pioneering teachers. Some of these case studies are presented in conference proceedings, journal articles and on the Internet. These reports, although few in number, relate a number of teacher and student experiences, highlight the advantages of using an Intranet in education and discuss a number of related issues and limiting factors.

This chapter will initially acquaint the reader with the concept of Intranets, before providing an overview of how both the corporate and educational sectors have been applying Intranet technology. This will be followed by an overview of six key information technology outcomes, as prescribed by Andrew Fluck of the University of Tasmania. Fluck’s outcome statements reveal a progressive set of skills and knowledge which must be mastered by students as they progress through the school curriculum. Sequential in nature, Fluck’s outcomes offer a criterion which teachers may use to plan individualised or whole class units of work.

The literature review will then consider some Intranet strategies which could be used by schools to deliver Fluck’s six key information technology outcomes to their students. A flow diagram illustrating the structure of this chapter appears below (Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1: Structure of Chapter Four

4.2 What is an Intranet?

People who are unfamiliar with the communication protocols used on the Internet often fail to grasp the concept of an Intranet. To many, an Intranet is any network that permits file sharing between computers. Others imagine an Intranet exists on any system where a Web serving computer allows networked machines direct access to the Internet. These impressions, although including elements of truth, are quite misleading. Downing and Rath (1997) define an Intranet as “...simply internal networks (with the external reach of the Internet preserved) which use the open and easy features of the Internet to provide low cost network solutions” (p. 275). According to Gralla (1996) “...an Intranet is a private network with Internet technology used as the underlying architecture. An Intranet is built using the Internet’s TCP/IP protocols for communications. TCP/IP protocols can be run on many hardware platforms and cabling schemes” (p. 5). It may help the reader to conceptualise an Intranet as a miniature Internet which operates within the bounds of a computer network. No connection to the Internet is required, yet an Intranet has the ability to supply all services which are currently available on the Web itself.

4.3 Intranets: A Corporate World View

The use of Intranet technology is sweeping the world of business. “In corporate settings, Intranets are becoming more prevalent, and experiencing greater and greater success in aiding the communication process and productivity of organisations” (Downing and Rath, 1997, p.273). A recent market survey completed in the United Stated of America has found one third of the respondents were already using Intranets to share information, and 43% are planning their use in the near future (Robinson, 1996). Whilst the last few years have seen an unprecedented fascination with the Internet, the Intranet has become the backbone of the corporate revolution (Rotenstein, 1996). Companies have realised the potential power of being able to build communication within their network, either on a Local Area Network or a Wide Area Network. Thanks to software known as Groupware, companies are able to move information within their company via electronic mail, shared databases or bulletin boards.

Enterprising companies are applying the features offered by Intranet technology in a variety of different ways. For example,in the manufacturing industry, factory workers are able to use the company Intranet to view assembly instructions on the factory floor, essentially replacing the paper-based guidelines that are frequently lost or destroyed (Hibbard, 1997). The Geisinger Health Care System, consisting of two hospitals, 73 clinic sites, a health maintenance organisation, a research centre and a children’s hospital has also integrated an Intranet into their existing computer network. Their Intranet is equipped with a search engine, allowing staff to locate, manage and access huge amounts of documentation. Patients have also been catered for with a portion of the Intranet dedicated to serving a bank of computerised kiosks in the waiting rooms which explain medical procedures such as X-rays and mammograms. Geisinger has also installed a clinical management system which has allowed doctors to use digital cameras for medical imaging (Mullich, 1997).

Another company taking advantage of Intranet technology is the Simon and Schuster’s Higher Education Group who have added functionality to their existing Intranet by incorporating a digital archiving system, giving the publishing firm rapid retrieval and comprehensive storage facilities for its extensive photographic gallery (Shein, 1997).

Intranets are widely used throughout the corporate world for staff training. Costly retraining has invariably saved companies small fortunes. One such training solution on offer, titled Symposium, is said to combine the quality of traditional teaching methods with the latest technological advances. Symposium uses an Intranet to establish a connection between an instructor and their trainee (in essence creating a virtual classroom). The electronic connection provided by the Intranet allows the product to support multipoint audio conferencing as well as other multimedia technology, such as a collaborative whiteboard (McGee, 1997). Centra Software, creators of Symposium, herald the main advantage offered by this form of Intranet based training as being self-paced learning and the fact that “Web-based training events now last from 60 to 90 minutes each, as opposed to several hours or days of classroom instruction" (McGee, 1997, p. 150).

Other training solutions are being sought by large multinational companies such as Boeing, who has developed an Intranet for its Center for Leadership and Learning. Their Intranet is used to inform the company’s 8,500 senior executives of the training courses offered at the Center (Gibbons, 1996).

4.4 Intranets: A Scholastic World View

Intranets are being used widely throughout the commercial sector, but what about educational institutions? Some leading schools have been using Intranet technology for some time, however, the fact still remains that schools are lagging behind their commercial counterparts. If the corporate sector is so serious about using Intranets for staff training needs and administrative tasks in general, why have most schools failed to take advantage of the Intranet solution? Perhaps an explanation can be provided by Downing and Rath (1997):

The problems of setup time, subject orientation, and class size limitations are again at fault. As such, progress on this facet of electronic classrooms has been disappointing. The business community has provided a network model which has the ability to alleviate some of these concerns, and allow further movement toward electronic classrooms (p 275).

In situations where Intranets were actually set up in educational institutions, Downing and Rath (1996-1997) report educators were able to reduce valuable time which was normally tied up with administrative tasks, thus freeing themselves to concentrate on their general teaching duties. Additionally, communicative processes between students, teachers and classes were greatly improved.

Could a simple lack of understanding be an excuse for those institutions who are reluctant to implement Intranet technology? It is certainly possible. The name Intranet suggests an internal network that is isolated from the Internet itself that consequently does not permit sharing between computer networks. Quite contrary to this interpretation is the fact that an Intranet refers to sharing within a network. Considering the communication protocols which form the backbone of the Internet itself were originally created for internal computer networking purposes such as DarpNet (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency-Net) and MilNet one can begin to see the advantages of building internal, TCP/IP-based networks. Much like the evolution of the Internet itself, schools should focus on establishing the foundations for an internal network to promote the communicative process within their learning community. In this situation an improved understanding of the historical and physical structure of the Internet itself may be enough to help schools realise the potential offered by an Intranet on their LAN.

