patth@dasys1.UUCP (Patt Haring) (04/09/88)
Frank and Regina Odasz at Western Montana College's Big Sky
Telegraph BBS have just completed their first *online*
Microcomputer Telecommunications for Educators course. Their
dream is to network the 100+ one room schools in rural Montana
through the Big Sky Telegraph BBS (soon to be a node on UseNET);
following is the Syllabus, Lessons 1-5 and a file called
Infonauts which lists the teachers registered; they telecommuted
to online classes using Apple ][ computers and Promethus modems
linking them to the IBM AT running SCO Xenix and FoxBase+ with
xbbs (customized by Dave Hughes) at Western Montana State
College.
All of the following files are uploaded here with the authors'
permission.
SYLLABUS -------------------------cut here------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
SYLLABUS
COURSE TITLE:
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
NO. CREDITS: one semester credit at 491 level
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
To demystify the telecommunications uses of microcomputers as they
relate to K-12 education and to provide needed rural community
services through better communications with resource persons, Western
Montana College, various service agencies and other online services.
To establish student confidence in microcomputer telecommunications to
allow continued professional uses for peer networking, resource
sharing, and K-12 student/classroom use.
INSTRUCTOR(S): Frank and/or Regina Odasz
PREREQUISITES FOR ENROLLMENT: teacher certification required,
keyboarding, wordprocessing skills and some computer experience
recommended.
COURSE OUTLINE:
I. microcomputer basics
a. managing technofear
b. dos, file handling and magnetic media
c. the potential of microcomputers for rural education
II. wordprocessing basics
a. creating, saving and using text files
b. the advantages of wordprocessing
III. a review of available communications mediums
a. textual organization of information vs visual and auditory
medias
b. nested menus vs command driven systems
c. advantages of microcomputer telecommunications
d. bulletin board systems (bbs's)
e. advantages of non-real time communications
lV. electronic bulletin board basics
a. making a basic online call
b. saving a call as a text file for later review
c. sending a preprepared text file
d. individual and group messaging
1. peer networking and the rural teacher
2. teleconferencing
e. bulletins, newsletter and updates
V. rural teachers as community resource linkers
a. available community services and needs
b. rural Montana, the information age and job training
c. online courses for K-12, adult literacy, inservice, other
d. software loan library
1. resource circulation advantages
e. WMC ERIC system and library telecommunications services
VI. community economic development
a. local bulletin board systems
b. online access to new opportunities
VII. online databases
a. keyword boolean searching
b. agricultural databases
c. BRS, Dialog and database suppliers
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Course will consist of a minimum of three hours per week over five
weeks, one hour reading and/or doing offline assignments such as
preparing text files for later communication, lesson plans, and
teleconferencing activities, one hour online seeking and exchanging
information and resources, and one hour working with students or
community members providing services or giving demonstrations.
COURSE TEXT:
No formal textbook will be used. Extensive readings will be done
through lessons which involve information and resource access through
online systems. Software programs will be extensively used. GRADING
(evaluation criteria): Completion of all assignments with a grade
average of 70% including thrice weekly online calls and associated
printouts.
LOCATION OF COURSE:
nearest microcomputer to student's location (this is a distance
learning medium).
DAYS & TIMES: Class meets online at learner's convenience a minimum
of three times a week for roughly 20 minutes per call.
LESSON 1 -------------------------cut here ------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
Lesson One:
The start of the class is being reset for Feb. 1 due to minor
technical problems getting everyone online for their first time.
Before we can begin each teacher must leave me a message in any one of
the conference sections telling me they have arrived. (Send messages
with the E)nter a Message option). Check in every couple days for your
messages or new bulletins. We'll be off and rolling soon. The main
benefit of this type of communication is that you can swap messages,
text files of any type, and public domain software over phonelines
totally at your convenience. This opens doors to better coordinating
available expertise and resources.
It is our job to show you how we are organized so you can volunteer
information as well as benefit from information available online. We
will also show you how to access other systems and information
sources. All private and public messages and conferences are stored
on the Telegraph #computer so everyone can simply call up and send and
receive information when they so choose.
To fully understand the potential of this form of communications you
will need to use it regularly to facilitate, and initiate, information
exchange to illuminate the latent educational potential herein for
learning and teaching. Because writing is more personal and to the
point, the communication online is more mind to mind than even video.
