The Internet Tool
Similar to a chalkboard or overhead projector, the Internet is merely a tool. Although tools do not teach, when effectively used, they assist and add value to the learning process.

With this technology, instructors must now decide how to make this new tool work most effectively. Incorporating the Internet into instruction will have an enormous impact on both the student's and the instructor's approaches to learning and teaching.

The majority of faculty who accesses the Internet's features for instruction use Web pages as an information delivery tool. The Internet is a handy way to distribute standard course materials. In this mode of teaching, faculty and students meet in the traditional classroom or telecourse where the lecture is delivered, while lecture notes, assignments, calendars, course syllabus, and other related materials are made available via the Internet.

Recipe for Success
Just as chefs mix ingredients to create great tasting dishes, educators can combine several Internet-based tools to create an interactive, collaborative learning environment. The virtual classroom is the product created from the addition of these tools to the traditional classroom. In such a setting, courses are delivered in whole, or in part through Web pages. For instructors that are contemplating which tools to use, I have developed my own Top Ten List of Tools available for an Internet-based learning environment.

1. Online lectures and instructional materials can be incorporated into courses through the use of hypertext, images, sound, video, and animation. For instance, an accounting instructor can make PowerPoint presentations or an Excel spreadsheet available from his/her own Web page, and it can be accessed from every student's desktop or downloaded for individual use.

2. Multimedia textbooks can be created on the Internet that integrate images, video, and sound. These textbooks can include hyperlinks to encourage exploratory learning and refine research skills.

3. One-to-one communications through the use of email between faculty and students can be integrated into the virtual classroom. Course Web pages allow email to be sent to faculty and students. Instructors can distribute individual assignments with attached files through this medium.

4. Access to remote systems through the use of links can provide access to library resources and other academic databases, which usually require passwords or log-ins.

5. Group communications are provided and shared by news/discussion groups, such as bulletin boards. This mechanism allows professors to post assignments, students to submit homework, and groups to work collaboratively on projects.

6. Group discussions can be conducted in virtual meeting places where both students and professors meet to discuss assignments, tackle group projects, evaluate cases, or hold forums. These chat areas offer an excellent way to simulate brainstorming sessions where all participants are present.

7. Participative learning can be accomplished with the creation of simulations - where both students and instructors can experience different situations through role-playing activities.

8. Professors can closely control course content and monitor student involvement by using server logs, which record access to online documents and provide instructors with extensive information about students' use of course materials. By enabling instructors to assess which topics interest students, course content can be evaluated and improved.

9. Online testing can be conducted through the use of the Forms capability on the Internet. This tool allows instructors to create and grade tests online, providing immediate feedback to students.

10. Online assessments can be implemented by establishing a standard query section on an instructor's Web page. This capability allows the instructor to continually monitor the academic and technical abilities of students.

Currently, most instructors implement some combination of these tools with the traditional classroom or telecourse. Supplementing teaching with Internet-based tools offers several benefits. First, it promotes a student-centered environment and encourages greater participation among students. The emphasis is placed on interactive problem solving and decision-making rather than a narrowly focused approach to learning.

Adding discussion forums and chat sessions to courses is a common way to add an interactive component. There are many implementations of bulletin board and chat session software that enable students to electronically discuss projects and analyze cases. With this, classroom dialogue can extend beyond time and space constraints.

Secondly, instructors can distribute and update information quicker and more accurately than ever before. Web pages can be altered and changed with the touch of a button.

For instance, an online course syllabus provides the instructor with a way to change course material easily and gives students a complete and current picture of course requirements. In addition, with the enormous amount of readily available resources on the Internet, instructors can easily enhance their course content with the addition of existing information.

Furthermore, the Internet can provide students with real-world scenarios with the addition of guest speakers and subject experts into discussion groups and chat areas. Using multimedia tools, graphical representations of any process or function can be simulated so that students develop a deeper understanding of "real world" situations. For example, MBA students can create model systems for local business clients. These prototypes will enable students to focus on business design, development, and management issues.

Finally, with the use of Internet-based tools, the role of the instructor will change. No longer experts and information providers, professors will become facilitators and guides. Conversely, students will no longer be passive learners, attempting to memorize what they absorb from the expert instructor. Instead, they become participants in the creation of knowledge and meaning.

In summary, Internet-based collaborative tools have significantly enhanced the ability to train and educate electronically. These tools are revolutionizing the traditional classroom through increased opportunities for learning and alternative formats for education. As Internet technology continues to expand, more tools will be created to further enhance classroom instruction.

Whether the materials are an online course or a simple tutorial, the Internet provides significant new capabilities in transmitting information and providing forums of exchange. When integrated with tools on the Internet such as videoconferencing, newsgroups, email, and bulletin boards, the level of involvement in the students' learning experience can be greatly increased. Overall, the Internet provides an effective mechanism for integrating many of these tools into a single interface and is itself, an ideal tool for information.