Creating a virtual materials and resources index for health education using the World Wide Web

The Internet represents the principal system for distributing information worldwide, offering health educators a powerful communications medium. This article describes an assignment that teaches students how to use the World Wide Web (WWW). The first part provides an overview of the Internet, its principal services. browser software, and Netscape Navigator. The second part describes the assignment, complete with instructional objectives, computer facilities used to implement the strategy, and a summary of classroom and laboratory activities. The third part describes procedures for teaching students how to use the WWW. Students learn how to explore the WWW and to develop a customized virtual directory of health materials and resources using Netscape Navigator Bookmark tools. Recommendations on how the approach can be modified are offered.