Teaching and learning on the Web. (Editorial).(Editorial)

The emergence of the World Wide Web has been the largest and most important development for information delivery since the invention of the Guttenberg Press. Guttenberg's machine allowed for the mass distribution of books. This radically changed the landscape as prior to the press most books were literally copied by hand. The World Wide Web is equally as dramatic. Literally, any one can publish anything now via the Web. Each individual can be a publisher and any one can access this information at anytime if they know where to look.

This has had a dramatic effect on education. A whole new method of delivering instruction has been opened up. Classes can still be taught in traditional manners with additional instructional materials and contact time being available online. Conversely, the entire course can be moved to the web. This frees the students and teachers from being limited by time or location. However, it also creates new problems many of which are novel to the online environment. How do we translate what works in teaching to the online environment? How do librarians and faculty best instruct students in the ways to find credible information online? What are the best methods for teaching students to evaluate what they find on the Web and become educated information consumers? Further, what are the best ways for faculty to place information on the Web for student use? How does placing a course online change ...