Learning and Working in Cybertime and cyberspace
An interactive Newsletter That Probes The Lifestyle Implications Created by
Distance Learning and Telecommuting
Flexnews is based in the belief that it takes time for society to discover the
unique potential of new technologies. The automobile was understood to be a
horseless carraige before it emerged with its own identity. Flexnews believes
that living, learning and working on the internet freed from traditional
bondage to time and place but with almost limitless potential for interactivity
and connectivity provides society and individuals with creative opportunities
that, as yet, are only dimly understood.
Flexnews is sponsored by Flex Learning Systems: Distance Learning With a
Difference http://www.flexlearn.com
To subscribe to Flexnews, send mail to majordomo@flexlearn.com with one line of
text saying subscribe flexnews (and then include your e-mail address).
Table of Contents:
Article 1: Discussion lists and electronic newsletters
Article 2: Digital Dispatch: the c|net newsletter
Article 3: The Public-Access Computer Systems Review
Article 4: Edupage
Article 5: COMPUTER CONFERENCE on WORLD WiDE WEB COURSE DEVELOPMENt
Article 6: Free Online Workshop for Listserv Beginning Users
Article 7: Flex Learning Systems Schedule of Online Courses
Article 1:
Discussion lists and electronic newsletters:
This article will take a brief look at internet listservs. The
following articles will highlight some very popular and diverse
electronic newsletters.
To listen to the public press as it discusses the internet, you might
think that all there is on the net is pornographers and computer
hackers. Certainly, these well publicized people do exist. Perhaps
another view of what kinds of people are on the internet is to measure
some of the activities internet users are involved in. Listserv
discussions and listserv-distributed newsletters can provide one index
of people's interests. One of the pages on the web lists all the
listserv lists with 1,000 subscribers or more. Here is a listing off
all that have more than 10,000 subscribers:
DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM
Digital Dispatch (346,025 subscribers)
WSJ-ANNOUNCE@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM
Wall Street Journal - Announcement List (110,075 subscribers)
IN-TOUCH@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM
In-Touch: Win95 Edition (50,807 subscribers)
TECHLINK@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM
The Technology Information Source on the World Wide Web
(44,595 subscribers)
TIDBITS@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU
TidBITS - a newsletter for Mac users (34,883 subscribers)
TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
The Internet TourBus - A virtual tour of cyberspace (28,249
subscribers)
SCOUT-REPORT@LISTS.INTERNIC.NET
The Scout Report (26,053 subscribers)
NEW-LIST@VM1.NODAK.EDU
NEW-LIST - New List Announcements (19,461 subscribers)
OMRI-L@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU
Open Media Research Institute Daily Digest (14,729
subscribers) UCSMON@IUBVM.UCS.INDIANA.EDU
UCS MONITOR - Computing News From Indiana University (13,025
subscribers)
CCMAN-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
CND Chinese Magazine Network (12,573 subscribers)
AOL-EZONE@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
"In The Zone" - America Online's Entrepreneur Zone Weekly
Newsletter (12,371 subscribers)
ONLINE-L@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM
In, Around and Online (12,065 subscribers)
TESL-L@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
TESL-L: Teachers of English as a Second Language List (11,654
subscribers)
INDIA-L@INDNET.BGSU.EDU
The India News Network at BGSU (11,428 subscribers)
ISRAELINE@VM.TAU.AC.IL
Israeline - Israeli Consulate, NY (11,381 subscribers)
PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU
Public-Access Computer Systems Forum (10,288 subscribers)
With the possible exception of the shareware lists which may include a
lot of computer games, these are all rather serious topics. Several are
related to the internet itself. Others have a focus on computers and
operating systems. A few provide news items on countries that may
frequently be neglected by the US mainstream media. Almost all of them
are distribution listservs and not actual discussion groups. Pacs-l is
one of the largest discussion lists and shows the popularity of its
topic: libraries and information technology.
This listing only covers lists running on listserv systems. there are
others using listproc and majordomo. This information and more can be
found at:
x1
other list running on listserv. It has more than 354,000 subscribers.
