Use of networking in K-12 schools: research results

Electronic networks are starting to be widely used in K-12 schools. And with the new National Research and Education Network (NREN) legislation and other federal, state, and grass roots efforts, their use will become ever more common. Yet the educational use of these networks in K-12 schools has yet to be closely examined. What are appropriate and effective uses of electronic networks in education? How can classroom activities be structured to support these activities? Electronic networks make available a wide range of resources for schools. The most obvious of these are the rich variety of online computer-based resources such as online library catalogs, databases, and other electronic information sources. However, networks make available a wide range of human resources as well. Through electronic mail (e-mail), teleconferencing systems, and newsgroups/electronic bulletin boards, students and teachers can work cooperatively on a wide variety of activities with students and teachers and others elsewhere. Our research and the research of others have identified some of the structures and processes of network-based activities. Based on these results, we have started to sketch out the important roles for teachers and librarians as mediators in these instructional activities.published or submitted for publicatio