An important component of the internet in the classroom is having the skills to effectively use it.

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"If there is one computer in the classroom in the back of the room, it can be distracting. To effectively use the information (on the Net) students and teachers need to extract the information they need,"

Mark Horney

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Perhaps a more effective way to use the Internet in the classroom is through teacher training. Teachers need to be taught to focus their use of the Internet in the classroom.

"If there is one computer in the classroom in the back of the room, it can be distracting. To effectively use the information (on the Net) students and teachers need to extract the information they need," said Mark Horney, a research associate for the University of Oregon Center for Electronic Studying.

He suggests different tactics to tackle the Web. Instead of searching for keywords to conduct a concept search on the web, which could lead to inconsistent answers, Horney suggests that classes look for an organization that would know the information they are seeking. Instead of searching for information on "whales," for example, he suggests typing in "Seaworld" to find the organization that has information you seek. He emphasizes study and research skills when using the Internet.

"Extract information, focus note taking, and synthesize information once you get it," Horney said. The key is teaching students to use these Internet search skills effectively too.

"Teach students the process and skills to focus their activity," he said. "The web is an opportunity to incorporate the library into teaching by bringing it to your room. Middle schools only get to go to the library once in a while."

Horney cites as an example from the Center for Electronic Studying--the De Anza experiment. De Anza was leader of a Spanish Calvary that brought the first settlers from New Spain to found San Francisco. The Center is putting his diary, documents from the journey, timelines and overviews of the expedition on the Internet.

"We're creating a web-based study environment with a supported text format," Horney said. The center plans to study the use of the site in educational instruction.

"We can add more phone lines to a classroom; we cannot add more libraries," Horney said.

The biggest problem with the Internet and computer based education is access, said Horney. He estimates that there is probably one computer for every ten students in the U.S. educational system, which is a dramatic increase from the 1:20 ratio that existed when he started teaching. Without access to a computer, students will not be truly affected by this shift of technology in the classroom.

"If it's shared by students and teachers, access needs to make it worth their while," Horney said. Computers are moving into the classroom but not fast enough to make all Internet dreams come true.

"I like to think of myself as on the trailing edge of technology," Horney said.