In their study, Long and Smith (1998) specify a number of constraints which impose restrictions on a variety of educational institutions. These obstacles are conceivably responsible for the unsuccessful attempts being made by many schools endeavouring to incorporate the Internet into their curriculum. The constraints described by Long and Smith include the potentially enormous cost of maintaining expensive powerful computers, multiple Internet accounts and multiple modems, the lack of resources to support appropriate professional development for staff, problems with student access to inappropriate materials on the Internet, unreliable Internet connections, burden of time in relation to acceptable-use policy development, restrictions on publishing on the Internet and finally the lack of computer expertise among the staff of many schools. Summarising this situation Long and Smith (1998) claim “...there are considerable constraints which translate to the fact that very few children in schools use the Internet in the daily process of education” (p.117).

Just as Intranet technology has revolutionised the corporate world, it has the ability to transform the educational sector. To enlighten school administrators and educators and assist them in making a decision to adopt Intranet technology it may be helpful for them to consider broader possibilities. Long and Smith (1998) identify eight areas of prosperity for schools who decided to embrace the idea of a school-wide Intranet. Their case study discusses the manner in which an Intranet:

• gives teachers control of student access to the Internet without the expense of elaborate filters
  
• helps focus teachers on using the Internet as a learning tool
  
• offers significant savings to schools in providing student access to Internet technology
  
• empowers teachers to use the Internet in their teaching in a more interactive way, even with quite limited resources
  
• motivates students to engage and use Internet technology in learning
  
• generates a way of using the Internet as a servant of the curriculum
  
• solves problems to do with privacy and publication of student identification on the Net
  
• enables more students to use Internet applications in classrooms (p.118)
  

The essential ingredient for a successful school-based Intranet is planning. Schools who decide to establish their own Intranet will need to consider its implementation carefully. In order to gain maximum benefit from the new structure a school will require a strong sense of leadership, a new support framework, organisational change and perhaps some new personnel (Long and Smith, 1998).

An Intranet will be of little benefit to any school without ample planning. Before burdening oneself with the challenge of planning the physical structure thought must be given to how the Intranet will address the issue of student learning. For this to be achieved a framework for student learning is required. In recent times such frameworks have taken the shape of outcomes. Outcomes indicate a progressive set of skills and knowledge which must be mastered by students as they progress through the school curriculum at their own academic pace. Sequential in nature, outcomes provide benchmarks which assist teachers in planning individualised or whole class units of work. It is therefore crucial that the planning process for implementation of the school Intranet account for how the selected outcomes will be delivered to the students.

4.5 Six Key Information Technology Outcomes

Andrew Fluck, from the University of Tasmania has identified several key information technology outcomes which have been specifically designed to prepare students for the technological challenges of the future. This model provides the educator with a comprehensive guide showing how computers can be used across the curriculum by students throughout their schooling careers (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). To create technologically literate students, Fluck suggests outcomes which he has categorised under the following headings:

• Independent Learning
  
• Publishing
  
• Researching
  
• Problem Solving
  
• Communicating
  
• Operations and Computer Components
  

The following is a general overview of Fluck’s key information technology outcomes. Each description is accompanied with suggested indicators for junior school and upper school students.

4.5.1 Independent Learning.

In the Independent Learning mode, the student will expect to learn new knowledge or skills.

Junior Primary: Initially the teacher will choose suitable drill and practice software for the student. At this stage the student is using computer software to support learning in literacy, numeracy and problem solving.
Upper School: Students engage in comprehensive learning using computerised processes which the teacher will employ to supervise and monitor achievements. As their competencies increase, students will become increasingly proficient at identifying their own learning requirements and be able to nominate and use computer systems which suit their needs.

4.5.2 Publishing

When a student demonstrates his/her ability to use a computer to manipulate text, pictures, sounds, numerical or organised data, they are displaying competency in the publishing mode.

Junior school: Construct a text using a computer and print it out. Present information using a range of productivity software/office tools.
Upper school: Integrate the use of different productivity software packages and use macros/scripts in office tools with increasing accuracy.

4.5.3 Researching

When used for research, the computer is used to access information and other resources. In this way, students develop questioning skills and solve problems by stating and reshaping them to fit different resource frameworks.

Junior Primary: Navigate through talking books and find information with an automated library catalogue.
Upper School: Locates specific information on the Internet and creates own homepage with links and pictures.

4.5.4 Problem Solving

In the problem solving mode, the student is able to analyse and construct situations (simulations). Using results of their investigations they should be able to predict events related to the circumstances.

Junior Primary: Control an apparatus through a series of commands and use simulations to achieve an understanding of principles and facts.
Upper School: Collect real-world data and use available technology, for example; spreadsheets, to forecast future events. Develop simulations of real or fictitious events and places.

4.5.5 Communicating

This mode is typified by computer directed communication.

Junior School: Communicate using devices such as the telephone with clarity and confidence. Exchange email with a regional friend.
Upper School: Use a modem, set up communication software and interact within a virtual on-line environment such as Internet Chat.

4.5.6 Operations and computer components

Fluck suggests that children must be equipped with the essential skills for operating computer equipment.

Junior school: Display such skills as turning the computer on and off, identifying computer components and a degree of keyboard and mouse familiarity.
Upper school: Demonstrate the ability to identify and remedy common computer problems or program using a computer language.

4.6 How Can a School-based be used to Intranet Address the Six Key Information Technology Outcomes?

The researcher does not propose that Intranets alone can hope to ready students for the technological challenges of the future. Indeed schools need to have substantial strategic planning at all levels and must prepare the students and teachers involved for substantial change. Even though the concept of Intranets should certainly play a central role in the overall technology planning process, the purpose of this research is not to investigate the process of strategic planning itself. Instead, the researcher will presume that sufficient planning has been implemented and the physical infrastructure of the Intranet is now in place. This hypothetical scenario will be used to investigate how can Intranets be used to address the outcome statements as suggested by Fluck (1997).

4.6.1 How can Intranets support Independent Learning?

“In the Independent Learning mode, the student will expect to learn new knowledge or skills. Initially the teacher will select appropriate diagnosis or drill software for the student. As familiarity grows, students will engage in more comprehensive learning using computer systems which the teacher will use to manage and track achievements. Eventually students will become adept at stating their own learning needs, and will select and use computer systems which suit them” (Fluck, 1997).

