The Breakfast Club Goes Online: Virtual Classrooms and Community
Abstract
Community is important in any classroom. Most would agree that one of the best lessons we learn in school is how to interact and get along with others. But what happens when students aren't face to face? What happens when all student interaction takes place through an electronic medium? Using the popular 1980s movie The Breakfast Club as a backdrop, the author explores what does happen when very different students meet in an online environment. While some argue that electronic classrooms lack opportunities for “quality” student interaction, the author finds that the facelessness of the online environment actually enhances the sense of community.
Contents
The article consists of the following sections:
Author Information
John Curry is an instructor in the School of Education, University of Houston - Clear Lake (2700 Bay Area Boulevard, Box 69, Houston, Texas 77058, USA). His research interests include the design, development, and administration of web-based learning environments; multimedia design and development; and learning communities. He can be reached by e-mail at curry@cl.uh.edu.
Reading Online, www.readingonline.org
Posted February 2000
© 2000 International Reading Association, Inc. ISSN 1096-1232