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"Conclusion All these projects embody three elements that are fundamental for successful virtual communities: Content in context: The value of educational content depends on the context in which this content is going to be used. For example, information about the nature of water pollution in both Sao Paulo and San Jose is dynamic because it is being gathered and analyzed by the students themselves, as well as engaging students in finding other resources on the Web to assist their analyses. Creativity in communicating knowledge: All the national curriculum standards include enabling students to use a broader range of media and methods to communicate their knowledge than traditional standardized tests. It is well known that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it (or communicate it) to others. New interdisciplinary fields of inquiry (such as chaos and complexity theory) require that students find new ways to use computers and multimedia to visualize and communicate data and patterns. The creation, sharing, and use of various forms of knowledge in multiple media support the important idea of encouraging students to communicate their knowledge and understanding to an authentic audience of their peers, teachers, and professionals. Collaboration for building communities of learners: Effective participation in the global economy means being able to work collaboratively with a wider diversity of other people. Business and industry have continually purported that today's schools need to prepare students to work collaboratively in teams (colocated or virtual) as one of the top priorities for educational reform. The Internet, along with Web-based tools and resources, is among the best vehicles we have for achieving this goal -- and, in the process, can also help build sustainable learning communities."

Research shows the efficacy of an authentic form of education that expects students to immerse themselves in a topic and meaningfully demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge.