 Ask
the librarian
What should an Internet use policy include? How
can you protect kids from offensive web sites? How
do you judge the quality -- and educational value
-- of a site? How can you create a great web site?
The American Library Association (ALA)
answers these questions and more in its Libraries
& the Internet Toolkit. Although written for
public librarians, the toolkit provides resources
and information of interest to public school officials
wanting to get the most out of their Internet connection.
One-stop homework shop
All it takes is a few web searches to appreciate
just how fast the web is growing. But most search
engines search only a fraction of the pages on the
web -- and what they spit back isn't always what you're
looking for. HomeworkCentral,
recently purchased by BigChalk.com, sets out to give
educators the best of the web. It is a free online
learning environment where educators and subject matter
scholars have created more than 100,000 links to over
10,000 subjects. Beyond this, HomeworkCentral provides
more than 14,000 creative lesson plans, searchable
by keyword, and an online notebook where students
can keep notes.
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Bridging the
technology gap
In the world of technology, no issue troubles policymakers
quite like the so-called digital divide -- that yawning
gap between those who have access to technology and
those who don't. The Digital
Divide Network is trying to bridge the gap by
offering a host of resources for educators and policymakers
who are committed to building better technology equity.
Among other things, its web site offers the latest
studies, reports, feature stories, grants and funding
information, and a directory of state and local organizations
setup to help communities close the gap.
Lessons in lawmaking
 Mr.
Smith doesn't have to go to Washington to learn how
laws are made; he can just click on CongressLink,
a site developed by the Dirksen Congressional Center
in Pekin, Ill. CongressLink offers student activities,
an online newsletter, and opportunities to chat with
guest experts about history, politics, civics, and
other subjects related to Congress. Teachers can download
free lesson plans on topics ranging from the Compromise
of 1850 to a virtual tour of congressional web sites.
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