The technology now allows large-group discussions such as Web conferences or videoconferencing. Two or more classrooms in different parts of the country or the world can collaborate on a common topic. These global classrooms allow innovative cross-curricular projects. Experts in various fields can make electronic appearances. Cyber Mentors can connect experts from universities, business, and government with students.
University students provide encouragement and act as role models.
They share information about the transition to postsecondary education, while the technology enhances the younger students communication, social, and collaborative skills as they interact with others through E-mail. Consequently, these students stay connected through high school and graduate, seeing themselves with a whole new set of possibilities. Sharing information on a global scale has other benefits as well. In the process, students are critics of shared information as well as creators of resources that are valuable to other learners. Funding and geography may limit productive curriculum-based field trips for many schools, but tele field trips can replace traditional ones and open doors to locations that even the most affluent schools could not obtain.