Introduction

The World Wide Web is the major lane of the Information Highway. Students must not only learn to search and find information on the Web, but also use, qualify, interpret, expand, arrange or rearrange, change, correct and control this information. One look at the popularly and growth of such sites as MySpace.com or YouTube.com graphically show how students want to have control or at least some effect on the web.

Initially, browser based referred to materials only used for the World Wide Web but it has evolved to much more. Browser materials are used not only for the Web sites which includes Blogs, but it also has become a major tool for instructional modules and it has also become the standard for the electronic portfolio.

Blogs

Blogs began as a frequently updated online personal Web journal or diary, which showed such things as travel logs, family or personal events and personal ideals or concepts. Now they have become a forum for political views, personal philosophy, educational philosophy and place to preview products — anything you want to share with the rest of the world. Blogs can also allow for response which gives gives the end-users an interactive connectivity. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) facilitates broadcast and publication of podcasts, news and any other materials to a user who subscribes.

Most of the soft wares used to create blogs are free. The operation of the software range from the simple and limited to the very complex and everything in between. Since Blog space is often free, I personally feel that all teachers and / or classes should have a blog.

Destination Web Sites

From its very meager beginnings of black text on white pages, web sites have grown into major colorful and interactive, multimedia pieces containing sound, music and video. There are more than two million new web sites being created each month.

Electronic Portfolio

Although a well developed resume is a very important, more and more both colleges and perspective employers are asking for proof of skills and other materials which is in the resume. The electronic portfolio helps provide the evidence.