Ch. 7 Distance Learning Tools and the Rold of the Internet in Education

     The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) developed the first version of the Internet during the 1970s to allow quick communication among researchers working on DOD projects in about 30 locations. These projects were funded by the DOD’s advanced research projects agency, the network was originally called ARPAnet. A person accessing a university network from home or school could also get access to any site connected to that network. This connection began to be called a gateway to all networks, and what we now call the internet was born.

     The name internet means literally between or among networks. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a subset of the internet system. The WW is an internet access service that links sites around the world through hypertext, texts that contain links to other texts. The very first web browser was Mosaic, introduced in 1993. The most common current web browsers are Firefox and Internet Explorer, although others such as Apple’s Safari are also used.

     Current Pitfalls in Internet Use:

1.       Accessing sites with inappropriate materials

2.       Safety and privacy for students

3.       Fraud on the internet

4.       Computer viruses and backing

5.       Copyright and plagiarism issues

     Most schools have found that the best way to prevent access to sites with inappropriate materials is to install firewall software and/or filtering software on individual computers or on the school or district network that connects them to the internet. An additional problem is attacks by hackers, those who seek to gain unauthorized access to computer systems for the purpose of stealing and corrupting data. Overall, the internet has advanced education in so many ways. Students can access research, current events, and other items in a matter of seconds making it easier and more effective to find information. Technology and education will continue to advance in positives ways for years to come.