Except for support from H-NET in handling bounced mail, editing
and WWW development for EDTECH is currently handled by volunteer
staff (mostly me). As I've been saying, I'd like to make
this more of a group project.
Several people said they'd be willing to help, but were not clear what
was needed or if they could do it. I'm giving a summary of what
people could do below. So as not to take up too much EDTECH space
discussing these projects, I've created a special list called:
EDTECH-ADVISE@H-NET.MSU.EDU This will be a small list for those
who would like to help to discuss what we might do, and who could
do it. If you're interested in volunteering, let me know, and
I'll put you on the EDTECH-ADVISE list.
So you know what you might be able to do, I list a few projects
below. We can provide WWW access and access to the editor
account. In some cases I can offer some training (like editing).
In other cases, if you're relatively inexperienced, but would like
to try, we might need to pair you up with someone else who is
more experienced.
Please let me know if you'd like to discuss any of the following
more on EDTECH-ADVISE or with me personally.
Thanks for your help and support,
Vickie Banks
EDTECH Editor
21765EDT@MSU.EDU
****Possible Ways to Help****
Editing: I most need co-editors who can handle the list for a week or
so at a time. Currently due to our Usenet News feed and limitations
in the Listserv software, the only way we know to get the editing
to work is to telnet (TN3270) here to MSU and use the moderator account
here (which requires approval, but should be possible for many
people). Editing requires a fairly fast modem, as the number of
messages would try your patience if you aren't moving at 14.4 or
faster. I'd prefer a relatively long commitment (a year or more) to
handling approx. a week a month, since there is a lot of explaining
needed about how to edit, and the formats our WWW archiver will
accept.
Research (tech): It would be great if a few people could help edit from
their own accounts, rather than telnetting here. There are technical
problems with this that someone with good Internet skills might be
able to figure out how to get around. This would give us a lot
more flexibility. There are also a number of other technical
problems that come up that, if solved, would improve the quality
of EDTECH.
Book and Software Reviews: EDTECH is now affiliated with H-NET
Humanities Online, which has a major Book and Software review
project. Most publishers and software companies are now
willing to send H-HET review copies. Any list can receive these,
if it has a Review Editor who will determine which subscriber
is going to do the reviews and make sure a review does get
published. H-NET sends the review copy of the book or
software to the designated reviewer. We need a Review Editor
so that we can take advantage of this possibility.
WWW: If you've visited our WWW site at http://h-net.msu.edu/~edweb
you've discovered that it's an interesting and useful way to
read or reread the EDTECH messages. The front page graphic only
looks right on Netscape 2.0 though. Someone could redesign it
so it works on more platforms. We could also use more graphics,
perhaps a display put together by a school class on Educational
Technology, or other creative ideas.
We actually have all the logs back to 1989 except one month.
We also have an automatic HTML converter for logs.
But even though all that material would be interesting
to have available, someone needs to run it through the converter
and place it in the WWW site.
More WWW: All I've had time to do is place archives. H-NET is
developing a search engine we could interface with, or we could
install another one. It would be great to do keyword and advanced
keyword searches on the EDTECH archives, but someone with WWW
skills could be helpful in setting this up. As well, I'd like
to have a statistics generator installed, so we could tell
who is reading what.
Yet more WWW: As you will notice, there are only a couple of
links on the site. I think there are enough Educational lists
of links on the WWW. No need to duplicate what others are doing
so well. Still it would be nice to link to a few more of the
other major sites. As well, I'd like someone to make a "Best Hits"
section that gives the 5 or 10 "best" postings of the month -- the
ones everyone always wishes they kept or could find. A FAQ section
pointing to a good answer on how to keep your mouse's balls and
other often discussed topics, would be handy.
Even more WWW: I think EDTECH would be a great place to post
original materials--papers on Educational Technology, Dissertations,
other materials of interest. But someone would need to solicit,
filter and place such materials.
Conferences Online & Off: Lots of EDTECH folk go to conferences and
would like to get together. Being a graduate student, I seldom
make most of them, but someone who does could set up a way for
people to get together and meet in person. We could also host an
online conference, if someone create it.
Other WWW and List projects: There is lots of room for projects
sponsored by EDTECH, both on the list and on the WWW site. In all
cases, a project needs a coordinator though.
Research (academic): Many papers have been written about aspects
of EDTECH. We'd like to put them on our WWW site (if I could get
copies). We'd also like to encourage further research based on the
archives or on newly generated researchable conversations on
EDTECH.
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