Session 1: Introduction / Planning for Networks and Distance Learning
Session 2: Transmission Media / Standards and Protocols
Session 3: Understanding and Accessing the Net / Services and Lists
Session 4: Making Internet Connections / Administration and Support
Session 5: Hardware and Software / Servers and Intra/Extra/Inter-Nets
Session 6: Communicating with Systems and People / Interactive Multimedia
Session 7: Virtual Reality / Risks, Hacking, and Ethics
Session 8: Project Presentations
Session | 1 |
Topic 1 Introduction | Explore procedures for online communications and the production of distance learning project plans.
Establish and demonstrate e-mail and the teled mailing list. Discuss how we can "situate" and "distribute" our learning of networking knowledge and skills through a strategic use of the Internet. Consider how a strategic blend of in-class and online activities can enhance learning. |
Topic 8 Planning for Networks and Distance Learning | Discuss strategies for planning, designing, and implementing various types of networks, especially for educational use.
Demonstrate and discuss client/server use of newsgroups (access, subscription, searching, posting, setup, maintenance, etc.). Contrast its use to applications of other Internet services (e-mail, mailing lists, Web, etc.) to support distance learning through asynchronous, push/pull, one/many, and convergent service strategies. |
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Session | 2 |
Topic 2 Transmission Media | Discuss key internetworking concepts such as "open systems" and standards and how computer networks and learning can be made interoperable and scalable.
Explore implications and practical applications for various types of network cabling, including twisted pair, coaxial, fiber optic, and a range of wireless media. |
Topic 9 Standards and Protocols | Discuss standards and protocols that govern network communications, especially Internet protocols for e-mail, file transfer, and the World Wide Web (HTML and HTTP). Consider how these standards supplant and/or supplement traditional communications plans for distance learning.
Demonstrate an ftp download of a program (binary) file in compressed format. Then demonstrate the "DIRC" process of decompress, install, run, and configure. Demonstrate an ftp upload of HTML files (for Web pages) using an ftp utility to a restricted access host. Compare this process to a Web browser-based file upload through a Web host. |
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Session | 3 |
Topic 3 Understanding and Accessing the Net | Discuss human issues associated with network technology to underscore the need for strategic planning and implementation.
Discuss how the use of networks and the Internet as an "innovation" supplants and/or supplements our traditional means of communications and learning. Consider some of the personal, organizational, and social outcomes. Discuss and develop strategies for remote connectivity based on educational and technological issues. |
Topic 7 Services and Lists | Discuss the educational implications for network services that use the transmission media of cable, fiber, wireless and satellite technologies.
Demonstrate and discuss techniques for subscription, posting, reading, delivery, and maintenance of mailing lists, especially in support of distance learning through asynchronous, push/pull, one/many, and convergent service strategies. Explore client and server applications of mailing lists. |
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Session | 4 |
Topic 4 Making Internet Connections | Explore how transmission media are deployed and interconnected to form the foundation of a network.
Share ideas and cases which illustrate how combinations of topologies, techniques, and technologies are suited for network innovations in education and training. Consider how networks accommodate multimedia and how it can be used in educational applications and settings. Share examples about how the World Wide Web accommodates various types of media and interactivity and how it can be used (or misused) for communications and learning. |
Topic 10 Administration and Support | Discuss issues relating to the administration, management, and support of networks.
Demonstrate the use of the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) as a means of server-side scripting for user interaction and control of (dynamic) Web page content. Show how script and program files are stored in the cgi-bin folder on the server and appropriate file permissions are set. Show how HTML tags on a Web page support the data collection and execution of a CGI program. Demonstrate TCP/IP protocols and related utility applications for connectivity, monitoring, and diagnostics (telnet, ping, finger, Ph, whois, etc.). Demonstrate some of the TCP/IP protocols that are enabled within Web browsers (telnet, etc.) and e-mail clients (Ph, finger, etc.). Learn about server-side scripting with CGI and Perl to provide user-centered interaction and control. |
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Session | 5 |
Topic 5 Hardware and Software | Demonstrate and discuss "hardware" concepts and issues of networking devices (repeaters, hubs, bridges, routers, and gateways, and the ways that computers are used for communications, terminal, print servers, workstations, etc.).
Discuss how networked database and groupware applications can provide mediated communication and learning. Demonstrate and discuss the use of Web-based search engines. Share ideas and examples of how search engines can be used for information-seeking, transfer, and building knowledge. |
Topic 11 Servers and Intra/Extra/Inter-Nets | Discuss how servers and gateways are commonly deployed for networks, especially for distance learning, but also for more proprietary, transaction-based communications such as registration.
Compare how different types of servers are setup, configured, and implemented whether to establish an Internet presence such as through an integrated World Wide Web site or for more private, networks like intranets or extranets. Demonstrate and discuss the use of text-based chat and audio-based real-time conferencing (using IRC) through dedicated clients/servers and Web-based access. Explore a WOO (Web Object-Oriented) learning environment using your browser. Share your ideas about the topics and issues of this session by participating in one or more pre-arranged, synchronous sessions with other learners at the teled chat room. |
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Session | 6 |
Topic 6 Communicating with Systems and People | Discuss the pros and cons of popular operating systems, network operating systems, and operating environments including UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh. Consider issues of scalability and interoperability with respect to heterogeneous internetworks like the Internet.
Demonstrate the use of Internet e-mail (including header fields and data, nicknames, filtering, and other functions) for teaching, learning, and collaboration. |
Topic 12 Networked Interactive Multimedia | Discuss networked interactive multimedia applications that employ high-bandwidth technologies and protocols, especially with audio and video in asynchonous and synchronous settings. Examine their role in delivering audiovisual educational applications over global internetworks for affordable, effective distance learning and collaboration.
Demonstrate and discuss interactive multimedia Web extensions and networked applications of audio and/or video in support of learning. Consider the balance between technological issues such as bandwidth and throughput and educational issues such as audiovisual media that augments or substitutes for text-based information Learn how to setup a Webcam using an ftp client, a batch file, and a camera with digitizer. Explore Web-based videoconferencing. Learn about scripting with Javascript and JAVA to provide user-centered interaction, multimedia, and control. |
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Session | 7 |
Topic 13 Virtual Reality |
Demonstrate and discuss different types of virtual reality applications and Web-based virtual worlds with potential for educational applications, including real-time collaboration, teaching, conferencing, simulations, walkthroughs, scientific visualization, etc.
Discuss techniques and technologies in designing and using virtual reality, including VRML. Explore several types of 2-D and 3-D network-based, VR applications. |
Topic 14 Risks, Hacking, and Ethics | Discuss ethical considerations and related risks for users of distance learning Web sites. |
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Session | 8 |
Project Presentations | Review, presentations, and evaluation. |
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