The table of contents for the march 7 issue will provide a glimpse into
what this newsletter is all about:
1. Web phones: which is the best?
2. Also new online: Shoot-outs, CDs, and travel
3. "c|net central": Web ratings, Quake
4. How to find what you want on c|net online
5. Attend c|net's Electronic Commerce Conference
6. Letters of the week: recycling PCs, Purim
7. Top ten hazards associated with using computers
8. Help wanted
9. Subscribe and unsubscribe.
Its urls are:
http://www.cnet.com/
http://www.shareware.com/
The first article on web phones is certainlly an attention getter. It
is a good David and Goliath story contrasting the individual network
user against the nation's phone companies. It reports on "12 Web phones
that let you place voice calls over the Internet for free. Some of them
are audio-only, some of them include still pictures, and a couple even
promise moving video." You can learn more at:
http://www.cnet.com/Content/Reviews/Compare/Wphone/
the telephone companies aren't happy with this competition and consider
that it is unfair. Web phone users shrug it off as something the phone
companies will have to accept. You can express your views by calling
the newsletter at:415/395-7805, enter extension 400, and express your
opinion. You just might have your views put on c|net radio's "your
turn".
Flexnews readers may also be interested in the forthcoming conference on
electronic commerce. The c|net newsletter says, "don't miss the most
important event of the year." The c|net Electronic Commerce Conference
will be held on March 20-22. Location: the Four Seasons Hotel in
Newport Beach, California. Here is a listing of some conference
speakers:
*Jim Barksdale, president, Netscape Communications
*Dr. Eric Schmidt, chief technology officer, Sun Microsystems
*Paul Saffo, director, Institute for the Future
*James Bidzos, CEO, RSA Data Security
*Marty Tennenbaum, founder, CommerceNet
*Mort Rosenthal, chairman, Stream International
*Charles Moldow, VP, business development, @Home
*Jonathan Nelson, president, Organic Online
*Bill Rollinson, VP, marketing, Internet Shopping Network
F
Get more info at: http://www.cnet.com/Community/Econference/
or call 415/395-7800, ext. 165.
To subscribe to the Dispatch newsletter:
1. Send a message to subscribe@cnet.com
You must send the message from the account that you wish to subscribe.
Otherwise, we won't know which mailbox to send your Dispatch to.
2. Message subject should say ONLY the following:
SUBSCRIBE DISPATCH.
3. Message body should say ONLY the following:
SUBSCRIBE DISPATCH.
Your name will be automatically added to our distribution list, and
you'll start receiving Digital Dispatch the very next week.
Article 3
The Public-Access Computer Systems Review is a periodic
electronic journal affiliated with the pacs-l discussion list which was
mentioned in the list of listserv lists in article 1. Libraries are
becoming more and more part of the information age. The pacs-l list and
this journal help to keep both librarians and library patrons current on
new hardwaree, software and issues related to how librarians and patrons
are impacted by these new technologies. The most recent issue is Volume
7, Number 2. All articles are referried. This issue highlights:
Greg Anderson, Rebecca Lasher, and Vicky Reich, The Computer
Science Technical Report (CS-TR) Project: A Pioneering Digital
Library Project Viewed from a Library Perspective.
To subscribe to the pacs-l discussion send mail to
listserv@uhupvm1.uh.edu saying: subscribe pacs-l "John Smith" or to
subscribe to the review say: subscribe pacs-p "John Smith". Obviously
use your name instead of "John Smith".
Article 4
Edupage is a newsletter that provides a digest of news itetms on
information technology three times a week. It is sponsored by Educom, a
consortium of colleges and universities. These news briefs are
collected from a wide variety of national publications. Many internet
users find it an excellent way to keep current. It is now available in
several foreign languages. The march 7 issue contained the following
table of contents:
New Netscape Navigator Bugs Discovered
Microsoft Wooing AOL
AT&T Wooing, Too
Singapore Cracks Down On Internet
Seagate In Overdrive
Universities Debate CD-ROM Dissertations
WWW Use Doubled In '95
FCC Proposal Would Help Wireless Telephony
Public Internet Kiosk
PCWorld Likes Mac/Os
FSN Commissions More Games For Interactive System
Newbridge Teams With Siemens
IBM Will Increase Disk Drive Production
Nextel To Create National Wireless Phone Service
Corel's Wordperfect
Bye-Bye, Bob
Schools, Computers, And Kids
Here is the last news item as an example of a breif news summary:
SCHOOLS, COMPUTERS, AND KIDS
Two of the many well-known individuals vocal in the debate about the
effectiveness of computers in education are John Gage, chief scientist
at Sun, and Neil Koblitz, University of Washington mathematics
professor. Gage: "The old model of the teacher absorbing physics,
biology, and the physical sciences and then pouring into kids' brains is
gone. It is the kids that do the exploration; the kids are in
control." Koblitz: "Kids have to be free to exercise their
imaginations. To be inundated with visual stimulation and a machine
that does it for you is not the best way to learn. It is not science
simply because they are punching a keyboard on a computer." (New York
Times 7 Mar 96 B1)
To subscribe to Edupage: send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu and
in the body of the message type: subscribe edupage John Smith (assuming
that your name is John Smith; if it's not, substitute your own name).
Article 5
COMPUTER CONFERENCE on WORLD WiDE WEB COURSE DEVELOPMENT
APRIL 8 - 26, 1996
The International University Consortium and University of Maryland
University College invite you to participate in a computer conference
which will focus on the development of instructional materials for the
World Wide Web.
>From the comfort of your own home or office you can be involved (via
your computer) in stimulating discussions about the use of the World
Wide Web as a vehicle for course development and delivery. An electronic
packet of supporting materials containing relevant literature and other
reference material on the topic of World Wide Web course development
will be provided to participants in the conference. Leading experts in
the field will serve as moderators and will present information and
guide the discussions during the 3-week period. Tentative topics which
may be discussed are:
1) Converting existing courses for the web.
Designing course materials for web delivery.
Use of graphics.
How much interaction is optimal?
Stand alone WEB or combined with other media?
Teaching techniques and strategies.
Pacing
Multimedia issues:
- Is the use of digital video realistic?
- What about sound?
2) Setting up registration and procedures.
Costs - who pays?
Administering tests on the web (using forms?)
Keeping your classes 'secure.'
Supporting teachers and students.
Is this publishing? (copyright, institutional clearances)
Teachers as media developers.... do they do it alone or
should the institution provide centralized support?
Prerequisites (who do you exclude?)
3) What kind of hardware/connections?
Minimal student hardware configuration(s)?
What kind of editors/programs work best?
Java and other tools.
Tools for Interactive discussion.
- conferencing/bulletin boards
- MOOs and MUDs
- on-line chat
The computer conference will be distributed by Listserv so as to allow
access to as many people as possible.
This computer-mediated conference (CMC) is an activity associated with
the Distance Education and Technology Workshop being held in College
Park, Maryland, May 6-8, 1996. If you are interested in attending the
workshop, you can request a brochure and registration form via e-mail,
or visit our WWW page which contains a workshop registration form.
E-mail: tsmith@nova.umuc.edu
WWW page: URL=http://www.umuc.edu/iuc
************************ REGISTRATION INFORMATION
***********************
To register for the CMC, print out the form below and send it along
with a $25 registration fee. If you are paying by credit card or using
a purchase order, you can fax or e-mail your registration.
ALL REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 29, 1996.
International University Consortium
University of Maryland University College
University Boulevard at Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20742-1612
Phone: 301-985-7811 Fax: 301-985-7845
e-mail: tsmith@nova.umuc.edu
_______________________________________________________________________-
______
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM
Pre-workshop Computer Conference on
Developing Instructional Materials for the World Wide Web
April 8 - 26, 1995
Registration Form
Name___________________________________________________________________-
______
Title
_______________________________________________________________________
Institution
_________________________________________________________________
Address
_____________________________________________________________________
City
________________________________________________________________________
State/Province
______________________________________________________________
ZIP/Country Code
____________________________________________________________
Day Phone
___________________________________________________________________
Fax
______________________________________________________________________-
___
E-mail
______________________________________________________________________
(Please type or print this line VERY clearly to ensure proper
registration.)
************************ Registration Fee: $25
************************
Please check one:
____ I am enclosing a check made payable to University of Maryland
University College/IUC in the amount of $25.