This can be an advantage to teaching as well as learning.
During this course we will present a sequence of concrete tasks. Some
will be done offline and others while online. All at your convenience.
At anytime if #you have a question, ASK!!! We need your help to know
when we are vague or unclear.
As soon as you start calling regularly, we will give you access to
Telegraph's Main Street and downtown areas. Plan to spend 1-2 hours a
week online and 2-3 hours a week learning offline.
All of us are disappointed when we don't get mail. Be nice to people
and send messages, especially if you feel you have nothing to say! (As
this is an indication you need practice sending messages.)
All text appearing on your screen is saved in a buffer area in the
computer after you hang up the phone. After looking at the text by
selecting esc and then "Enter a file" you can save the entire call or
delete unwanted parts of it by selecting "save a file " and entering
the proper pathname. You will need an initialized PROdos disk to save
text on. Tell Frank if you need one.
If you are new to pathnames, it works like this. A formatted PROdos
data disk always has a name which you give it when formatting the
g the name of your
file. Consult your manual for ask questions if you try this and have
problems.
Make a backup of your yellow disk using CopyA or any copy program.
LESSON 2 ------------------------cut here--------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
Lesson Two
Congrats to you all for enduring the tremulous first week online. It
is no small thing go to online on your lonesome. Everyone has
succeeded getting online and sending a message, despite some
frustrating technical problems. Persistence and patience, yessirree
bobtail, that's the ticket alright.
Have you sent the requested message to the person listed after you in
the Infonauts file? Have you told Frank in a message what the mystery
animal was in the message hidden somewhere in a conference?
Catch up on your homework from last week and get started early on this
week's assignment.
Let's review briefly; you should now know:
1. how to S)can any single conference, how to jump from one conference
to A)nother Conference, and how to R)ead any message listed in
S)can.
2. how to use Z)ip mail to read just Y)our messages or just N)ew
messages.
3. how to E)nter a message in a conference both privately or publicly
(P/V) and S)ave it by selecting "S" from the menu following the
message.
4. how to K)ill your old mail
5. how to follow <<Course Update>> instructions in the Teachers
bulletin [select B)ulletins from main menu if you missed it].
6. how to print out the entire text of an online call
7. how to ask questions WITHOUT HESITATION when you get stuck or
confused.
8. how to look at the Infonauts, Resources and Lesson1 files in the
R)eview files section.
9. how to noodle around the menus finding new things you can do.
*IMPORTANT:
1. Remember to make at least three calls per week for a minimum of 20
minutes.
2. Send LOTS of messages, we all need the practice. Don't be the
reason others don't get mail.
3. Don't forget to select "S" after the writing the message to SAVE
it.
4. Have FUN! With mastery learning everyone who plays, wins.
<<Lecture Notes>>
Let's first take a look at what bulletin board systems are and then
we'll discuss specifics regarding this week's assigned tasks. BBS's
(bulletin board systems) are generally nothing more than a
microcomputer with a modem, hooked to a phone line, running a program
which automatically answers the phone and presents a main menu of some
sort containing the features available on that particular bbs. To set
one up yourself all you need is:
1. a microcomputer (any type)
2. a modem which works with your brand of microcomputer
3. a phoneline which can be "tied up" for part of all of the day
4. a bbs software program designed for your type of microcomputer and
modem. Special interest groups of every description and purpose are
currently using bbs's worldwide. In the USA there are 4,000 or
more, mostly run by individuals with a particular special interest
group affiliation. Bee keepers, animal rights activists,
agricultural groups, teachers, anyone with the need for better
person-to-person communications can benefit from having their own
bbs.
Free (public domain) bbs programs are available. We have
several at Western Montana State College for both the Apple and IBM
computers. You can purchase bbs programs for $70 to $150. The best
reason for having your own bbs is that everyone within a local
phone calls distance can use it all they want WITHOUT long distance
phone costs.
A new trend is for numerous local bbs's to be able to automatically
exchange messages with a distant central computer (such as Big Sky
Telegraph) during the wee hours so that statewide communications
are possible at the lowest cost. All messages for other bbs's would
be sent to the desired locations after having #been transferred all
at once to the central computer during a single automatic phonecall
nightly.
