Papers in PDF format

Information Technology and the Viking Network
William J. Meador, BS, MA;
Victor Elem. Sch. Dist.
Victorville, California
edsearch@primenet.com
Why would culturally diverse classrooms of students be interested in what occur-red, a thousand years ago, to
people who spoke a foreign language and ran around in skins and metal skull caps for helmets? They could be
forced to study the Vikings as part of a national and/or local curriculum, but how much would they learn or
retain and of what importance is it to their future? Much more is gained if the goal is teach IT from a
historical perspective as the tool. As educators we are all seeking the most advantageous and motivational
methods and devices in which to keep our students as active learners and producers of knowledge. For many
of us IT is the thrilling and ever expanding tool for our students, and ourselves. We, as teachers, also need the
challenge to continue to be active learners.
The Viking Network is the answer for some educators in eleven different countries including the United States.
Since 1993, when conceived, it has continued to grow. Not only are the students dictating or writing messages
to students around the world. They are searching for data and information about the countries they contact
and building web pages to "boot" for easier access to one another. It is a living and growing entity. The
students are now the collaborators for research projects, the innovators of thought projection, and the authors
of historically based fiction. We are about as sure as we can be that the Vikings never made any forays into the
Southwestern deserts of the U.S., but we can imagine, think, and write about the possibilities with their having
a chance meeting with the Navajos or any of the Native Indian populations evident at that time in history.
How about the Vikings trading with the Chinese? For those students who have a flair for science fiction
perhaps an encounter with aliens.
The Vnet is adding to its projects to reach most of its students. We all have unmotivated students or those
whom have less than average ability levels. These are the students that present the greatest challenge to me.
This year will see an increased interest in IT by most of our students. Many of us on the Vnet see ourselves as
teachers for all of the students in the Vnet. We have the feeling of a local network that just happens to be
international and wish to be regarded as an expanded or open classroom.
This Fall is an exciting time for the members of the Viking network. Some of the projects planned for this
year include:
1) Collaborative problem solving across the curriculum;
2) Mathematical quizzes and contests between students and classrooms;
3) Discussions about the Viking influence on the English Language (The Dane law Pages);
4) Student built web: Local activities, holidays, and celebrations presented enhance the learning of history.
Local history gives an international dimension and audience information available on the children's very
own web pages. These pages will be very personal to each student and his/her needs as a thinking,
expressing and learning person.
An example of a very successful interactive exercise took place late last year between two classroom in separate
European countries. The setting was that of a monastery where priests resided. The priests (classroom A)
were notified of the impending arrival of a band of Vikings (classroom B) desirous of capturing and occupying
the Monastery. Each classroom planned their strategy pertinent to their position and indicative of their goal
within the game. The game lasted several weeks to the lasting enjoyment of the students and teachers
involved. The Vnet gives NEW opportunities in teaching because information given from each local school is
local information not readily available. A subject area is studied from several angles not from information
from one's own country's writers and historians.
Teachers will interact with all of the students and each other via their own web page with posting of messages,
queries, and responses to students and teachers alike.
These projects engage our students to be knowledge producers rather than just consumers.