We are continually seeking new ways to capture the attention of students and create active learning environments where minds are engaged and interests are nurtured. The Internet is a powerful tool for engaging minds: school groups and individual students can collaborate on projects; students can pursue individual interests, taking responsibility for gathering their own information; and everyone can communicate with peers and experts worldwide. For teachers, the Internet is an electronic gateway to learning resources and experiences otherwise unavailable; no matter how specialized an area of interest may be, there is someone on the Internet who shares the interest and has identified or developed useful resources. It is through interaction with other people, ideas, and new experiences that we all construct new knowledge, and the power of the Internet is in its capacity to enable interactions with people over great distances and link people with distant informational resources. In essence, the Internet provides a way to break out of the school walls and engage students with people and resources scattered around the world.
The full potential of the Internet as a tool for learning is still being explored, but one of the main limitations at the moment may be our imaginations. We are still gaining the experiences that will enable us to envision the possibilities. Here we offer some examples of ways in which the Internet can be used as a tool for teaching and learning science.
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