Judi Harris began her career as an elementary teacher in Philadelphia, PA, and currently teaches teachers at the University of Texas, Austin.

Judi Harris is probably best known for her work with telecomputing projects. Much of Harris’ research is in developing active learning environments on the internet. She writes the Mining the Internet column for Learning and Leading with Technology an I.S.T.E publication. She is project director for the Electronic Emissary Project which began in 1993. Harris became interested in telecomputing and on-line information sources through her exposure to LOGO (Papert). She was introduced to the internet by Glen Bull her advisor, mentor and friend at the University of Virginia.

Harris’ current project is: In the Kitchen - Designs for Telecollaboration and Telepresence, which includes such interactive items as interpersonal exchange, information collection and analysis, and problem solving activities from Kindergarten through high school. These include the use of television and the Internet combined with traditional activities to bring enriched strategies into the smaller classroom (window to the outer world).

Publications include "Way of the Ferret" which is about ferreting out information rather than surfing the Internet. Harris directs "The Electronic Emissary" a K-12 curriculum-oriented telementoring service and research effort. She also leads professional development programs and speaks to educators in the U.S. and Canada about telecomputing.

Besides "Way of the Ferret", she has written "Finding and Using Educational Resources on the Internet" (1994 & 1995, ISTE), "Teaching and Learning with the Internet" (1996, ASCD), "Virtual Architecture: Designing and Directing Curriculum-Based Telecomputing" (1998, ISTE), "Design Tools for the Internet-Supported Classroom" (1998, ASCD), and more than 140 articles on curriculum-based applications of educational technologies.

Harris suggests trips, and other out-of-school activities are critical for both interest and real world learning. Some of her later work is similar to Dr. Howard Garner's beliefs (separate working memories and separate IQ's). Interpersonal-exchange for example, offers the chance for individuals or groups to electronically exchange data on various educational activities. This promotes committee activity on the part of the students, which mirrors the exchange of the various working memories of the human brain in that knowledge is spread by a multi-directional process rather than through straight-line communication.

Publications

Way of the Ferret
Finding and Using Educational Resources on the Internet (1994 & 1995, ISTE
Teaching and Learning with the Internet (1996, ASCD)
Virtual Architecture: Designing and Directing Curriculum-Based Telecomputing (1998, ISTE)
Design Tools for the Internet-Supported Classroom (1998, ASCD)