Web.Edu Agenda 2 for January 17, 2002

Last Updated: 9/11/03
Link back to course Welcome...

Web.Edu Agenda 2
for class on September 13, 2003

Startup
1. Turn your computer on and go to the course web site
  1. Turn the power switch on
  2. For login on all computers in this room, EXCEPT for the ones in the front row, your User Name is your AccessID and your Password is the one that goes with your AccessID. I can tell you your AccessID. For new students, your initial Password is the nine digit number on your OneCard (YOU SHOULD CHANGE THIS SOON since this number is public information within WSU). For computers in the front row, I will write the User Name and Password on the board.
  3. Start the web browser of your choice (Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator or Communicator) by double-clicking on the icon
  4. Go to the course web site - http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/WebEduF03. This is the "web address," "Uniform Resource Locator," or URL.
    1. Since you will be doing this every class, you may want to save yourself the typing and aggravation by having the computer remember for you. To have the computer remember for you, create a "Favorite" if you are using Internet Explorer or a "Bookmark" if you are using Netscape.
      1. Favorite (Internet Explorer): Use the menu item Favorites > Add to Favorites..., then make sure the proposed label is reasonably short and makes sense to you, then click "Create." If you are asked for a Folder, "Favorites" is OK, but if you have a lot of these, you may want to organize them into sub-folders.
      2. Bookmark (Netscape): Use the menu item Bookmark > Bookmark this Page or Add Bookmark (depends upon which version of Netscape you are running). You can change the title or organize into folders later using Bookmark > Manage (or Edit) Bookmarks...
      3. After this, select Favorites or Bookmarks, and click on the one you just made, to go to the course web site.
      4. The Favorite or Bookmark you just made resides on the computer you are using now. Use a different computer, and you will need to do this again.
  5. Scroll down on the course web site and find the section "Online Tools." In that section, follow (click on) the link "Class signin." On the signin form, make sure that Signin is clicked, type in your first and last names into each text box, and click "Send My Information In." If everything goes well, you will get a confirmation.
  6. Sign out when you leave. Do a sign in and sign our every week that we meet here. I will know the times of each, and where you were at the time.
  7. Also in Online Tools, notice the Class Registration link. This is assigned for you to complete by the next class, Saturday September 20. We will go over the following items on that form:
    1. Password
    2. Grade Reports
    3. College
    4. Telephone and Address
  8. Web Hub
2. Pictures for a class photo album - this is not a course requirement
Review
1. Parts of Internet Courses
  1. Fairly common
    1. Textbook
    2. Web Site for course documents and information distribution
    3. Electronic discussion forum
    4. Electronic method for submitting and receiving homework
  2. May or may not be present
    1. Online web-based tests, reports and/or forms
    2. "Real" (in-person) tests and/or exams
    3. Student web pages
    4. Online reading
    5. Online workgroups
    6. Online Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET)
    7. Internet multimedia (video and audio)
    8. Required course meetings
    9. (New) Workgroup software letting everybody work on the same thing onscreen, for example with a word processor
2. Syllabus
  1. Assignments
Computer conference. Follow the link on the course web site. Notice the link to the online guide just below.
1. The grey login box will appear. Enter your User Name and Password and click "OK." At this point you can also bookmark the computer conference; selecting the bookmark later will pop up the grey login box immediately
  1. Karen Brooks: You had an earlier account from Winter 2002 with the User Name "kbrooks" (without the quotes), probably from another course. I have deleted your new one. If you need the Password for the your earlier account, I can tell you.
  2. Shalon Pettway: OK
  3. Alba Sullaj: OK
  4. Sonia Turner: OK
  5. Gail Withers: created two accounts, which will confuse you. I have deleted the second one, and kept the one with the User Name GailW. I will have the password for you if you need it.
  6. Abtsam Eljahmi and Cameron Johnson: Not done, see me for the User Name and Password I have assigned you
  7. Brian Carmichael, Samantha Poole, Toryo Rahaman: See me for the User Name and Password I have assigned you.
2. In a computer conference, messages are usually arranged in "threads" of top-level messages (here, postings) and replies. A message and all of its replies are called a "thread."
3. Many of your messages will be replies. Someone else may read your reply a week after the original message was posted. Unless you provide some context in your reply, your reader will not have a clue what you are talking about. Provide context by including the original message in your reply, but edit out everything except the part you are actually replying to.
4. On the left you will see a yellow panel with the clickable list of conferences you belong to; on the right, a white panel with a clickable message about new messages
  
  You should see at least two conferences listed in the left pane. The one for this course is "F03WebEdu (Bowen)." "The General Conference" is for people who make mistakes or lose the directions, or something like that. The only conference that you are required to read and post in is the one for this course.
5. To see messages, you can
  1. click on a conference to see a clickable list of all the messages in it.
    
    Here, replies to a top-level posting are listed below the posting and indented from it
  2. Or you can click on the number of new messages to see a list of new messages
6. Once you have a clickable list of messages either from 1 or 2 above, click on an individual message to display the message in the right panel (the left panel always displays the clickable list of conferences)
  
  All replies to a message are also displayed underneath it; scroll down to read all of the replies also
7. Here are descriptions of the functions for the clickable items in the menu bar above the message:
  1. Post - compose a new top-level message
  2. Reply - compose a reply to the current message
  3. Reply/Quote - same as Reply, except the original message is automatically included. Edit this down!
  4. Email Reply - a private reply via email to the author of the current message
  5. Delete - Delete the current message, but only works if you are the author
  6. Edit - Edit (change) the current message, but only works if you are the author
  7. Previous - move to the previous message in the thread, the one that the current message replied to
  8. Next - move to the message after the current method in the thread
  9. Previous Topic - Move to the previous thread (as listed under the conference in the left-hand or yellow panel)
  10. Next Topic - Move to the next thread (as listed under the conference in the left-hand or yellow
8. Writing a reply
  
  You can use the standard edit keys in the title (red) and composition (green) windows, as well as the keyboard. When the message is ready, click on the "Post" button (outlined in blue) to send your message to the conference.
9. But first, you get a preview of the message as below.
  
