Introduction

The following six activities were created as models for ways to integrate the World Wide Web into classroom learning. China was chosen as a topic because it exemplifies the kind of thinking the Web is great at fostering. Too often learning is reduced to disconnected facts and filtered perspectives. The Web offers a broader, more authentic learning experience. If you'd like more information about the benefits of each type of Web-strategy listed below, take a look at Working the Web for Education.

China on the Net is a starting point for anyone studying China. If you have your own learning activities in mind, you might find some of the links here to be useful.

Exploring China is for you if you want students to surf Internet links about China and download images, text, videos, music, etc. to put into their own multimedia scrapbook.

The Treasures of China is your choice if you want students to gain "hard knowledge" (facts, information, news, history, etc.) about China. It exposes students to key aspects of China's rich past and controversial present.

My China is a good activity to choose if you want learners to engage their personal ideas, feelings and experiences with some specific aspects of China.

Does the Tiger Eat Its Cubs? is an inquiry-based activity that prompts higher-order thinking and collaboration. Challenge them to find the truth about reported mistreatment of orphans in China.

Searching for China is a culminating, unit-length activity challenging students to take on a specific role (i.e., foreign investor, human rights activitist, etc.) from which to view modern China. Students then need to come to a compromise solution to dealing with this complex and changing world power.