The need for computer-based independent learning has provided a forum for infotainment and edutainment systems (Lawrence and McDonald, 1995). Software belonging to either of the two systems uses multimedia technologies, such as audio, video and animation as a means for transferring educational content to the learner. When integrated into the classroom curriculum, infotainment and edutainment systems cater suitably for the younger learner, relying on drill and practise as a means of instilling knowledge. It can be argued, however, that as independent learners children should be given the opportunity to create and construct their own learning. Rather than encouraging students to become consumers of the product, schools should favour a constructivist approach toward independent learning.

Constructivism is a philosophy of learning which states that people make sense of the world through their understanding of what is happening around them (Bentley & Watts, 1994). According to this model of learning, students should not simply be given the information, but instead construct their own understanding of phenomenon, by fitting all new knowledge into their own background experience (Neuman, 1993). The constructivist learning theory is followed by teachers who believe children learn actively, not passively, to make sense out of what is taking place in their environment. This type of approach in a classroom produces a child-oriented aspect of learning with the child at the centre of all learning experiences (Bentley & Watts, 1994).

A case study conducted by Lawrence and McDonald (1995) gave detail of how Methodist Ladies College, an all girls’ school in Melbourne, Australia, were using their computer facilities to support a constructivist philosophy. Here, student centredness was valued, as is the capacity for students to create and construct their own learning. Students at Methodist Ladies College were provided with a framework for study which allowed choices as to which aspects of a study they preferred to explore, the resources they would use to investigate the topic and the selected media for the final presentation of their work. In their case study, Lawrence and McDonald (1995) expressed their belief that “... students will learn more effectively if they set their own problems, build their own knowledge and express ideas through media that foster direct experience” (p. 2).

Although Methodist Ladies College was not equipped with an Intranet at the time of the case study, it is appropriate to make mention of how an Intranet might have been used to support their independent learning focus. For instance, a student may have opted to present their work in a print based medium. Thanks to current HTML conversion software, which is often built in to the word processing program itself, the electronic version of the work sample may easily be saved and archived onto the school’s Web server. Once added to the gallery of student work, teachers may elect to have it critiqued by peers after which it may act as a future reference source for teachers and students.

In another situation the final presentation media selected by the students may have been a multimedia format, for example, a PowerPoint demonstration or an AuthorWare project. Rather than grading the student’s work and filing the presentation away, never to be seen again, the teacher could extend the project requirements to include an HTML (Intranet ready) version. “Web technology makes it fairly simple to put information into an easily accessible format, and products are beginning to appear on the market that turn documents into HTML documents on the fly” (Waltner, 1996, p. 59).

Students needing assistance with their independent projects may opt to use the Intranet email services to contact the appropriate facilitator. An electronic bulletin board which allows the user to post messages much like an office noticeboard, may be more suitable than email contact. With a bulletin board it is possible that a query posted by a student will be resolved by a fellow peer or another member of staff.

In another case study, Ian Thompson, a teacher of Middle Primary aged children related his experience of using a project approach to encourage independent learning among his students. To determine the level of independent learning Thompson observes the nature and purpose of the projects chosen by his students. He prefers to see students engage in projects where “... the need originates from the students, rather than being contrived by class teachers” (Thompson, 1996, p.49).

In situations where project ideas have been conceived by students, a contract system may work best. With their ideas in place the student/s and teacher/s negotiate a contract. To help students develop ideas and create imaginative solutions Thompson recommends use of the Design, Make and Appraise (DMA) process. The DMA learning model provides students with a system by which they may brainstorm ideas, organise their thought processes, plan, build and implement a solution, and review the product and process.

4.6.2 How can Intranets support Publishing?

“When computer tools are used in combination to manipulate text, pictures, sounds, numerical and organised data, the student is displaying competency in the publishing mode” (Fluck, 1997).

In our daily lives, the multitude of advertisements, signs, posters, web-sites, magazine and newspaper articles and information brochures is enough evidence to justify the written word as being our society’s critical means of communication. It is therefore appropriate that as educators, we are responsible for preparing children to become both consumers and contributors to this communicative process.

The process of creating and publishing puts children in a situation where they are engaged in public writing with a strong sense of their aims and audience. Often, when teachers get children to produce written work, the purpose of their writing is neglected. A recent case study conducted by Downes and Fatouros (1995), describes a classroom teacher confronted with a class of students whom he felt lacked an interest in editing and publishing their work. The teacher’s solution to the dilemma was to provide opportunities for the children to produce writing with a more professional looking finish so that the publication would appeal to a wider audience. Desktop publishing programs were used as the catalyst in transforming the children’s traditional paper and pencil transcripts into eye-catching publications. As a result, the students showed more pride in their work, corresponding with an increase in both the quality and quantity of their writing. The case study revealed that reluctant writers became more eager to share their work with other children in the class and began to share their writing by reading their publications to parents at home. This being the case, one must presume that increased exposure to extended audiences should augment the effect. To reach a broader audience one might consider the potential of the school Intranet. Students could add an HTML version of their electronic publication to the student work samples portion of the Intranet. Once incorporated into the school Intranet an opportunity exists to share the work with a domestic audience. Alternatively, the audience may be extended to a global scale by reflecting the sample publications onto the Internet Itself. Giralang Primary School in the Australian Capital Territory has already ventured into the realm of publishing student work on their Intranet. The administrators of the Giralang site have used an online database system which allows students to search for and submit samples of their writing (Figure 4.2 & 4.3). For students, publishing WWW pages “...is a way for them to express their ideas and information in an electronic, not paper, age” (Beaumont, 1996)

One important, yet commonly neglected consideration when facilitating the publishing process is that of peer-review. Okerson and O’Donnell (1995) raise the issue of peer review in reference to the conferencing process pursued by the publisher of a leading behavioural science journal. The editor of Psycoloquy believes open peer review stimulates discussion on an article’s worthiness. Once feedback from colleagues has been obtained and used in the review process, the final published scientific research is guaranteed. Thus the potential exists for a school Intranet to provide feedback for online student publications via Email or bulletin boards.

The complete publishing process is more involved than simply putting words on paper. When conferencing children’s electronically produced publications, it is “... important to respond to the language of the images as well as as the written language, and to comment on design features, such as choice of typeface or the use of whitespace...” (Downes and Fatouros, 1995, p. 76). Storing samples of student work samples on the Intranet instantly creates an archive which can be used by teachers to provide examples of correct design techniques. Naturally, when evaluating the appropriateness of each sample both teacher and students should take into account whether the original publication was designed for a print, multimedia or web-based medium. This is of particular significance as the final medium would have constituted a contributing factor to the creative choices made by the publisher during the design process.

