What can the web do?
The world-wide web is a powerful teaching tool. It allows you to share information with your colleagues, students, and the rest of the world. There are three basic ways to reach people:
- webpage,
- newsgroup,
- and mailing list
What's a webpage?
A webpage, like the one you are reading now, is a document that contains text, graphics, and links to other pages or websites. Once on the web, a page can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection and a web browser (a program that lets you view HTML documents, like Netscape or Internet Explorer).
What are its advantages/disadvantages?
Advantages: pages are easily created,
modified, and maintained. They allow you to integrate media elements with
text, including animations, links, and sounds.
Disadvantages: While composing a page is simple, getting it on the web is not. Uploading the files requires a relatively high degree of technical knowledge (and a lot of patience sometimes). But don't worry, we're here to help you along each step.
What do I need?
HTML editing software
Graphic software if you intend to edit images
FTP software
Web server account
How do I make my own webpage?
Making your own webpage couldn't be easier! You don't
even need to know HTML. If you're not familiar with HTML, just go up to
View on the menu bar and select Page Source. Scary, isn't
it?
Fortunately, if you have a copy of Netscape Gold or Communicator, you can edit homepages just like you edit a document in Word. All without the messy hassle of HTML. Once you've composed your page, you'll need to upload it to a web server before others can see it. Once it's on the web, your page can be seen by millions.
How will my students access my page?
All they need is a web browser and an internet connection.
(And the address of your page-- you'll also have to publicize your site).
You can think of it as a discussion group or a message board centered around a topic. There, users can read, post, and respond to messages. For instance, everyone interested in the Beatles can set up a Beatles newsgroup and discuss what they thought about the Anthology albums.
What are its advantages/disadvantages?
Advantages: almost no maintainence. Once it's created, it's ready to use.
Disadvantages: it's decentralized so you won't be able to moderate its content.
What do I need to create a newsgroup?
Nothing! All you have to do is request that one be set up.
What software do I need to participate?
A newreader is all you need. Netscape
comes with one built-in.
How will my students access it?
All they need is a newsreader to read and post messages.
What's
a mailing list?
Users subscribe like they do to a real world distribution list and
then the computer sends out messages to all its members.
What are its advantages/disadvantages?
Advantages: a simple way to facilitate
discussion outside the classroom and an effective way to keep members updated.
Anyone can participate.
Disadvantages: non-multimedia.
What software do I need to access
it?
All you need is an email account and a reader like Pine, Eudora or
Netscape. All you need to do is ask your web administrator to set up the
email account and mailing list for you.
Once set up, a robot takes care
of everything and anyone can subscribe or unsubscribe.
Search engines
To learn more about web technology and the ways you can incorporate it into your teaching (or anything else in particular), please run a search on these search engines: