Robert Martens

St. Mary's International School

1-6-19 Seta, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan 158-8668

Current URL: http://www.japan.co.jp/~smis

Future URL: http://www.SMIS.edu

1.Use of Internet

a) Internet in Class Lessons

Students have been incorporating the internet in the search for fact on their various reports. The debate classes, business classes and art classes as well as architecture classes have been the leaders in the use so far. Elementary classes use it most often when searching for information on countries of the world. We are doing some limited exchange of email with elementary school classes in the United States who are interested in things Japanese.

b) Internet on students own

Because we are an international school, many of the students rely on the internet and email to keep in touch with relatives and friends in their home countries. Students visit popular sites on the internet. The internet is a very important source for Seniors and Juniors to find possible colleges to consider attending. Most of the colleges have on-line information and even applications. The colleges can respond right away via email to students questions.

c) Internet use by teachers

Teachers use email to contact teachers in other schools and countries to compare notes on different subjects that they teach. They also keep in touch with their home countries and families abroad. Teachers search for lesson plans available on the web. Find and purchase relevant software and Photo gallery CDs. The Library Staff looks for new books and does information searches for teachers. We also use a Magazine collections on-line service. Teachers also search for information on Summer Graduate Classes. The band program has its information on-line.And students enter important data about instruments and concert plans by using forms on-line. It has proven to be very convenient for students and the band teacher

2. Problems and Results in 1998-99 school year

a) How to use the internet

Searching for information can be frustrating, hit and miss. Learning effective ways to search for information has been the biggest challenge in our schools.

b) Effective for Education

The most effective way for our students to use the internet in a classroom setting is for the teacher to download the relevant site to the local server.

c) Technical Problems

We had a lot of problems with OCN not setting our router up. They resisted responsibility for it for about 2 months. Finally they set it up. It was their problem after all. The connection has been very strong since then, but when more than 5 users connect at the same time, the slow down becomes noticeable.

3. About 100-Project Phase II

a) Current situation

We are using the internet on a daily basis and more and more students are becoming comfortable with it.

b) Future Plans

As the school becomes more and more networked together, we would like for the school, teachers administrators as well has students and parents at home to be able to communicate easily, and to post information on a daily basis. Most Information that is delivered no by paper should really be on-line.