Raw Materials for the Mind : Teaching and Learning in Information and Technology Rich Schools

In the "Information Age," information will be the raw material that we work and build with, and the Internet will be the quarry from which we mine that information. Raw Materials for the Mind, by 18-year technology educator David Warlick, begins with a potent philosophical look at why our classrooms must change, and the part that technology plays in this revolution. The book quickly focuses on practical ideas that harness the Internet for teaching and learning. Topics include conducting deep and revealing searches of the World Wide Web; evaluating information found on the Internet; importing Internet-based information into word processors, spreadsheets, and graphics tools; ideas for taking advantage of the unique qualities of Internet-based information; and techniques for publishing student work onto the Internet.

An additional chapter discusses the steps for planning and designing school and school district web sites and free services available on the Internet for creating interactive web environments -- web sites that "work for you." One reader reports, "I found the viewpoint so electrifying that I had to read parts to some of my teaching friends."

David Warlick is an instructional technology consultant who has been involved in the educational use of computers since 1981. A former history teacher, district level administrator, and consultant with the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction, he has been a leader in innovative applications of technology, especially the Internet.

David has developed and conducted numerous curriculum projects over the global network and has facilitated education and Internet workshops in most states and many other countries including Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain. He has also been associated with some of the most influential organizations and initiative in educational technology including the Global SchoolNet Foundation and ThinkQuest.

David lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and two children.