In addition to the archives of student work, the Intranet may also serve as a database for storing a catalogue of images, sounds and movies. A well organised, dynamic library of electronic resources economises valuable time by allowing the publishers to transfer files directly into their publication. Incorporating frequently used images such as school logos and pictures of individual students brings the media within easy reach of the consumer. Teachers may speed up the publishing process by collecting and uploading files associated with current focus topics. For example, a class of students may be involved in researching Ancient Egypt, in which case the teacher may facilitate the process by searching the Internet or locally available CD ROMs to compile an initial library of suitable images, sounds or movies. Issues of copyright should be discussed with students before the publication process begins. It is recommended that an information warning be included as part of the electronic archive advising users to either acknowledge and/or seek permission to reproduce the artwork from the original source. Clipart, which is free from copyright law, may be incorporated into the library without restrictions.

An electronic library also has the ability to capitalise on storage capacity. Once students have been familiarised with the principle of relative addressing they will no longer need to insert entire resource files into their publication. Instead, a reference can be made within their publication to the original library file. If the publication remains on the school network, this process has the ability to eliminate the need for multiple copies of the same file.

Collaborative publications are well suited for the school Intranet. Perhaps more familiar to younger children are the Choose Your Own Adventure styled stories. Multi-dimensional stories such as these, give the audience the ability to make decisions and follow their chosen path through the story. Here children would design their story map, draft the storyline, generate or locate appropriate supporting media, for example pictures and sounds, and tie the project together using a series of Web pages. These highly interactive user controlled adventure stories have the potential to generate greater audience participation, interest and desire to read.

4.6.3 How can Intranets support Research?

“When used for research, the computer is used to access information and other resources. Using a computer in this way, students develop questioning skills. They solve problems by stating them and reshaping them to fit different resource frameworks” (Fluck, 1997).

As the Internet permeates our homes, schools and workplaces, an increasing number of people find themselves relying on this network of networks as their primary research tool. Before committing time and energy to an online research project, one should consider the options. In many situations, other forms of media can provide the necessary feedback. Dictionaries, textbooks, encyclopaedias, CD ROM and even videos may be more appropriate and efficient than the Internet which tends to be sluggish and unpredictable.
The Internet “... is viewed by some as an unstructured information resource, with no overall control, a mix of services, no standard format, no subject organisation or comprehensive index...” (Nigohosian, 1996, p. 1). Why is the Internet an unreliable research tool? Nigohosian (1996), claims the problem lays in the validity of the information which makes itself available on the Web. He jokingly suggests that there be an appointed task force that assess and amend Web-based documents to assure validity for all users of this vast resource. Roblyer (1997), argues that most children are not equipped with the correct search strategies to locate the desired information in such a large pool of data as offered by the Internet. His reasoning is based on research that indicates “Children conduct more successful computer searches when they are more familiar with the vocabulary and concepts of the content area and are more experienced computer users” (Roblyer, 1997, p. 54).

West (1995), sympathises with the intimidation suffered by new and inexperienced users when faced with the daunting task of navigating the seemingly limitless bounds of Internet-based information. West also recognises that “... it’s difficult for casual users of the worldwide network to sort out the information they want and bring it safely home” . Software companies have begun to realise that the shear size of the Internet is a hindrance to many of its users, notably school aged children. A team of computer scientists recently joined forces with a group of teachers to design a computer program which conducts intelligent searches of the Internet. Although still in its infancy, the program, known as a knowledge robot is theoretically well suited for educational needs as it uses the familiar Dewey decimal system to search electronic archives for matching information. Even with the development of increasingly intelligent search engines, students must still be equipped with the skills necessary to reduce the time they spend on Internet searches in order to make it a more productive educational resource (West, 1995, 39).

How then could an Intranet help to mature students and prepare them to become consumers and contributors to the information available on the Web? Unlike open access to the Internet, an Intranet allows administrators to control both the amount and type of information at the students’ disposal. Indeed, the School’s Web server can be configured to cater for varying levels of access to this information. This may be of particular significance to schools, giving them the power to provide a gradual transition from the nursery; the Intranet, to the ultimate pool of knowledge; the Internet. Younger children, particularly those in the junior primary age group, could be considered to be at the nursery stage where research demands are modest. Fluck’s key competencies recommend simple navigation through talking books, browsing local computer resources and finding information with an automated library catalogue. By the time a student arrives at the ultimate pool of knowledge they should be able to locate specific information on the Internet, create their own homepage, and select information sources and determine their validity (Fluck, 1997).
To ease users into the ultimate pool of knowledge the complexity and enormous size of the Internet must be reduced to a level that is manageable and easily comprehended by a novice. To be worthwhile the simulated environment which results from the reduction process must appear to the users as realistic as possible. For this reason the school Intranet must contain information that is specific to the needs of both staff and students. Such content can be obtained from two places:

1. Internal sources such as contributions from staff and students, for example student work samples or worksheets created by individual staff members
   
2. External information resources such as the World Wide Web
   
   

Providing users with easy access to remote sources of information can be achieved by either building a link to the actual Web site from within the school Intranet itself, or by downloading the source to the LAN and making the information available to selected staff and students. In the latter situation a teacher using a thematic approach, for example dinosaurs, may nominate to locate and download a number of Web sites which are appropriate for his/her students. The process of downloading partial or entire Web sites and storing the copied files on a local host machine has been termed WebWhacking.

Once archived and made accessible to users of the school Intranet, whacked Web sites appear as they would normally on the Internet itself. (Naturally, links joining the downloaded site to other sites would only prevail should the Internet connection remain open). The advantages of WebWhacking are conspicuous.

• The high speed nature of the Local Area Network as compared to the often languid performance of the Internet means that locally served sites can now be accessed with greater speed and reliability.
  
• Once archived, the information can be viewed without need of an Internet connection. This concept may not apply to most large institutions, however, smaller schools, especially those in remote areas with costly and unreliable Internet connections, might consider this useful feature.
  
• Search engines such as those available on the Internet can be incorporated into the Intranet to teach children the skills of appropriate search strategies in a more controlled environment. A locally hosted search engine also means that unethical information which is currently scattered across the Internet will be omitted from the search results.
  
  

Even though WebWhacked sites add greater functionality to an Intranet one must consider some the inevitable pitfalls:

1. WebWhacking can become a time consuming task. The act of searching the Internet, locating appropriate information, downloading and finally archiving the site may be enough to deter many teachers and administrators.
   
