Site Guide

Welcome to the Site Guide. Although we encourage visitors to explore the site on their own, we have outlined a suggested path below to help teachers and learners get the most out of our site. Teachers will find a wide range of curriculum materials on this site-- especially in the Learning Modules section--for exploring sustainable development in their classrooms. Students and other learners can use the materials to explore sustainable development at their own pace.

Important Features

This site is best viewed on Netscape 3.1 or above. We are currently working on a low bandwidth version for those whose browsers cannot support the more advanced features of this site (e.g., JavaScript).
To make this site easier to use, we have designed each page--including maps, charts and photos--to print out in black and white. If you like, you may print out any or all parts of the site and make copies to use in the classroom. (For best results when printing the charts and maps, select the "landscape" option under "print properties".)
We are a brand new site and welcome your feedback! Please take advantage of the Feedback hypertext link or our e-mail address, [email protected], located throughout the site to give us your comments and suggestions.

What is Sustainable Development?: In the classroom or on your own, explore some of the values, components and questions of the sustainable development puzzle. As you or your class progresses through the site, you can return to this page and see how your definitions of and ideas about sustainable development evolve over time.

Learning Modules: Explore issues of sustainable development with text, maps, charts, data tables, photos, case studies and more. Current modules include: Population Growth Rate, Gross National Product (GNP) per Capita and Access to Safe Water.

Teachers may want to start by visiting the For Teachers area to familiarize themselves with the objectives, goals, and point of view of the curriculum as well as the comprehensive teaching guides that accompany each learning module.

Other users may want to begin with Getting Started--a short guide to using the learning modules--or to visit the Matrix of Learning Tools to get an overview of the content of the modules. Learners can test their knowledge along the way by selecting the interactive Test Yourself features.

Resource Room: These hypertext links to related web sites can be especially helpful to teachers and learners as they work through the Research and Explore activities at the end of the modules. Some of the sites are information sources, some provide curriculum, while others help users find schools and classes around the world with whom to collaborate on projects.

Sustainable Development Post: This on-line newspaper written by students for students invites individuals or entire classes to report on sustainable development. In the Post, students can tell people around the world what they are doing to promote sustainable development in their own communities, or they can voice their concerns about unsustainable practices where they live. This is also a great place for classes to report on collaborative projects they have developed with other classes or schools.

About DEP: Learn about the World Bank's Development Education Program (DEP). Teachers can use this section to help students think critically about this site and information sources in general. How do the objectives and nature of DEP shape the site and the information it offers? The Point of View portion of the For Teachers area can also contribute to this exercise.

	What is Sustainable Development?: In the classroom or on your own, explore some of the values, components and questions of the sustainable development puzzle. As you or your class progresses through the site, you can return to this page and see how your definitions of and ideas about sustainable development evolve over time.



	Learning Modules: Explore issues of sustainable development with text, maps, charts, data tables, photos, case studies and more. Current modules include: Population Growth Rate, Gross National Product (GNP) per Capita and Access to Safe Water. Teachers may want to start by visiting the For Teachers area to familiarize themselves with the objectives, goals, and point of view of the curriculum as well as the comprehensive teaching guides that accompany each learning module. Other users may want to begin with Getting Started--a short guide to using the learning modules--or to visit the Matrix of Learning Tools to get an overview of the content of the modules. Learners can test their knowledge along the way by selecting the interactive Test Yourself features.



	Resource Room: These hypertext links to related web sites can be especially helpful to teachers and learners as they work through the Research and Explore activities at the end of the modules. Some of the sites are information sources, some provide curriculum, while others help users find schools and classes around the world with whom to collaborate on projects.


	Sustainable Development Post: This on-line newspaper written by students for students invites individuals or entire classes to report on sustainable development. In the Post, students can tell people around the world what they are doing to promote sustainable development in their own communities, or they can voice their concerns about unsustainable practices where they live. This is also a great place for classes to report on collaborative projects they have developed with other classes or schools.

	About DEP: Learn about the World Bank's Development Education Program (DEP). Teachers can use this section to help students think critically about this site and information sources in general. How do the objectives and nature of DEP shape the site and the information it offers? The Point of View portion of the For Teachers area can also contribute to this exercise.