Bob Shayler of San Leandro, CA has such a system working with 40
Apple bbs's spread out over Northern California.
Agboard, is a bbs with an 800 recently set up at Northern Montana
College in Havre. The number is already on the listing of bbs's on
your Procom software. Highlight the name, press return, and boom,
you are in Havre. Since most bbs's are more alike than different,
you should be able to noodle around and figure #new ones out
without much trouble.
Many good beginner's introductory texts for online communications
are available at most good bookstores. Let me know if you would like
recommendations.
*INTRODUCTION TO WORD PROCESSING.
We have a wordprocessor included as part of the Procom software you
are now using. The instructions are in the manual and you are welcome
to learn its fine points (optional). Once you have learned one
wordprocessing program you know 70% of all others.
For those of you who are NEW to wordprocessing we have sent you
FrEdwriter and the printed instructions. FrEdwriter is easy to learn,
and is public domain so you can give away free copies to each of your
students and whomever you please. On the back of the disks are sample
wordprocessing/language arts lessons for you to try with your
students.
Like anything else, when using computers, you might need to ask some
questions while you are getting the program figured out. Once you know
how it works, however, you'll find it will save you fully 50% of the
time you normally spend creating written materials for your teaching.
Your students will love it too (have them learn it and then show you
how it works).
THE ADVANTAGES OF WORDPROCESSING ARE:
1. no retyping of drafts (the printer is your slave typist)
2. easy editing at anytime
3. electronic cut and paste
4. your creativity is unleashed due to unlimited flexibility when
writing, all by learning a few simple commands (and practicing
them).
One major advantage of text written on a wordprocessor is that you can
easily send it anywhere you like over phone lines. In Lesson 3 we will
show you how to both send and receive lesson plans and printed
materials. There is a virtual cornucopia (horn of plenty) of printed
information available to you online.
For you to save a wordprocessing text file on a disk it must be
formatted first. This makes it into a wordprocessing data disk. When
formatting the disk you'll be asked to give the disk a name. You could
use your first name for instance. Write your choice of name on the
label because you'll need to know it later.
When you save a file to that disk, say it's name is ERNIE, you would
type /ERNIE/MYFILE when asked for the pathname. This means that the
disk is named /ERNIE and your file to be saved is now named /MYFILE.
Use a different filename each time you save a text file unless you
want to replace a file with a more current edited version (then just
use the same name.)
Just before you select "Print file to printer" (see lesson1) select
"Save file to Disk" and then select "Catalog" to see if it saved
properly (if it has a 0 to the right of the name you may not have
looked at it first with "Enter or edit a file" as Lesson1 tells you
to).
Text files you create with FrEdwriter can be used with the Procom
software and vise versa. See the manuals for more details or ask
questions online. I guarantee that every hour you spend learning
wordprocessing will save you ten hours work within the next six
months. (Patience and persistence.)
<<Tasks>>
1. Format a disk with FrEdwriter or another PROdos program
2. Save an online call on a formatted disk, clear the computer's
buffer memory and load the file back into the wordprocessor
3. Call Agboard, leave me a message there, and save the call to disk,
print it out afterward.
4. Learn the FrEdwriter wordprocessor so you can create a text file,
save it to disk, load it again, and edit it when necessary.
5. login on Big Sky Telegraph as "guest" and show yourself around the
online rural town of Big Sky. Anywhere we want in "our" online town
we can post text files of any type. Online databases will soon
appear down the street with lesson plans, software, and information
on available educational telecommunications programming via
satellite and other mediums.
**QUIZ!!
Tell me in a message the name of the poet's section in Big Sky
Outskirts (just past the little electronic schoolhouse, turn
left).
6. Make a suggestion to me, via a message, on what you would like to
see posted somewhere off Main Street. Would you like to sponsor
your own information section?
<<Next Week>>
Sending and receiving files, (at last!!)
We'll call OPI's bbs!
We all get full access to Big Sky Telegraph!
Sending information requests to our resource persons!
Online Scavenger Hunt
Coming Soon;
Guest Lecturers online!
