Education on the Internet
Number 32: 21st August 2002
Introduction
Introduction
Education on the Internet is published by Spartacus Educational every week. The newsletter includes news, reviews of websites and articles on using ICT in the classroom. Members of the mailing list are invited to submit information for inclusion in future newsletters. In this way we hope to create a community of people involved in using the Internet in education. Currently there are 26,270 subscribers to the newsletter.
All reviews are added to our web directory. There are sections on Primary Education, English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, History, Geography, Design & Technology, Business Studies, Media Studies, ICT, Sociology, Music, Politics, Economics, Photography, Art & Design, Theatre Studies, Physical Education and Religious Studies.
John Simkin
High School Students and Internet Use: A new study from Pew Internet & American Life indicates that 78 percent of middle and high school students in the US use the Internet. However, the report argues that the nation’s multi-billion dollar effort to wire schools is at risk of being squandered unless there is a similar commitment to improve connectivity in classrooms, help all students master computer skills, teach more sophisticated Internet literacy, make sure that high-quality information is available to them, and – most important of all – create assignments that take advantage of the wonderful Web resources they have found on their own. “Internet-savvy students are far ahead of their teachers and principals in taking advantage of online educational resources,” said Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project. “ Students use the Internet dozens of ways to help them in school. They see the Internet as a virtual textbook and reference library, a virtual tutor and study shortcut, a place to conduct virtual study groups, a virtual locker, backpack and notebook, and as a virtual guidance counselor when they are deciding about careers and colleges. However, the students repeatedly said that the quality of their Internet-based assignments was often poor and uninspiring – if online assignments were even made at all. The students said the single greatest barrier to Internet use at school is the quality of access to the Internet at most of their schools.
e-Learning Centre: The e-Learning Centre is a one stop e-learning resource. It provides access to thousands of links to selected and reviewed e-learning resources in 4 main categories: Resources; Showcase; Vendors and Events. eCLIPSE, the e-Learning Centre's e-Learning Intelligence Service, is a free subscription-based service that adds intelligence to the vast amount of resources available by providing further value-added information (eg its Top 10 series) and a pathway through the materials via their work-based, role-based and technology Centres.
Timesavers for Teachers is a Consortium Member of the GEM project sponsored by the United States Education Department which accepts only quality education sites. Timesavers for Teachers specializes in offering teachers teacher resources and tools that save time. The website provides practical, visually appealing often-used forms, checklists, units, timesaving ideas, and other reproducible worksheets for busy classroom teachers.
Internet Services
Mail2web: Recent research claims that 14% of emails contain viruses or spam. It is therefore sensible to delete offending items on the server. Mail2web is an Internet based email client that allows you to pick up your email from almost any POP3 or IMAP4 email server. You simply enter your email address and password to access your inbox. You can then read, reply and forward your messages. No registration is required to access this application that has been developed, maintained and supported by SoftCom Technology Consulting Incorporated, a global leader in reliable and cost effective Internet based services.
MailWasher allows you to preview multiple accounts and all aspects of your e-mails before you download them. It also allows you to delete and bounce e-mails back to the originator. The sender will receive an e-mail saying the address was unknown. Another feature helps identify and mark e-mail as normal, virus, possibly virus, possibly spam, probably spam, chain letter, and blacklisted, so you can deal with the e-mail as you wish. Other features are comprehensive customizable filters, use of MAPS RBL to identify spammers, multiple accounts, visual and auditory notification of new e-mail, minimization to system tray, and much more. It is compatible with POP3 servers. This is a full version with no restrictions, but donations are gladly accepted.
Email Filtering: Imagine checking your email and only receiving messages that you want. No more junk and no more viruses. This is the service that Email Filtering offers. This English-based company scans your email and removes viruses and junk mail before they reach your computer, and you do not need to change your email address or install any software. The service costs £21 a year.