   
2. Not all Web sites are appropriate for use on the school Intranet and some considerations should be taken into account before an attempt to download them is made. Firstly, some Web sites containing frequently updated information will be of little use for storage in a long term archive, for example stock market reports or current affairs sites. Secondly, once a site has been located and considered for downloading to the Intranet archive an assessment must be made to ensure the authority, objectivity, reliability and relevance of the information (Lamb, Smith and Johnson, 1997).
   
   
3. Copyright issues in relation to Internet-based publications are often sketchy. To illustrate the dilemma and confusion currently facing many educators who have considered the WebWhacking option one might consider some comments made by subscribers to the Western Australian based mailing list Echalk. Some contributors felt that there were no tested laws about copyright on the net. Others believed that copying the work of others was breaching copyright. This being the case; what constitutes a copy? Are Internet Service Providers in breach of copyright because their proxy servers cashe user requested documents, or is the user the offender because they were the individual who requested the publication? (personal communication, October 11, 1997) A solution was eventually offered by Malcom Massie, whose message appeared on the Intranet Special Interest Group mailing list:
   
   

   “In the initial stages we asked every site author for permission before taking it down - having had everyone express surprise that we asked and grant permission with their blessing so that their material can reach a wider audience I now tend to send a note saying what we have done and offering to remove it if there is a problem” Malcolm Massie (personal communication, June 28, 1998).

A legal Officer employed by the Australian Copyright Council responded to Malcom Massie’s announcement by declaring, “In our view, the educational copying provisions within the Copyright Act do not apply to material in digital form, and therefore permission is generally needed from the relevant copyright owners before a site may be downloaded and stored on an Intranet” J. FitzGerald (personal communication, June 29, 1998).

Using WebWhacker to download and store information may prove to be useful in regards to teaching children how to become consumers of information, unfortunately, without correct guidance, WebWhacked Internet sites alone can do little to help them understand what to do with the information once they have found it.

As part of the research process, Fluck (1997) believes that children should be given the opportunity to “...solve problems by stating them and reshaping them to fit different resource frameworks” (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). In other words students should not only be proficient at locating, selecting and determining the validity of specific information, but also able to interpret and apply newly gained information to create their own publications. Lamb, Smith and Johnson (1997), refer to this method as the information-processing model. They recommend that educators encourage their students to “... turn information into knowledge, share that knowledge, and learn from the experience” (p. 7).

An Intranet is perfectly geared to cater for publishing shared knowledge. Rather than simply uploading and storing their projects on the Intranet Web server in an unorderly fashion, an organised system of archiving work can be achieved by having the students create their own homepage. The homepage concept provides each student with a virtual cover page for their folio of projects. Acting as a springboard, links can be added from their homepage to access their projects, assignments and other shared work. As a result, Intranet-based homepages can potentially give students a heightened sense of pride in their work and an identity within the learning community. Felsted School in the United Kingdom uses a similar idea whereby the homepages of all students in the school can be accessed from an index page (Figure 4.4).

To make the student folio concept more purposeful teachers may consider, opening areas of a student folio for peer review. This can prove to be a very rewarding exercise.

“Feedback can be very important in improving the efficiency of learning and constructive process... We often think of teachers as providing this type of information. However, other students may also represent a very valuable resource” (Grabe and Grabe,1998a, p.316).

Grabe and Grabe (1998a) believe feedback given by a single person (usually the teacher) for an entire class is unrealistic and restrictive. Exposing work samples to peer review can increase the amount of feedback and potentially improve the overall quality and validity of student work. Determining the validity of an information resource is a particularly important skill for children to learn as consumers of knowledge. Peers who participate in the evaluative process may direct compliments and/or offer suggestions for improvement to the creator via the Email facilities available on the school Intranet. Alternatively, a series of questions may be included by the creator on his/her web site in order to obtain specific evaluative feedback. Once students become more familiar with Web page creation they may decide to obtain their feedback through the use of HTML forms linked directly to their Email account or to the Intranet database (Figure 4.5).

4.6.4 How can Intranets support Problem Solving?

“In the problem solving mode, the student is able to examine and build situations. Students would generally begin by using simulations or control systems created by others... As they progress, they will be able to work with more sophisticated mathematical models, and begin to predict events. In constructing new simulations, students apply presentation techniques whilst exhibiting deep knowledge of the situation” (Fluck, 1997).

In recent times there has been a significant amount of lobbying within the educational system for a process rather than a fact orientated curriculum.With fact orientated curriculum one could say that the emphasis is upon knowing that Canberra is the capital of Australia, as opposed to acquiring the atlas reading skills which would allow a student to retrieve this data for themselves. Longworth (1981) agrees that teaching children to acquire knowledge for themselves will help them to become flexible learners in the future. He considers what today’s children learn at school, at best, has a useful life of half a generation, while at worst, it is obsolete as it is taught. Competence with a variety of new technology and applications is a skill which will become increasingly useful as we enter the world of tomorrow in which information will only be dispensed to those who know how to access it (p.17-19). To pass these survival skills on to our children we as educators must integrate computers into the curriculum in such a way that higher cognitive demands are placed on students. “Such uses go beyond the acquisition and comprehension of knowledge, they encourage children to apply skills and knowledge to evaluate and make judgments, and finally to draw together disparate information into a whole, in order to solve problems” (Underwood and Underwood, 1990, p.62).

To promote children’s ability to understand the problem solving process Fluck (1997) makes several suggestions. One such suggestion is for children to engage in the collection and application of “real-world data... to predict future events” (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). An Intranet can prove to be an invaluable tool to assist students in their transition from fact to process orientated learners. Databases provide students with a vehicle which can be used to store, organise and retrieve limitless data. Using a Web orientated database application such as FileMaker Pro 4.0 a school may establish any number of databases of varying complexity for children of all ages to use. Once shared across the school’s Intranet the database may be accessed from any machine on the network. Database applications with the capacity to interface with Web Browsers are relatively new to the marketplace. Previously, such databases were driven using potentially complex CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts. Disposing of the script element has helped to make such technology more readily available to schools who are equipped with an Intranet.