LESSON 3 ------------------------cut here--------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
Lesson Three
Has it been only two weeks? For those of you learning FrEdwriter as
your first wordprocessor, it may well seem a little longer. Once you
have practiced using FrEdwriter for a week or two, you'll wonder how
you ever got along without it.
All assigned tasks are opportunitities to learn by doing; doing is the
best and easiest way to learn online skills. Please take care to
budget the necessary time and CALL ME when there is a problem. Most
callers have found I can talk them through procedures while they are
at the computer with little trouble.
You might be interested in how I handle the evaluation of students for
this class: I check to see who has been calling in every two to three
days. Everyone has been doing great in this respect.
When I request a message in a lesson, I monitor who responds. The
search for an animal in Lesson 1 tells me who knows how to find their
way through the conferences. A couple of you must be still lost in the
bushes, or skipped that task in the lesson. Let me know which it is.
A descriptive paragraph was also requested by all class members so
others can appreciate your location and special interests.
In Lesson 2 the search for the Poet's retreat tells me who has signed
on the system as "guest" and shown themselves around the town of Big
Sky. Are you stuck at the bus station?
All of you have witnessed a great deal of interaction online,
particularly the exchange of resources and ideas. Lurking is the term
for reading mail, but not sending any. We need everyone's
participation to be successful. This is vital before we can progress
to online organized group activities. ALL the rural teachers are
important and have helpful information for others. Big Sky Telegraph
will be, and IS ALREADY, a still water reflection of those using the
system.
I will be calling each of you by voice phone this week to discuss your
progress and answer any questions you might have. If you have a
preferred time for me to call, leave me a message.
<<Lecture Notes:>>
Goliath, the bbs in Helena run by the Office of Public Instruction,
has two 800 numbers. Science and math K-12 curriculum is their primary
focus. Lots of activity is evident. The BEST program is in full swing.
Jerry Williamson and Robert Olson have been on the system if you'ld
like to ask their reactions.
The 800 number is already in your software, to place a call, select
Goliath from the first Procomm screen and press return. Login as
"Rural Teacher" and give "Western" as the password. They have 16
conference sections with message strings similar to those on the Big
Sky Telegraph. Select the "?" for help at any prompt, noodle around
and see what you can find. Send a message to me, by name, (Frank
Odasz) if you can. Remember to include your name in the message.
Goliath Tips: From the first menu select "M" for message subsection.
Then, "MS" to list the conferences or message sections. Then "R" to
read followed by a specific messge number or "N" for new messages. "E"
is the command to enter a message.
<<LESSON2 REVIEW:>>
You should know how to:
1. Create a simple text file, save it on a formatted disk, erase it
from the wordprocessor and load it into the word processing program
again.
2. Format a prodos data disk.
3. Find your way through the Big Sky Main Street Menus.
4. Print out and edit as necessary your online calls.
5. Keep up with the lessons.
Lesson 2 requested that you learn FrEdwriter if you don't know a
wordprocessing program. If you already use a wordprocessing program,
either PROdos or convertible to PROdos, you can skip learning
FrEdwriter. However, as an easy-to-use public domain program, you'll
be able to give away free copies to #your students.
PROdos pathnames are complicated, until you have used them once or
twice, then they seen very straightforward. Like most things with
computers, everything is extremely complicated when you don't
understand, and pretty darn easy once you do. Patience and
persistence.
**Software Library**
The Software file, listed under R)eview Files, is only the beginning
of the Big Sky Telegraph Software Preview Loan Library. A listing of
science videotapes has also appeared. Look them over and select three
you'd like to borrow and we'll send them to you for a couple weeks.
**To Send or Receive a Text File**
Called uploading or downloading, its easy to send or receive a text
file over the wire. Have a poem on the disk and be sure you know the
/DISKNAME/FILENAME for the poem.
1. To upload a file:
Go to the F)iles section from the Main Menu.
Select U)pload. When asked, give the name only of the file you are
uploading.
Select X)modem as the method of transferring the program. When it
says "ready to receive" type a control AX. (Hold the control key
down, type AX.)
Select "D. Send or Receive files", highlight the "Send a File"
option and select Xmodem. Press return and enter the pathway
(/whatdisk/whatfile). With that disk in drive one or two, press
return. When it has sent the file, press ESC twice till you see an
option "B. Go back to online session." You will then be asked to
briefly describe the file. Do so and you are done. Check to see
that its there by selecting the "F)iles available for transfer
option.
