The Learning Highway: Smart Students and the Net. Rev. ed.

Alison Mews is co-ordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

This revision of a 1995 edition is written for secondary students,
undergraduates, and teacher trainees. It focuses on how to use the
Internet for learning and offers strategies for more effective student
use. It regards the Internet as a “learning highway,” because it can
be used not only to access information but also to create information,
both individually and collaboratively, thereby facilitating learning.

Having defined these pedagogical goals, the book devotes a chapter each
on how to use browsers, e-mail, and newsgroups, using Netscape as an
example. The “Learning through Research” section discusses search
engines, describing the difference between directories (such as Yahoo)
and indexes (such as AltaVista) and some specialized search engines. The
authors provide detailed instructions on what types of information you
would find through these tools and how to conduct these searches most
effectively. They stress the point that there are no standards for
publishing on the Web and that you should question the accuracy of the
information retrieved. They also provide some guidelines for evaluating
sites.

Almost half of the book comprises examples of excellent on-line
projects that focus on interactive learning activities. These projects
illustrate the range of possibilities for using the Web to deliver
curriculum objectives, while also engaging and exciting students. Many
projects, such as Writers in Electronic Residence, are on-going Canadian
programs that teachers can access. The authors succeed admirably in
meeting their stated goals. Highly recommended.