An example of how databases can be used to capture “Real-world data...” is available to the students of Felsted school in the U.K. (Fluck, 1997, http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). With the assistance of some student programmers, a weather vane has been connected to the Felsted Intranet (Figure 4.6). This interesting feature (which can also be seen from the Internet) records the direction and speed of the wind in the immediate vicinity into a database. The data recorded from the weather vane is automatically compiled each day at 9 a.m. and Emailed to a local farmer who in turn uses the information to safe-guard against his crop spray blowing from his pasture into a neighbouring property. In this situation the weather vane has served two unique purposes. Firstly, it has provided an enterprising solution for someone outside the school community and secondly, the problem solving exercise has given the children an opportunity to apply their problem solving skills to a real-life situation.

The Felsted weather project is an elaborate feature that is possibly well beyond the technical capabilities of many schools. Nevertheless, schools should not deprive their students of opportunities to engage in community-based problem solving projects. Once staff and students consider the needs of their immediate environment they will undoubtedly discover a variety of suitable, locally-based projects which will add relevance and purpose to their data collection and problem solving processes. In an article titled “Wondering, Wiggling and Weaving: A New Model for Project and Community-Based Learning on the Web” the authors use the issues of homelessness as an example of a local problem that students can research and act upon. The article describes an eight phase model for project-based learning via the Internet: watching (identifying potential projects), wondering (brainstorming possible ideas), webbing (categorising information), wiggling (looking for clues, ideas and perspectives), weaving (applying and synthesising information), wrapping (packaging ideas), waving (publicizing ideas) and wishing (reflecting on the process) (Lamb, Smith and Johnson, 1997). The flexible nature of the Lamb, Smith and Johnson model makes it applicable to any school that wishes to nurture the process of community-based problem solving.
Fluck suggests that problem solving skills may also be enhanced when students are given opportunities to “Control mechanisms through a series of commands (eg. LOGO)” (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). Introducing students to a purposeful programming language has numerous benefits. Well structured programming projects require ongoing problem solving at a number of levels. Such projects expose children to the essential processes of identifying a problem, analysing its components, developing a plan to solve the problem, and devising, testing, modifying and implementing the solution. In regards to a school-based Intranet, what better programming language for students to learn than HTML (Hypertext Mark-Up Language)? For a school equipped with an Intranet, a knowledge of HTML programming would be more purposeful than the LOGO language, as the final product of each student project can help to form the content of the Intranet. In this way students are able to see an immediate, relevant and meaningful purpose to their problem solving processes. As the children’s understanding of HTML increases so too will their understanding of the principle of Web site structure.

More advanced students who wish to extend their knowledge of programming languages may also benefit from the school Intranet. At Felsted School, there arose a need for a CGI script written in the language of C to interface the Intranet with the school weather vane. The solution used in this situation was achieved by contracting an individual student to write the necessary program. The performance of the student was graded and counted towards his overall assessment. This same situation can be applied to any school equipped with an Intranet. Once the need for a specific program is identified the problem solving exercise can be contracted out to individuals or groups of students. In this way teachers, administrators and students can work together to build an increasing amount of functionality into the Intranet.

The process of learning HTML coding itself can take on a problem solving orientation should the teacher decide to facilitate student learning rather than providing them with direct instruction. A teacher who decides to take this approach may arrange to download one of the numerous HTML tutorial sites available on the Internet and store it locally on the school Intranet. The Web-based tutorial should be carefully assessed before it is downloaded to ensure it is well structured and aimed at both the appropriate language and user level. Once made available to the students they may proceed at their own pace to complete each stage of the tutorial. As the children master each stage the teacher may encourage higher order thinking skills among his/her students by setting tasks that require students to reapply their newly acquired understanding in another context. For example, the students may have just completed a stage of the tutorial which describes the procedure for linking one HTML page to another. The follow-up task set by the teacher may require the children to transfer this knowledge to a class project where they must link their personal home page to that of a friend. This process helps students to reflect on what they have learnt from the tutorial and ultimately results in improved transfer of knowledge. Lawler (1997) quotes famous physicist, Feynman who asserts this concept when he divulges that his practice as a student was “...typically one of solving a problem whatever way he could, then, with a worked out solution to guide him, to resolve that same problem in as many different other formalisms or frames of reference as he could” (p. 54).

If the intention of teaching children problem solving strategies is to help them become process rather than fact orientated learners, then educators must provide students with opportunities to apply their problem solving skills to self-guided learning situations. A recent Queensland University of Technology case study which focused on higher order thinking skills, students as independent learners and teachers who facilitate rather than dispense knowledge saw tertiary level, pre-service Bachelor of Education students analyse and record their own problem solving process as they completed a self-directed project using the LOGO- based multimedia application Microworlds. The students were not provided with a formalised chain of prescriptive instructions, nor were they formally tutored by a supervisor or peer. Instead, the students, most of whom were novices to the application were shown a number of avenues including help-mechanisms such as computer-based help tools and references to both library and Internet resources. The role of the teacher became one of facilitator who provided suggestions as opposed to immediate solutions and direct instructions. Needless to say the case study produced both positive and negative feedback from the participants. Of those students some would have preferred direct instruction and felt betrayed by the lecturers who they felt had left them to accomplish difficult tasks without sufficient guidance. Other students who felt comfortable with the task thrived on the self-directed learning opportunity (Masters, 1998). One must therefore wonder how the results may have differed had the less reluctant students have been exposed to self-directed, problem solving tasks on a more consistent basis throughout their earlier school years. The Queensland University of Technology case study highlights the advantages of offering more self-guided learning opportunities for users of a school-based Intranet. By making a variety of resources available on the Intranet students are free to access the information at their leisure and in their own time of need.

4.6.5 How can Intranets support Communication?

“This mode is typified by computer mediated communication. Initially this is between individuals who may already be known to the student. As confidence grows, the student may begin to branch out over the world, responding with appropriate 'netiquette' to persons who are not initially known to the student. A developing confidence and care will be reflected in the type and extent of news-groups and other discussions students join” (Fluck, 1997).

Technology has had a significant impact on communication which in turn has spawned new opportunities for education. “Students and teachers can convey ideas and information nearly instantaneously over great distances, or the students or teachers at the other end of the conversation can have the freedom to respond at a convenient time, when they feel prepared” (Grabe and Grabe, 1998a p.194). The latter situation is more commonly known as asynchronous communication and has numerous applications in the realm of education. Asynchronous communication using an electronic computerised medium, for example Email, means that messages may be stored and retrieved at leisure. This also encourages the sharing of information as it is relatively easy to forward appropriate messages to other interested groups or individuals. The flexible nature of asynchronous communication means that it does not depend on the participants being in the same place at the same time. On the other hand synchronous communication will often require an element of coordination between individuals.