2. To download a file:
Go to the F)iles section from the main menu.
Select D)ownload. When asked, give the name only of the file you
want to receive.
Select X)modem as the method of transferring the program. When it
says "ready #to receive", type a control AX. (Hold the control key
down, type AX.)
Select "D. Send or Receive Files", highlight the "Receive Files"
option and select X)modem. Press return, and enter the pathname
(/whatdisk/whatfile) with the disk in drive one or drive two. When
it's finished, press ESC and go to Wordprocessing, Load a File
(give the proper /whatdisk/whatfile), then Enter the file and view
the file to see if it worked.
*Note: To view a file in the download section: Select Download, enter
the filename, then enter "T" for T)ype and press return to view it.
**Advanced Users**
For those of you who are ready to explore further, how would you like
a private Unix ID with a more advanced mail system, an online manual,
a private place to store your files and the option to help us offer
online bulletins, lesson plans and further develop YOUR system? Well,
just send me a 3-8 character ID (mine is franko) and a 5-8 character
secret password. Within 24 hours you can login with your Unix id and
enter another online world. Your bbs name and password will still be
the same. Read Develop1 in R)eview files to begin to learn about the
increasing power at your fingertips.
**Did you know?:**
Did you know you can set your Procomm disk to call Telegraph
automatically once you turn the computer on? See Autologon in the
manual. You could even set it to automatically answer the phone and
send a whole disk of information to another teacher.
Did you know there is a Prometheus Questions Hotline? Call
415-490-8101 to talk to the pros.
Did you know we can set the conferences to include or exclude whoever
we want?
<<Tasks>>
1. Look over the Software and SciVideo files in the R)eview Files
section.
2. Ask Regina Odasz, your resource coordinator, to send you some
specific software programs. {Is this easy or what?!}
3. Call Goliath, leave Frank a message and explore, and print out the
call for practice.
4. The Resources file in the R)eview Files section is a listing of OUR
online resource persons. Send a message to at least one of them
requesting information, or resources, or both. They want to help,
let them.
5. Write a short simple poem and upload it to the bbs using your first
name and initial of your last name (ex. franko) as the name of the
poem. Tell me when you have done so or where you got stuck.
6. Download a poem of your choice.
7. Try out the Kidmail disk, the password is "STAR". It's a way of
letting your students practice electronic mail and communicative
writing without phone costs. You can even exchange disks with
another teacher via the mail to further simulate pen pal
arrangements. Robert Olson has been using it. If you get stuck, ask
Robert!
<<Next Week:>>
An online chain story conference!
Guest Lecturers
More Resources
Soon: Lesson Plan database!
and MORE!
LESSON 4-------------------------cut here--------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
Lesson Four
Information is power. History teaches this repeatedly. Economic
control and enterprise depends on who knows what opportunities exist
and is able to take advantage of them. In our rural communities this
is also true. Agricultural markets have to do with one person's
oversupply of a commodity and another's undersupply or need. The same
is true with information. We can market our knowledge or expertise to
the undersupplied. An information economy is already the lifeblood of
our country. Some facts: 60% of all jobs in the U.S.A. today involve
handling information as their primary task. 13% of the jobs involve
manufacturing and 6% involve agriculture. The information age is not
coming; it's here!
In our rural communities economic development has more to do with
having access to the right information than any other single item. Our
resident experts, right in Montana, are often isolated from the rest
of us due to our great distances and small communities.
Developing a means of sharing the available human resources and
expertise among our communities is an excellent way to start
stimulating new opportunities. As more of our local experts and
resource persons make it online, more of our accumulated knowledge and
expertise will be available to all. The corner coffee shop has its
limits as a communications medium.
The online medium can help link us all with our resident experts and
those available nationally, and even globally. Here is the power:
location is irrelevant to the availability of online information.
Combine this truth with the grassroots common sense and perseverance
of our past and present pioneers, and ....heck, you're writing history
already!
I was online to Tokyo, Japan, last Valentine's eve, looking through
various conferences on an online system run by a former native of
Cutbank, MT. (Yes, Jeffrey Shapard, the gent online here on
Telegraph.) When I was "In the Ofuro" (informal hot tubs conference).
