Tools For Teaching: The World Wide Web and a Web Browser
Ernest C. Ackermann
Department of Computer Science
Mary Washington College
Presented May 16, 1996
Faculty
Academy '96
We will present and discuss some examples of using the World Wide
Web and a Web browser as a tool or aid in teaching. We'll focus
on Web pages designed to support actual courses discussing
essential elements and features of those pages that support the
courses, teaching, evaluation, and learning.
Some references:
Some definitions:
- World Wide Web
- "The World Wide Web (W3) is the universe of
network-accessible information, an embodiment of human
knowledge."-Tim Berners Lee
- Web Page
- A collection of information, usually written using HTML
tags that's accessible on the World Wide Web and can be
interpreted by a Web browser. The information may be
thought of as consisting of a collection of elements
including text, images, animations, digital audio,
digital video, and interactive elements. Additionally the
page may contain links (hyperlinks) to other Web pages or
elements of Web pages on local or remote computer systems
connected to the Internet.
- Web Browser
- Software that's used to retrieve and display Web pages.
The browser, either through modules it contains or
additional "helper" applications, retrieves
information in HTML format and displays the information
in predetermined formats. A Web browser, for example,
when it retrieves information in GIF format will display
it as an image.
Selected Web pages used for courses at MWC.
Selected Web pages used for courses at other institutions.
Selected Web pages for distance learning courses.
Selected Sources for Web Pages for Courses
What ought to be on a Web page for a course, for teaching
purposes?
Use what you can to give students necessary information about
a course, learn the material, and get involved in thinking about
the course material. Thinking, discussing, and active
participation.
- Course & Instructor Information
- Topics
- Office Hours
- Honor Code
- Text Book Information
- Course Objectives
- Grading
- Communication
- Student to Professor to Student e-mail
- Student to Professor to Class e-mail to
discussion or newsgroup
- Student to Class discussion or newsgroup, or
perhaps a communication forum separate from one
for discussion of course material
- Trouble or problem reports
- Assignments
- Distribution
- On-line completion or submission
- Solutions, Hints
- Tests
- Distribution
- On-line completion or submission
- Solutions, Sample Exams
- Material distributed/covered in the classroom
- Lecture notes, handouts
- Demonstrations, Animations, Video, Audio
- Interactive Tutorial or Review materials
- Reference Material
- Sources - in print and electronic form
- Supplemental Material
- Links to resources on the Web specific to the
course
- Links to Similar Courses on the World Wide Web
- Related Materials
- Links to resources on the Web related to the
course or discipline of a general or
comprehensive nature
URL: http://www.mwc.edu/ernie/facacad/WWW-Teaching.html
Last time I changed anything here was Friday, May 17, 1996
Please send comments/questions to Ernest Ackermann at ernie@mwc.edu
Copyright 1996, Ernest
Ackermann. Permission is hereby granted for electronic
transmission and display of this work for educational, research,
or other non-commercial use. All other rights reserved.
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