“...imagine a situation in which you want to actively communicate with a large number of people, but you would like to set aside a particular time each day for this interaction. Would you really expect all of the people you hope to interact with to set aside the identical time period just so you can work effectively?” (Grabe and Grabe, 1998a, p.194).

Bryn Jones of Notre Dame University (1998) suggests a new planning approach for educators using an asynchronous space and time planning tool. In his article, Jones supports the notion that schools are no longer constrained by the traditional boundaries of synchronous space and time. Thanks to modern day communication technologies, educators are free to embrace the realms of asynchronous space and time education. Jones’ matrix model illustrates four modes of communication (Figure 4.7). This model has served to raise teacher awareness of the four communication modes and helps them to identify the communication mode most suitable for their intended learning activity.

The benefits of synchronous and asynchronous space and time communication offered by the Internet are available to the users of a school-based Intranet. Downes and Fatouros (1995), identify the three most common classroom uses of electronic communication as being electronic mail (Email), computer conferencing (bulletin boards), and information retrieval from databases stored in remote computers. How then could teachers take advantage of the school Intranet and provide students with experiences in each of these electronic communication devices?

As suggested by Fluck, communication skills are enhanced when students are given opportunities to “Exchange email with a local friend” (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). Rather than constructing and sending simple greetings to one another, the teacher should consider activities which are more purposeful and directly related to current classroom topics. For example, children may be working collaboratively on a group project about dinosaurs. Being an asynchronous form of communication, Email allows the students to collaborate without the inconvenience of time. Without the advantage of technology collaborative group projects would normally require the teacher to alter the time-table to include specific period for the class to form into their selected groups and work synchronously to achieve their objective. Email between teachers and students should also be included as part of the collaborative approach with the students keeping the teacher abreast of their progress. To assist the conferencing procedure teachers should encourage the students to forward their questions and submit work samples via Email.

Email can also be used to teach younger children the valuable skill of writing instructions. A barrier game is a First Steps oral language activity which uses a screen to divide two students, one of whom guides the other through a task using a series of verbal instructions. Using Intranet-based Email a teacher could have their students substitute verbal instructions for written instructions which are then Emailed to their partner who in turn completes the task and Emails a response.

Email lists and bulletin boards provide students with access to a powerful group communication medium. Using software such as Eudora Internet Mail Server an Intranet can be configured to handle Email lists. An Email list will distribute a single message from one user to others subscribed to the list. Bulletin boards which may also be configured to run on an Intranet offer a similar service, however, do not require a user to be subscribed in order to view or post messages (Figure 4.8). Email lists and bulletin boards provide a forum where users can discuss issues of common interest. Discussion begins when users post questions, ideas and/or information to the group and others respond by writing back. Responses can be addressed uniquely (to the person who originally posted the notice) or generally (to the recipients of the list or viewers of the bulletin board). Research using Email lists and bulletin boards suggests that “Students are able to have more control over how to communicate rather than being controlled by pressure from others” (Vanzetti, 1998, p.228). There is also research which claims both communication methods exhibit a sense of anonymity which helps to include those who are normally reluctant to contribute in social situations.

There are several classroom applications for an Intranet-based Email list or bulletin board. Email lists may be used by the teacher to issue simple instructions and reminders to groups of students. Likewise, if the need arises, an Email list can be created that allows students to send a notice to the entire class, year level or school. Student-based special interest groups may also be allocated their own mailing list, for example all members of the school football team or perhaps school prefects and student counsellors. Bulletin boards can serve as a discussion area for students to put forward their ideas on an interesting topic. The information contained on the bulletin boards may then be used by the students to construct expository texts debating their point of view.

Intranet Email lists and bulletin boards also have a number of administrative applications. Using the same Email system as the students, administrators may contact individual or specific groups of teachers. Weekly and daily reminders which are so common in today’s workplace should become electronic rather than paper-based. The Email feature permits teachers to contact administrative personal without leaving the classroom. Reporting on student absentees and sicknesses, voting on staff decisions and other general administrative duties can all be redirected using internal Email. Bulletin boards can serve as a forum for the teacher and student school-based decision making process. Adding password protection to a bulletin board can create a safe environment for the teaching staff and administrators to debate minor issues which would normally consume unnecessary amounts of time during staff meetings.

The synchronous communication method commonly know as Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or Chat is yet another feature which should be made available to users of the school Intranet. Fluck (1997) states that students should be given opportunities to “Communicate interactively using a variety of computer mediated methods (such as IRC)” (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). Unquestionably, IRC is a tool that is best suited for bringing together individuals who wish to communicate at the same time, however, from different places. A school Intranet distorts the value of IRC as the participants are in the same time and place. Nevertheless, Intranet based IRC would have educational benefits. As with most IRC situations, users enter the environment using an alias (nickname). Participants can therefore remain (to some degree) unknown to other users. The anonymity of Chat may help students, who would normally be reluctant to contribute in a normal classroom situation to discuss their ideas more freely. This is not to suggest that classes withdraw to a lab of computers to Chat each time an issue is to be discussed. Moreover, it should be used as a alternative to be used when deemed necessary by the teacher.

Another of Fluck’s (1997) suggested strategies to enhance school-wide communication is to provide opportunities whereby children can “Participate in video-conferencing” (http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/KITOs/). As with Intranet-based IRC it may at first be difficult to see the value of video-conferencing within the school network. One may well ask where is the educational benefit behind students seeing and talking to one another over the internal network when they are already in the same space and time. The main purpose of such an activity is to give students experience with the video conferencing process so that when they are finally given the opportunity to experience conferencing over the Internet, they are aware of the process and can therefore prepare themselves in advance. A simulation of what is available on the Internet can be formed by creating a different space elsewhere within the school complex. For younger children, the concept of internal network video-conferencing introduces a motivational factor. For example, students can use the video conferencing feature to conduct character interviews where one assumes the role of a famous person that they may have been investigating. The famous characters are then interviewed by their peers who have constructed purposeful questions for their subject. The traditional method for this activity is for students to perform in a play setting before their fellow peers. Consequently by shifting the activity to include a communication medium which introduces the children to the medium of video-conferencing we can prepare them for future encounters with the technology in a motivating and purposeful way.

4.6.6 How Can Intranets Support Operations and Computer Components?

“A prerequisite for the other modes of use, which give increasing confidence and an awareness of the limitations of information technology. Students learn both physical dexterity, clear pronunciation and logical thinking skills in this area” (Fluck, 1997).