Jeffrey sent a quick request for me to meet him in the CB section
where we could type-talk. Soon after we began chatting, Dave Hughes
from Colorado Springs joined us. Next, a person from Hawaii joined us.
It was midnight for Dave and me, early morning in Tokyo, and the
person in Hawaii was about to go to dinner. Distance had no bearing on
our discussions. In a similar manner we can have access to experts in
many fields regardless of our physical locations.
Calls this last week included Bill Robertson from Southern Maryland,
Gordon Cook from the Supercomputer Thinktank in Princeton, New Jersey,
Louis Schmittroth from Athabaska, Canada, Leigh Calnek from
Saskatchewan, Canada, Patt Haring from New York, Mary E. and Bob
Shaler from California. Louis, Patt and Bob have uploaded information
files of great interest which are now available to you in the F)iles
sections. A list of bulletin boards on Space education and another on
BBS's relating to Fish and Wildlife interests were included. Along
with the 12 page listing of national Educational BBS's. Big Sky
Telegraph has been online since January 1, 1988.
Did you know: There are 4,000 electronic bulletin boards nationally.
There are #also 3,500+ electronic libraries (databases) available. The
electronic card catalog of the Library of Congress can be at your
fingertips from Sun Prairie, MT.
It is possible to use the expensive computers at the other end of your
call to search 100,000 articles or records per second. Costs can be
expensive by the hour, but when used wisely, online systems can be the
quickest, and cheapest #way to find comprehensive information on ANY
topic.
Marketing Montana-produced products is no longer merely a regional or
national concern. Global markets are opening up all around us. Our
remote location is not a valid excuse for ignorance of opportunities.
Online systems can be a way to "Get Smart Quick." Alfred Glossbrenner
has a book out entitled "How to Look It Up Online." I recommend it as
a beginner's introduction.
Higher education programs are available online also. An MBA degree can
nomic exchange within our small communities is
directly related to information exchange. Often the weekly
classifieds, or the chance meeting with a neighbor, is the key to a
local business deal. The online medium has the potential of increasing
the frequency of opportunities for economic exchange, thereby
breathing new life into our local economies without any outside input.
This new online communications tool has appeared rather suddenly. If
our needs demand it, we'll put it to use. We are pioneers of the
future.
<<Review of Lesson3>>
You should know:
1. how to upload a text file and check that it arrived
2. how to download a text file and how to read and print it
3. how to call OPI's Goliath and send and receive messages
4. how to budget time to complete your lessons
5. how to find your way around Big Sky Main Street
6. how to find the WMC Library, just past the School House
7. how to request software, videos and other resouces
8. how to ask Telegraph's many resource persons for help
9. how to look at the new files in the 5 different F)iles sections
<<TASKS>>
1. Plan and execute a community demonstration regarding online
information access. Call Agridata at: (1-800-558-9044) and ask
Landy Hansen or Denise Peterson for a security code AND a password.
Tell'em Frank sent you! The modem number you'll call at 1200 baud
is 1-800-331-2144. You will have to select "M" from the first
procom.a screen with a **BLANK** name highlighted. Enter "Agridata"
for the name, then the above number, then select "G. Advanced
Options". Option D. Printer and Modem setup" is next, set to seven
bits, Even Parity, and 1 stop bit. (7 E 1). A brochure is in the
mail with detailed calling instructions but here's a quick start
guide:
1. Once connected enter "A*", for the ID (without the quotes)
2. press return, then enter the security code, press return,
3. then enter the password and you should get a welcome message and
a menu. At the prompt enter any of the following: CATTLE.USDA,
CATTLE.CASH, CATTLE.MT, WHEAT.CASH, WHEAT.MT OR ENTER A ? FOR
THE HELP MENU.
Call once and figure it out. Then when you are ready to demonstrate
it, call for another free password and you'll have 24 hrs to make
the second call. Did you know that beef prices in Chili or Brazil
can affect the Montana beef market?
2. Go to the WMC Library just past the School House off Main Street
and explore how to send a valid information request to the library.
You have the choice of requesting a free ERIC search, interlibrary
loan requests, and more. Send an information request.