History
Margaret and Rachel McMillan: Inspired by the ideas of William Morris, Margaret and Rachel McMillan devoted their lives to helping children living in Britain's slums. In 1892 Margaret joined Dr. James Kerr, Bradford's school medical officer, to carry out the first medical inspection of elementary school children in Britain. Kerr and McMillan published a report on the medical problems that they found and began a campaign to improve the health of children by arguing that local authorities should install bathrooms, improve ventilation and supply free school meals. The two sisters led the campaign for school meals and eventually Parliament passed the 1906 Provision of School Meals Act. Two years later Margaret and Rachel opened the country's first school clinic in Bow. Just before her death in 1931 Margaret McMillan established a new college to train nurses and teachers. A friend of the sisters, Walter Cresswell, later wrote: "Such persons, single-minded, pure in heart, blazing with selfless love, are the jewels of our species. There is more essential Christianity in them than in a multitude of bishops." As well as providing biographies of Margaret and Rachel McMillan this website also includes extracts from the writings of these two amazing women.
Conflict Archive on the Internet: This website contains information and source material on the conflict in Northern Ireland from 1968 to the present. It also has information on society and politics in the region. Material is regularly added to the site and information on particular pages may change. The information is divided into a number of main sections: Background to the Conflict, Key Events, Key Issues, Bibliographic Database, Conflict Studies and Directory of Researchers.
Chronology of Ireland: This website, created by Brendan O'Brien, presents information on people and events connected to Ireland. The chronology contains about 130,000 words and is constantly being augmented. To view the births, deaths and events of a particular year, you need to go to the appropriate hyperlink in the bar to the left, then click on the era/decade in question, and then scroll down to find the year. Alternatively, you can use the search engine at the bottom of this page.
Politics
George Monbiot is the author of Captive State, and the investigative travel books Poisoned Arrows, Amazon Watershed and No Man's Land. He also writes a weekly column for the Guardian newspaper. In 1995 Nelson Mandela presented him with a United Nations Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. A large collection of his thought-provoking articles can be found on his website and would make good starting points for lessons on political and environmental issues.
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: David Krieger, the founder of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, argues that cultures need heroes and provide a "concept of the ideal for educating new generations". This website contains biographies of Krieger's heroes including Jane Addams, Ralph Bunch, Helen Caldicott, Cesar Chavez, XIVth Dalai Lama, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Dag Hammarskjold, Cordell Hull, Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Linus Pauling, Jeannette Rankin and Albert Schweitzer.
A Critical Decision: This educational organization provides research and thought-provoking insight on many divisive and emotional issues within society and the effects of politics upon the environment and biodiversity (our life-support system). The organization also provides a nature gallery (with many stunning photographs) for visitors to enjoy.
Design & Technology
Design & Technology On The Web covers just about everything students of Design and Technology might want to know. This includes help with KS3 homework, projects, coursework guidance, exam revision or just checking out issues linked to technology. A growing site that already with over 300 original pages. Type in your keywords and you should find references quite easily. There is an A-Z section to check out those topics you didn't know you wanted to check. Whether its Resistant Materials, Graphic Products, Systems & Control, Electronics, Industrial Production (Engineering), Food, Textiles, A Level or whatever - there should be something here. If you find something is missing then the site designer is always interested in adding new material to satisfy student needs.
Polyprop Chairs: From 1963 to the present day over 14 million Polyprop chairs have been sold in twenty-three countries. Designed by Robin Day, this chair has been described as one of the most democratic modern designs of the 20th century. You can find out more about Robin Day and the the Polyprop Chair at the Design-Technology website.
Book Section
Fenian Fire: There were seven attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria during her long reign; four of them were of Irish origin. The most serious of all was the Jubilee Plot, a conspiracy apparently hatched in New York by the Fenian Brotherhood to blow up the Queen, her family and most of the British Cabinet with dynamite at the great service of thanksgiving to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her accession, held at Westminster Abbey in June 1887. Fenian Fire, by journalist and author Christy Campbell, uses declassified British government documents, hitherto secret for a century and a quarter, to unravel a ruthless intrigue set against the turbulent politics of the period. Ministers knew the real truth. They let the conspiracy foment - and manipulated subsequent parliamentary and judicial procedures claims Campbell. The aim was to destroy Charles Stewart Parnell, the Irish nationalist leader in the Westminster parliament, by branding him and his supporters as fellow travelers of terror.
