The Language Teacher Online 21.5: Classroom Perspectives on the Internet (cont'd.)


To use Internet Relay Chat, you need to connect to a special computer (known as an "IRC server"). A list of IRC servers is available at http:www.inforamp.net/~netwits/Digicafe/irclist.html [Expired Link]. There are at least sixteen IRC servers in Japan. The oldest is located at endo.wide.ad.jp at port 6667 (Rose, 1995). After connecting to this server, type /#irchelp for online guidance.

Some servers are only active during certain times of the day. Moreover, different IRC servers have slightly different configurations, so incompatibility problems with some IRC software may arise. Before connecting to an IRC server, it is wise to find out what software the IRC server uses, when it is up, and what the rules are. Most large servers have this information posted on their Web pages.

A good example of IRC use for children and young teens is the Kidlink Project [Expired Link]. Shuji Ozeki of Chubu University has also started using IRC with his EFL students. For details about his project, the best thing to is join a jaltchat IRC conference. These conferences are held periodically and are announced in advance on jaltcall.

If your computer has a microphone and a speaker, you can converse via a program such as Quarterdeck Web Talk. Those with digital video cameras might also consider using programs such as CU-See-Me. Recently Schoolnet Japan, a group of educators interested in technology, established a CU-See-Me project between high schools in Japan, Asia, North America, and Europe. Masako Furui, the project leader, remarked, "The time zone difference was a problem with some schools, but having students see each other as they talked was positive." A description of their program is available at http://www.tokai-ic.or.jp/Schoolnet/incoming/CUSM/index.html [Inactive link].

Some programs now offer actual video/voice contact, or "Internet teleconferencing," enabling users to bypass the keyboard. Information about these programs is available at http://www.lightning.net/www/wwwfaq.html [Inactive link].

Conclusion

This article has shown some of ways the Internet is entering classrooms in Japan. Despite some promising examples of this technology, only a small percentage of classrooms today have online access (WIDE Project,1996). The cost of wiring schools and the lack of widespread teacher computer literacy are two obstacles yet to be surmounted. In addition, more extensive research about the benefits of Internet connectivity is also needed, since much of the hype about the Internet has yet to be substantiated.

For further classroom ideas about Internet use, I recommend Steen's "Teaching with the Internet: Putting Teachers before Technology" (1997). The final article in this series mentions more resources.

References

Asano T. (1996). Intaanetto no shikumi. [The structure of the Internet]. (Rev. ed.). Tokyo: Shijutsu Hyouronka.

Dai Ichi Houki Shuppan (Eds.). (1990). Shin kyouiku daijiten. [New pocket encyclopedia of education]. (Vol. 3, pp. 314-320).

Frizler, K. (1995). The Internet as an educational tool in ESOL writing instruction. Retrieved April 1, 1007 from http://thecity.sfsu.edu/%7Efunweb/thesis.htm [Expired URL]

Fujita, M. (1996). Intaanetto wo tsukatta jugyou. [Online classrooms]. Yunikoon Jaanaru [Unicorn Journal]. Tokyo: Buneidou Press. (No. 34, pp. 10-13).

Furui, M. (1996). Koukou eigo no jugyou de intaanetto no riyou daiappu kara wenyousen e. ["Using the Internet in high school english classes: From dial-up to dedicated line"]. Onrain Katsudou Houkoku. [Report of Online Activities]. Vol. 1. Available: http://www.tokai-ic.or.jp/Schoolnet/report1/index2.html. (Dec. 1996.) [Inactive link]

Gardner, T. (1995). MOO teacher's tip sheet. Available: www.daedalus.com/net/MOOTIPS.html [Expired URL]

Gebala, B. (1996). The diary project: Kids' diary entries from around the world. Available: www.well.com/user/diary/ [Expired URL]

Guest, M. (1995). Interview with a cat: The computer MOO and ESL. Learner to Learner. 3(3). Available: >http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/ieli/pozzo.html [Expired URL]

Haynes, C. & J.R. Holemvik. (1997). High wired: Negotiating the tight/trope of educational moos. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Higgins, J. (1996). What is hypertext? Available: http://www.stir.ac.uk/epd/celt/staff/higdox/hypertxt.htm [Expired URL]

Kimball, J. (1996). Teaching and learning resources. Available: interserver.miyazaki-med.ac.jp/~Kimball/tchng.html [Expired URL]

Kitao, K. & K. Kitao. (1988). Writing English paragraphs. Tokyo: Eishosha.

Kusamoto, H. (1988). JUNET no rekishi to JUNET no genzai. [The history and present status of JUNET]. JUNET no Tebiki. [The JUNET Handbook]. Available: http://mary.phy.hokudai.ac.jp/News/Junet/Junet1.txt [Expired URL]

Lambacher, S. (1996). Using electronic feedback to teach English segmentals. The Language Teacher. 20(8). 22-27.

Minami, N. (1996). Noriko Minami & Her Students. Available: http://asano2.t.soka.ac.jp./~minami/semi.html [Expired URL] (Dec. 1996.)

Murai, J. (1995). Intaanetto [The Internet]. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten.

Nihon Joho Shori Kaihatsu Kyokai (Ed.). (1996). Johoka hakusho: Jidai wo kaeru nettowakku no nami [White paper on informatics: The changing age of network surfing]. Tokyo: CA Konpyuuta Eege Inc.

Ray, R. (1995). Rodney Ray's Internet based project. Available: http//langue.hyper.chubu.ac.jp:80/jalt/features/ray.html [Expired URL]. (Dec. 1996.)

Robb, T. (1996). E-mail key pals for language fluency. Available: www.kyoto-su.ac.jp:10080/people/teacher/trobb/keypals.html [Expired URL]. (Dec. 1996.)

Roffey, C. (1995). Electronic books: Fad or future? Learning. 23(6). 88-90.

Rose, H. (1995). IRC-FAQ. (Ver. 1.53). Available: ftp.kei.com/pub/irc/alt-irc-faq. [Expired URL] (Dec. 1996.)

Sagliano, J., & Isbell, K.(1996). Computer-assisted project-based research writing. Available: www.miyazaki-mic.ac.jp/classes/englishIII/index.html. [Expired URL]. (Dec. 1996.)

Sanders, G. (1995). Culture Magazine. Available: www.u-shizuoka-ken.ac.jp/~glenn/reading/. (Dec. 1996.) [Inactive Link].

Steen, D. (1997). Teaching with the internet: Putting teachers before technology. Available: commerce.mindspring.com/www.respress.com/orderform.htm (Dec. 1996.) [Inactive Link].

WIDE Project (Eds). (1996). Intaanetto sanka no tebiki. [How to use the Internet]. Tokyo: Kyoritsu Shuppan.

-   top of page     Back to Part 1 of this Article   -


All articles at this site are copyright © 1997 by their respective authors.
Document URL: http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/97/5/perspectives.html
Last modified: Aug. 2003. Site maintained by TLT Online Editor