There is a good deal of debate concerning the need for formal computer literacy education. Do children need to be computer literate? A number of academics argue that in order to make full use of computer technology, students must receive formalised training and those who do not will be disadvantaged, forced to live in a society where computers are an integral part of life. Academics from the opposite end of the spectrum believe the majority of vocations requiring computer literacy
require little formalised training. Advocates of this view also argue that recent hardware and software developments have reduced the need for people to possess significant computer knowledge. They believe technology which previously required immense background knowledge has been simplified to the point where novice users are now able to perform rather complex tasks (Newhouse and Oliver, 1992). Fluck (1997) believes teachers should monitor the students’ understanding of computer operation and components, however, formalised training is not a necessity. Preferably, computer literacy should be incidental and relevant.

A school-wide Intranet can assist in the delivery of computer literacy. Teachers who choose to integrate the Intranet into their curriculum will expose their students to a variety of computer applications and processes. Even without formal computer awareness lessons, teachers have the ability to extend attributes of computer literacy among their students.

According to Fluck, younger students should display basic computer literacy skills such as mouse familiarity, turning the computer on and off, loading programs and identifying general parts of the computer. It is likely that young students using the school Intranet will inadvertently learn many of these basic skills by interacting with the technology on a regular basis. Teachers who plan lesson content around the school Intranet can facilitate computer literacy without the need for formalised instruction.


As students approach their middle school years, Fluck’s key competencies focus on the development of keyboarding skills and the use of peripheral devices such as scanners and digital cameras. Given the opportunity to contribute to the contents of the school-based Intranet, teachers can provide opportunities for students to develop the necessary computer literacy skills. Such occasions will allow children to improve touch typing speed and accuracy, and introduce them to alternate methods of data input such as sound, still pictures and video. Teachers may choose to formally instruct the students how to use the devices, or draw on the expertise of individual students to act as mentors for their peers.

The final stages of the key competencies framework identifies trouble-shooting and computer programming as essential ingredients for computer literacy. Using the features of the school-based Intranet, teachers can involve students in problem solving projects. Projects requiring the students to apply their trouble-shooting and programming skills can be designed to suit the technical abilities of the individual and may range from elementary to sophisticated programming. To lend a sense of purpose to such projects teachers must make the task relevant. One way to do this is to use the school Intranet as a focal point. Information technology teachers often debate which programming language will be of most benefit to the students in their years to come. Bill Catchings (1997) describes the futility of nominating one programming language. “We sort of chuckled and made what we thought were the obvious recommendations... Visual Basic or C++. A year later, our recommendations seem neither obvious nor even necessarily correct” (Catchings, 1997). A universal approach which exposes students to the basic principles of programming is therefore more beneficial than teaching specific languages. Once students have grasped the fundamental concepts of programming they should be given the opportunity to apply their knowledge to several languages. Schools equipped with an Intranet can support a popular range of Web-based programming languages such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Java and even Perl.

4.7 Other Applications for School-based Intranets.

Applications for school-based Intranets are not restricted to classroom use only. They have the ability to revolutionise a number of extra-curricular areas. Consider the potential for saving valuable school resources. Photocopied sheets distributed to staff, daily, reminding them of the day’s events, photocopied report forms to go on each child’s record file and an abundance of tests, notes and activity sheets for distribution in the classroom have all been a financial burden on our schools. The Intranet solution offers an easy, cost effective way to publish and archive information that is currently printed on paper.
Intranet technology can also provide financial relief for schools who are considering an upgrade of existing machinery. Many slower, ‘outdated’ computers can be set up and used as terminal windows on the school Intranet. Such machines may work somewhat slower than new hardware, however, the advantage is they do not have to compete with the speed of the Internet as the bulk of incoming traffic will come from the Local Area Network. Schools who rely heavily upon expensive, multiple user accounts can afford to reassess their situation once their Intranet is fully operational.

Keeping parents informed on their child’s progress and up-to-date on events is a major public relations role played by every school. By reflecting the Intranet onto the Internet, schools can allow parents to become part of the learning community. Keeping parents informed by allowing them to visit and browse the reflected site guarantees a positive message. Schools can publish their achievements and successes in the form of student awards, standardised test scores, samples of student work and newsletters. A calendar showing upcoming school events will keep the parents informed and a bulletin board for visitors to the school site will increase communications.

A school-based Intranet can also help to orientate new teachers and new families to the school’s learning community. School Development Plans, rules, regulations and even emergency evacuation procedures can be available to selected users of the Intranet. New teachers would benefit greatly from a specially designed area containing information which helps them to ‘learn the ropes’ of their new school. Likewise, new families to their area would prosper from similar information available on the school’s reflected site. Image maps could be used to make the online help highly graphical. To assist the new arrivals in their school orientation a virtual walk through of the school may be warranted, other schools may prefer to use an interactive image map showing the layout of the school. Intranets equipped with a library of pictures of the school population taken with a digital camera can help staff and students familiarise themselves with their peers.

Most exciting possibilities exist when considering the incorporation of a database within the school Intranet. Students and teachers could be given varying levels of authorisation to access/contribute to the contents. CGI scripts could once again be used to act as the gateway between the database itself and the Web page which presents itself to the user. Simple pop quizzes or even school wide testing can contribute significantly to individual, classroom and whole school orientated evaluation procedures.

4.8 Summary

The world of tomorrow demands individuals capable of managing and communicating in an ever changing world of information technology. To make the children of today ready for the challenges of tomorrow’s world, our schools must prepare them to interact with these new technologies. Schools should be a reflection of the society in which they exist. Downes and Fatouros (1995) state that in mainstream society, computers and other related technologies have become an integral part of our daily lives. However, as revealed by Grabe and Grabe (1998a) “...technology seldom plays the same natural role in classrooms as it does in other areas of our daily lives” (p.xix). The grand scale of the Internet has a way of intimidating the novice user, therefore, we as educators must introduce young children to this resource in gradual, controllable stages. An Intranet has the ability to scale down the enormity of the Internet while at the same time giving users the opportunity to experience all of its features in a controlled, safe and secure environment.

This chapter has illustrated how Intranets have the potential to empower schools and significantly enhance students’ learning. It has also demonstrated how an Intranet can provide students with an interactive learning environment that supports a range of individual learning styles and promotes the development of publishing, researching, problem solving and communication skills. Additionally, this chapter described how the technology allows students to engage in collaborative learning and promotes the inclusion of real-life experiences in the classroom.