____ Please bill me. My organization's purchase order number is
______________
____ MasterCard/Visa
Card Number ____________________________________ Exp. Date
__________________
Signature:
__________________________________________________________________
Article 6:
Free Online Workshop for Listserv Beginning Users
Flex Learning Systems is developing an online workshop for beginning
users of listserv and related mailing systems. New users frequently
find the listserv commands confusing and the help texts sometimes less
than helpful. Experienced users frequently become impatient when
listserv commands show up as distributed list mailings. This course
will be a service to new internet users, to listserv owners who are
weighed down with helping the newcomers and to the old timeres tired of
needless listserv commands showing up as mail. The details of the
workshop will be announced shortly. You can look for it on the net or
point your web browser at http://www.flexlearn.com
Article 7: Flex Learning Systems Schedule of Online Courses
Http://www.flexlearn.com
FLS brings skilled teachers, fellow students from around the world and
stimulating learning to your computer monitor over the internet.
Online courses include: creative writing and selling what you write;
internet skills and computing skills; marketing over the internet;
finding job searches; medical uses of the internet; and more.
Advocating for Change
($50)
Instructor: Carol Banks
April 15, July 15, Sept. 15 (3 weeks)
African American History on the Web
($40)
Instructor: Norman Coombs
June 10, Sept. 9 (4 weeks)
Careers and Job Search
($99)
INSTRUCTOR: Thomas J. Pitre
March 4, June 3, Sept. 9, Nov. 4 (8 weeks)
Designing with Technology
Creativity and Problem-Solving for Trainers and Teachers
($99)
Instructor: Thomas Pitre
March 4, July 1, Sept. 9, Nov. 4 (6 weeks)
E_power: Becoming a POWER Email User
($40)
Instructors Richard Banks and Norman Coombs
April 1, June 10, Aug. 1, Oct. 7, Nov. 29 (4 weeks)
Grammar Review, for Non-English Speakers
Correcting Verbs, Tense, plural and Singular Nouns, etc.
($75)
Instructor: Ann K. Parsons
May 13, July 15, Sept. 23, Nov. 4 (5 weeks)
Medical Internet Level I
The Electronic Physician's Office: What You Need To Get Started
($80)
Instructor: Paul S. di Virgilio
March 4, April 1, July 8, August 5, Nov. 4. (4 weeks)
Medical Internet Level II
Using Internet Resources in our Practice: Clinical Use of
Computers
($95)
Instructor: Paul S. di Virgilio
May 6, Sept. 9, Dec. 2 (5 weeks)
Medical Internet III
The Internet : Images and Interaction
($95)
Instructor: Paul S. di Virgilio
June 3, Oct. 7, Dec. 2. (5 weeks)
Net Results: How to Market Your Business on the Internet
($149)
Instructor: Al Bredenberg
Feb. 19, June 3, Sept. 16, Nov. 11 (8 weeks)
POETRY, HOW TO WRITE It
Beginning Poetry Writing and Exploring Poetry on the Internet
($50)
Insstructor: Ann K. Parsons
Sept. 9, May 12, Nov. 11 (4 weeks)
SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ON THE WORLDWIDE WEb
($50)
Instructor: Terri Muraski
March 18, May 13, Aug. 5, Oct. 14, Dec. 2 (4 weeks)
Selling What You Write
($75)
Instructor: Joseph J. Lazzaro
March 25 May 20, July 22, Sept. 23, Nov. 25 (4 wweeks)
UNIX for Beginning Users
($150)
Instructor: Thomas Pitre,
March 11, May 13, July 22, Sept. 9, Nov. 4. (8 weeks)
WRITING: A Creative Act
Shaping Your Thoughts In Order To Write More Effectively
($60)
Instructor:
Ann K. Parsons
Feb. 26 May 1, July 8, Sept. 16, Oct. 21 (5 weeks)
For more information, write to flexlearn@flexlearn.com
or point your web broser at http://flexlearn.com
Flexnews Editor: Norman Coombs nrcgsh@rit.edu
Assistant Editor: Ann K. Parsons akpgsh@rit.edu