3. A Story Conference has been created. Read to the end of the
chapters and add your own chapter, continuing the story. Use Scan
and Read to check what#chapters have already been added, so you
know for sure your chapter will be added at the end of the other
chapters.
<<Next Week>>
Lesson Plan exchange begins
Guest Lecturers
A peek at where we could go from here.
Downloading National bbs numbers.
Online diplomas....and MORE!
LESSON 5-------------------------cut here--------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
Lesson Five
Well, here we are at the end, or is it just the beginning? Since all
of you are very busy, you may wish to wait a while, after finishing
this class, before continuing on to add new online skills. If you are
having fun, and would like to help other teachers overcome their fears
of going online, then stick around a while longer. Either way
Telegraph will have something waiting for you that's new and exciting,
when you're ready for it.
As our 800 number money is limited, when the class ends, so does your
free phoneline. A regular phone call of ten minutes, twice a week, can
still keep the resources flowing to your school, however. $10,000
worth of software, the WMC library's resources, online databases and
more should be worth a few bucks a week, right? As this was the first
offering of this course, your demonstrating the PATIENCE AND
PERSISTENCE to finish it completely is important.
I do have an offer for more free online time: I need a few teachers to
help break the ice with the next class of teachers. I also need help
sponsoring new online bulletins relating to education and serving
rural community needs. If you would like to serve as a resource linker
and help Big Sky Telegraph become more effective at serving the needs
of rural education, tell me (Frank), and keep using the 800 number.
Otherwise, remember set your software to call 683-7680 after March 28.
Earlier I told you that to be a part of YOUR online system, YOU would
have to participate. Now, through personal experience, I believe you
know better what I meant. I hope the access to the WMC Library and the
software from the Telegraph Software Library has helped reimburse you
for the time spent learning the online trails. We are still hiking in
the trees though; to catch the spectacular view from the ridgeline,
we'll need to go another mile.
We have been following menus to get around on Telegraph. Some of you
may have thought it might be better if you could just enter the
command and be instantly where you wanted to be. We have a whole other
world available to you: "The land of the Unix". (Optional)
An island of flying pathnames, global e-mail, personal empires, secret
places :and magic commands: In this place, no one knows it all, but
those who know to ask, find answers to their questions. To enter this
world you need to give Frank a personal id (like franko or conan) with
three of more letters. Also a secret password with 5 or more letters.
Next, swing a dead floppy disk over your head three times and chant
"My software can go anywhere!"
Perhaps you have been shy to leave messages, not knowing who might
view them. Now, the rural teachers are assured the complete privacy of
the proverbial teacher's room. The Acropolis conference will be
invisible to everyone except the rural teachers. Dave Hughes, our
first guest lecturer, and myself will be the ONLY folks in the
conference other that the listed Infonauts in this class. Come on over
and speak your piece, we'll all be waiting for you to join us.
<<To Finish This Course>>
Those of you who are taking this course on a non-credit basis still
need to complete the five weekly lessons to know: how to access your
peers, the online resources, databases, and resource persons. You are
requested to finish your five week class by the eighth week, as the
next class starts March 28. If you spread your learning out over too
long a period, you make it unnecessarily difficult on yourself.
To receive your diploma and colorful Big Sky Telegraph embroidered
patch, you need to have accomplished the following:
1. Report to Frank what the mystery animal is. It's hiding in a
conference message. The S)can function makes it easy to find. This
shows you how to find your way around the conferences which is
where you'll find out what's going on in the Big Sky community.
2. Report to Frank the name of the Poet's retreat, found in the Big
Sky Outskirts, just past the electronic schoolhouse. You have to
login as "guest" instead of "bbs" to find it. This shows you how we
can have many types of information posted on billboards, allowing
every special interest group to share information. Good practice
wandering through menus, too.
3. You will have uploaded a poem to Telegraph, read some poems from
others, and downloaded at least one poem. This shows you how to
conveniently send and receive textual material, in preparation for
the upcoming lesson plan database.
4. You will have left a message to Frank on either Agboard in Havre,
or Goliath in Helena. This is for you to see how easy it is to call
other bbs's. (This is optional if you couldn't get through.)
