By using the computer to efficiently do research, they had more time to use email to maintain and build relationships with friends old and new. Boys were actively engaged in finding as many facts, pictures, sounds or movie clips as possible on their topics of choice. Disengaging them to leave class or to move on to another task was often difficult. Female student rereading her email from her keypal. Community of learners.
Computers facilitate a blurring of the distinction between teacher and learner.
When computers and telecommunications are used to facilitate exploration, everyone in the classroom becomes a learner. One of the ways I showed respect and trust for the children was by expressing my joy and wonder at the learning I was engaged in because I was engaged with them. I was learning from him. When an inquisitive girl taught me much about the traditions surrounding the Olympic Games, I let her know how much I enjoyed having her as my teacher. Distinctions between teachers and learners blur and often become invisible when computers are used in the ways I have described in this study.