Rationale for the use of web technology to support learning

In the previous blog we discussed the importance of using information and communication technology in the classroom as a tool to motivate students. Apart from the aspect of motivation, it is also important to look at the functional aspect of it in the classroom.

Students are able to use the internet to enhance their learning, especially in tackling expository texts. Students can use information on-line as supplementary material for their understanding of various texts in various subject areas. A wide range of material is at their fingertips on the world wide web that can provide them with the background knowledge they need to begin reading. In a history lesson for example, students can read an excerpt on-line from the Diary of Anne Frank before they begin a lesson on World War II. In addition to this students can source images and sounds that they find on the web to enhance their understanding of concepts before and after reading. In a science lesson on the human body for instance, students can view numerous pictorial representations, which could only serve to enhance their understanding of the topic. Lastly, students can report their findings and share them with their teachers and peers via the Internet.