Internet Tool # 1

Nicenet.org (Free web-based learning environment for classroom, distance learning programs and collaborative academic projects)

Nicenet is a non-profit organization of internet professionals who give their time to provide services to the education community. Developed by Nathan Dintenfass and Ben Archibald, Nicenet’s primary offering, the Internet Classroom Assistant (ICA) is designed to address the pedagogical needs and limited resources of teachers and their students. Nicenet’s Internet Classroom Assistant (ICA) allows virtually any classroom, even those with modest resources, access to powerful tools. Everything in Nicenet is offered free for the public use. Anyone can set up a class in a minute and allow others to join.

Nicenet offers a free discussion forum which can be used by all educators. A discussion forum is a public classroom forum for creating, discussing and reflecting on ideas. In the forum, writing can be posted by students at any time before the appointed date. The forum is where assignments can be posted by teacher and then students post their writing. It is also a place where a teacher can read student work samples and any member of the class can also read other students’ writing. It is in this forum where any member of the class, teacher or student, can reply to a posted piece of writing. The main components of Nicenet include: Conferencing, Schedule, Document Sharing, Personal Messaging and Link Sharing.

Student respond to various topics under what is called “conference” usually posted in advance by the teacher. The writing can be informal or shared with others in the class. Or it can be a final draft posted for assignment by other students and/or of teacher. In the conference it is expected that students will be respectful of the writing and opinions of others and that they will respond accordingly.

Document Sharing is where students and professors have the ability to publish their documents on the site using simple web-based form. There is no need to add the HTML. Automatically students are one click away from up loading their assignments online, giving their peers feedback on published papers and receiving professors’ comments.

Link Sharing is where teachers post links that they think will be helpful to their students. These links can be sorted by topics that the teachers create. By clicking on the link it will automatically take students directly to that website page.

Personal Messaging is similar to traditional email but fully integrated with documents sharing and conferencing. Personal messaging is a great way to communicate with and between individuals in the class, comment privately on conferencing posting or give private feedback on published papers. All the features on this site are fully integrated.

One of the advantages of using Nicenet is that shy students, who are reluctant to speak up in class, feel very comfortable writing their opinions and replying to other students. Also, students can learn from each others' writing, especially if you are using Nicenet.org for the posting of writing assignments. Students can learn to help each other by clicking on "reply" and asking questions if what they read is confusing or missing something. Students can reply by pointing out specifically what they like about a piece of writing. 

Graphics and design elements cannot be easily used in Nicenet.org. Only writing can be displayed, no graphics or design elements. However, as a motivational tool to encourage writing, Nicenet.org is definitely a useful site.