c.
Developing Your Own Knowledge of the Resources
Having
made decisions about using some of the resources and opportunities
in tandem, it is important for the teacher in the case study to
get to know the resources well enough to feel confident about
using them in the classroom. It is also important that the pupils
will feel comfortable about using the resources.
We
can focus on this with an exercise that requires that you get
to know a bit more about searching and retrieving material from
a CD-ROM or the web. Firstly, try the following two search methods
using the web:
- Go
to any of the search engines
mentioned on the previous pages, and type in only the word style,
followed by a separate search for fashion.
- Take
a note of how many hits you get from the search, and look at
them to see how relevant they are. Search again with the whole
phrase, style and fashion.
Take
a look at the results of your search, and visit as many of the
sites as you like. Note the images available on the sites, and
consider how such images might inform the arguments of learners.
Try
the same technique for the CD-ROM. Also, though, use the topic
and subject index for the disk and note where in the subject structure
of the disk the topic has been placed.
Then
answer the following questions - just to give you some focus to
begin with:
- When
you searched for the words style and fashion separately, what
happened to your search results?
- When
you placed these words together as style and fashion - what
was the difference?
- How
would you describe the range of ideas encountered on style and
fashion compared with that on the other two topics?
- How
would you describe the materials in the CD-ROM you used from
the point of view of their value as stimulus to discussion?
- Do
you know how to copy segments from the web or the CD-ROM for
insertion in your own worksheets and resources? If you do, are
you aware of the copyright laws governing this action?
When
you have looked at your CD-ROM and the web in the light of these
questions, and perhaps written some worksheets of your own to
go with the CD-ROM and web, you should discuss with your mentor
what you want to do with the resource in the classroom. This can
be done in a mentor visit, over the telephone or by e-mail, and
should serve merely to satisfy you that you are on the right track
with your use of the materials.
 d.
Planning the Work of Learners
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