  If you like the preview, click on the second Post button (outlined in blue) to finally send the message to the conference. When you see the message displayed as in E above, it is on the conference.
10. I usually work from the list of new messages, click on each message starting from the top of the list and working down, replying to each or not, then using the "Back" button to get back to the list of new messages.
11. You can also "Post" to start a new thread, or topic of conversation.
12. Create a signature that will be put at the bottom of all of your messages:
  1. Click on the black-and-white "PROFILES" button
  2. Choose to change your personal profile
  3. Scroll down to the bottom and put signature information there, then click the button. What could go in your signature:
    1. Name
    2. Favorite saying
    3. Nickname
    4. Email address
13. In-class assignment: Pull up the message "Introduce Yourself!", choose "Reply/Quote", add your name to the title, edit out everything in the body except for the first sentence, compose a brief introduction to yourself and post it to the conference. Points you might include in an introduction: where you work, what you do there, family information, how many credits you have towards your degree, when you expect to finish your coursework, favorite saying.
Using a web browser
1. A "web browser" is generic term meaning a computer program that accesses and displays web pages (files) stored on a web server, using the HyperText Transport Protocol (http). Examples of web browsers are Netscape Navigator (versions 1 through 3), Netscape Communicator (versions 4 and higher) and Microsoft Internet Explorer. (The Netscape browsers are often just called "Netscape", but technically that is the name of the manufacturer. There are at least fifty different web browsers. Another synonym for web browser is "web client"; on the Internet, a client and server often work together. "Web" stands for World Wide Web or www. The Web and the Internet are not the same; the Internet is a method for sending information between computers, and the Web uses the Internet to transport Web pages. Email also uses the Internet, but to transport mail messages. Both the Web and the Internet are cross-platform, meaning that all types of computers can intercommunicate, provided they have the right software, and an Internet connection.
  1. Hypertext is linked text - text with links in it
2. Methods of accessing a web page:
  1. Type the URL into the location window at the top of the browser and tap the <Enter> or <Return> key
  2. Follow (click on) a link
  3. Pick from the "history" list
Reading - questions or comments. My comments
1. Defining the Subject - Gilbert describes Online Education (basically, Internet Courses) as part of a larger category of Distance Education. Distance Education is a larger category because it includes correspondence courses, newspaper courses and TV courses, among others. All of these other methods have had their moments, but are today used only at a low rate.
2. Chapter 13, Working the System.
  1. Two paradoxes - can be much more personal than face-to-face (F2F), must use new tools.
  2. Technology may be an initial concern for students, but the concern usually doesn't last.
  3. Access to library resources is often required - at WSU, card catalog and often articles are online, and UGE 1000 teaches how to use them.
  4. Tech support needed. What is the computer tech support at WSU?
  5. Good instructors should also build in informal practice with bulletin boards, computer conferences, email.
  6. What is used varies from course to course, students need to get used to methods soon.
  7. Communication with faculty is the end goal of the technology.
  8. Good to have more than one option for submitting homework. You also get work returned electronically.
  9. Pg 178 - four "musts" - assume responsibility for own learning, be active in asking questions and asking for help, be respectful of flexibility that other students need, be prepared to talk about technical difficulties.
  10. More participation required online.
  11. Can have more of a one-to-one relationship with Instructor
  12. Instructor does not have it easier, should make expectations for participation clear, assign discussion questions in advance, photos to help students get acquainted, training sessions for the technology, set office hours, use a variety of methods for contact.
  13. Expectation of participation at least weekly. However, responses may not be immediate.
  14. Class may be more mixed, young and old, single and married, local and remote.
  15. Problems with video conferencing, remote students may feel isolated unless Instructor makes special effort.
  16. Help if students share information, for example by exchanging files.
  17. Chat Vs conference, little interest in chats in the field of education.
  18. Instructor needs to monitor interactions, step in when needed - hogging the conference, arguments
  19. Pp 193 - 195 Netiquette
  20. Course evaluation (this is all new!) - easy to access and use, appropriate assignments, clear content, not a waste of time, is teach effective, how could class be improved?
  21. Areas - technology, effectiveness of formats, supportive atmosphere, good interaction, quality of assignments and tests, adequate support, quality of instruction
  22. Once the technology is mastered, then the student is the key player, just like always.
Assignments due next class (from the assignment schedule on the Syllabus - get used to reviewing that)
1. Read Chapter 14
2. Go to the course web site, follow the link "Class Registration (information form)", and complete and send your online registration form.
3. File Test due by October 4, see description beside link on course web site.
4. On the course computer conference, enter one comment on the textbook from the reading for last week or this coming week. (Active learning - it's not enough just to read it, you have to think of something to say about it.) Your comment should refer to a specific part of the textbook, and be a minimum of five lines on the screen after posting. (If it doesn't come out to be five lines after posting, you can edit it after you finish posting it to add more material. And add a little extra, because I will be counting the lines, and my screen may be wider than yours.
Turning off the lab computers
1. Click the "Start" button (if you computer has a "Windows" key you can press that instead)
2. Point to or click on "Shut Down..."
3. Make sure that "Shut Down" is selected.
4. Click the "OK" button or press the <Enter> key.
5. Wait until your computer turns off or displays a message that it is now OK to shut down your computer.
6. Turn off the computer using the power button.