A new session of each course opens each month, allowing you to enroll whenever your busy schedule permits!
How does it work? Once a session starts, two lessons will be released each week, for the six-week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends.
Keep in mind that the interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes 2 weeks after each lesson is released, so you’re encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
Week One
Lesson 01 - Internet Classrooms, Labs, and Grants
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll see firsthand the importance of the Internet to education and then experience some fun Internet activities that you can use in your classroom. You'll also research possible funding methods such as grants for creating an Internet learning lab.
Lesson 02 - Introducing Your Students to the Internet
Friday
This lesson is an introduction to Internet basics. You'll look at its history, how it works, and the top 10 terms you should know when teaching about it. Then, you'll work with directories and search engines. Finally, you'll explore some techniques you can use for introducing your students to the Internet.
Week Two
Lesson 03 - Online Textbooks, Online Libraries
Wednesday
Can your textbooks talk? They can now! In this lesson, you'll discover how to use online textbooks and online textbook companions, both of which are great for students of all ages. You'll also visit online libraries and explore the world of free books and resources online. Your classroom bookshelf will grow into a resource library overnight!
Lesson 04 - Internet Field Trips, Cyberhunts, Web Quests
Friday
Do you need help with a lesson plan? Do you need fresh ideas for your classroom? In this lesson, you'll discover how to use the Internet to supplement your lesson plans and instructional handouts. You'll examine methods for creating traditional lesson plans and handouts with an Internet twist. Then, you'll take an Internet field trip. You'll learn how to create cyberhunts (online scavenger hunts) and WebQuests. Hang on to your hats—this lesson is fun and full of great ideas!
Week Three
Lesson 05 - Internet Safety, Filters, Permission Forms
Wednesday
Unfortunately, the Internet isn't all fun and games. This lesson will focus on a more serious aspect of using the Internet in the classroom. It will discuss how to keep your students and children safe while they're online. You'll also learn how to increase the security of a computer and protect your family's personal information. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a handy Internet-use permission form to send home with your students if you choose to do so.
Lesson 06 - Preventing Internet-Assisted Cheating
Friday
The Internet is a great tool for students to use when they're doing research for a report, but what about students who are too young to understand that they can't turn in reports that they just copied from the Internet? What should you do when you spot passages students lifted? This lesson will discuss the various ways that students use the Internet to cheat and why they do it. You'll learn how to recognize Internet plagiarism and how to prevent it.
Week Four
Lesson 07 - Teaching Website Evaluation
Wednesday
Everyone who uses the Internet needs to be able to evaluate the usefulness and truthfulness of websites. In this lesson, you'll find out how to teach younger and older students to do this. You'll get a handout and lots of teaching tips and suggestions.
Lesson 08 - Classroom Email and Email Etiquette
Friday
This lesson will teach you how to use email in the classroom. Email can help you add more hours to your class day so that you can cover all the required material. The lesson will also talk about email etiquette, which is the proper way to use email. Finally, you'll learn how to use email to become a better teacher.
Week Five
Lesson 09 - Classroom Communication and Assignments With Email
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll continue your exploration of using email as a teaching tool. You'll consider when it should be used for extending classroom discussions and how to manage the large volume of email messages you may receive from your students. Then, the lesson will discuss how to prepare your students to use email and what you should expect from the messages they write. Finally, it will talk about activities involving email that you can use in your classroom. After this lesson, your classroom discussions will be better than ever before!
Lesson 10 - Communicating With Mailing Lists and Newsgroup Bulletin Boards
Friday
This lesson will focus on other tools of communication that the online world offers. Two of them are mailing lists and newsgroups. The lesson will talk about what they are and how to use them. You'll then learn how to provide younger and older students with up-to-date resources.
Week Six
Lesson 11 - Communicating With Discussion Boards
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll find out about one more online communication tool for your classroom—free discussion boards. You'll learn how to create, use, and manage one.
Lesson 12 - Timesaving Techniques, Online Classrooms
Friday
The final lesson is devoted to bringing you some time-saving techniques. You'll discover how to use online quizzes, manage grading online, and create certificates for your students and yourself. You'll also find out where to download free educational material.