A professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and the author of several books and countless articles dealing with the effective integration of technology in the classroom, Dr. Judi Harris is one of the most respected figures currently working in the field of educational technology.

Originally an elementary-level classroom teacher and K-6 mathematics/ computer specialist, Judi earned her Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of 
Virginia. She leads professional development programs and speaks to educators in the U.S. and Canada about telecomputing. Judi has authored:
  • Way of the Ferret: Finding and Using Educational Resources on the Internet (1994 & 1995, ISTE)
  • Teaching and Learning With the Internet (1996, ASCD) 
  • Virtual Architecture: Designing and Directing Curriculum-Based Telecomputing (1998, ISTE)
  • Design Tools for Internet-Supported Classroom (1998, ASCD). 

Harris also contributes a monthly article entitled "Mining the Internet":http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/Mining/  for Learning and Leading with Technology. 

Harris believes that the Internet offers educators three structure genres (Problem Solving Projects, Information Collections, and Interpersonal Exchanges) with five to seven activity structures per genre. For a more detailed description of each click here. The menus above will allow you to see sample activities for every genre.
 

Problem Solving activities promote critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-based learning. Problem Solving structures include: information searches, peer feedback activities, parallel problem solving, sequential problem solving, telepresent problem solving, simulations, and social action projects.
Information Collection and Analysis activities are those which involve students collecting, compiling, and comparing different types of interesting information. Information Collection and Analysis activity structures include: information exchanges, database creation, electronic publishing, telefieldtrips, and pooled data analysis


Interpersonal Exchanges are those activities in which individuals communicate electronically with other individuals, individuals communicate with groups or groups communicate with other groups. Interpersonal Exchanges include: keypals, global classrooms, electronic appearances, telementoring, question-and-answer activities, and impersonations.

During her tenure as a grade six teacher, Harris became acquainted with Logo, an early computer program that helped students to develop computer skills and problem-solving strategies. She also found time to complete her Masters in education from Beaver College. After graduation she began to teach grade six classes in the morning, and graduate courses in the afternoons and evenings. 

In 1986, Harris left the elementary classroom to focus full-time on the completion of her Ph.D. Working under the guidance of Dr. Glen Bull at the University of Virginia, she continued to examine the different ways in which technology could help to foster student growth. She also drew upon her extensive practical experiences with Logo in classrooms to write a monthly column for The Computing Teacher (now called International Society for Technology in Education, ISTE: http://www.iste.org/). While at the University of Virginia, Harris also devoted a considerable amount of time and energy to another project. Due to her extensive background in the use of computers in the classroom, Harris was appointed as field director for "Teacher-Link": http://www.teacherlink.usu.edu/, a multi-million dollar project which attempted to bring the Internet into local classrooms for the first time. She currently coordinates the Electronic Emissary: http://emissary.ots.utexas.edu/emissary/, a service that matches volunteer subject matter experts with teachers and their classes studying topics in the field of expertise. 

Additional information can be found at:

The summer of 1997 saw the Illinois State Board of Education sponsor a training program for teachers. Enternet was a 30 hour commitment teachers made to receive training on engaged learning using the Internet. Every teacher who completed the program initialized an online project. Their projects can be seen at http://www.lth6.k12.il.us/structures.html .