5. You will have called Telegraph at least 10 times during the class
and should have been nice to the other teachers by leaving them at
least *some* messages. This shows you how easy being online for
10-15 minutes, a few times a week, can be. Hopefully you also have
been reading the new messages each time as then you've seen how to
keep up on all the good news.
6. You will have to have requested at least one resource item from the
WMC library, and at least one package of software from the
Telegraph Software Library (Regina). This shows you how to open the
resource pipeline from our libraries to your school.
7. You will have demonstrated what's available on Big Sky Telegraph to
someone, hOpdfully your school board. This will show you how to get
more computer budget support from the school board and also how to
ell him flat out. This shows you how important YOUR
comments are, as the next class is just as nervous as you were.
10. Complete the following Lesson 5 tasks:
<<TASKS>>
1. Actively participate in the Highways of the Mind discussion in the
Acropolis conference. Guest electurer Dave Hughes will be
presenting some VERY interesting ideas for discussion. Dave is a
retired Air Force Colonel from Colorado Springs. A former English
Professor, Dave taught the first online English course in this
country, and has been online all over the world. Dave is also the
key person behind the development of Big Sky Telegraph. He is a
shining example of the type of expert thinker the online mode can
give you direct access to. Don't hesitate to ask him questions, and
share your options.
2. Explore the new database off Big Sky Main Street. Distance learning
educational programs are listed by delivery medium and grade level.
More #databases are coming.
3. Finish up and congratulate yourself. Tell Frank you want an A++ for
the class, a patch, and a diploma. Indicate whether you want to
learn more now, or later.
INFONAUTS ------------------------cut here-------------------------------
Western Montana State College
Box 11
Dillon, MT 59725
modem: Big Sky Telegraph BBS 406-683-7680 (3/12/2400 baud, 24 hrs)
voice: 406-683-7338 (11A-12Noon weekdays, Frank and Regina Odasz
Big Sky Telegraph BBS Coordinators)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MICROCOMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS
(C) Copyright 1988
Frank and Regina Odasz
All Rights Reserved
<<Infonauts>>
The following teachers have indicated *ONLINE* that they are ready to
take this class. A few latecomers are to be expected. The last person
on the list should send the requested message to the first person on
the list.
Robert Olson, Hiawatha School, Dagmar, MT
Jerry Williams, Corral Creek School, Busby, MT
Terry Punt, Big Bend School, Busby, MT
Janice Hafla, Kinsey School, Kinsey, MT
Jane Eberle, Second Creek School, Malta, MT
Kris Johnson, Seeley Lake Elem. School, Seeley Lake, MT
Bonnie Boggs, Loma School, Loma, MT
Lindi Cearley, Grant School, Grant, MT
Gloria Reed, Wisdom School, Wisdom, MT
Wanda Valeska, Wisdom School, Wisdom, MT
Patti Monaco, Wisdom School, Wisdom, MT
Harry Borchert, Deer Creek School, Glendive, MT
Marilyn Thomas, Squirrel Creek School, Decker, MT
Cathy Nickisch, Wisdom School, Wisdom, MT
Arlyss Olson, Hiawatha School, Dagmar, MT
Ann Verbance, Jackson School, Jackson, MT
Janet Spybrook, Grant School, Grant, MT
P.S.-----------------------------cut here-----------------------------
Congratulations to all of the teachers in rural Montana
who recently completed the Microcomputer Telecommunications
for Educators course developed by Frank and Regina Odasz at
Western Montana College.
The second group of teachers has already logged on to
The Big Sky Telegraph BBS in Dillon, Mt.
If you *ever* need a refreshing look at the hows, whys and
wherefores of high technology and networking in education,
feel free to login and read questions these rural teachers
have about curly worms: {{{}}} (line noise) and Frank
Odasz' explanation of how these characters occur online:
"just ol' bossy leanin' up against a telephone pole,
scratchin' an itch she just can't reach!"
Read about a 12 year old student who gets up at 5:45 AM
every day to chase cows (two of the heifers belong to her)
before she eats breakfast and goes to her classes in a
one-room schoolhouse in rural Montana.
--
Patt Haring {sun!hoptoad,cmcl2!phri}!dasys1!patth
Big Electric Cat Public Access Unix (212) 879-9031 - System Operator
Three aspects of wisdom: intelligence, justice & kindness.