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Welcome & Introduction

Welcome

Your tutors

Andy Ewers

Nick Lewis

today’s Agenda

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Agenda

10.00 Welcome & Introduction

10.15 Fundamentals 10.45 File Management

11.10 coffee break

11.25 Downloading 11.45 Information Types 12.05 Information Sources 12.20 Search Engines (internet)

13.00 lunch break

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Agenda continued…

2.00 E-mail & Newsgroups

2.40 Evaluating Sources

3.00 Hands-On Session

4.00 Preparation for Day 2

4.30 close

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1. Fundamentals

hardware basics adding

devices/drivers handling files /

back-up user interface

(windows) copy/paste

function

LAICT8

O L E video-

conferencing interactive

capabilities version

control evaluating

software

Checklist of preparatory study

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2. File Management

File sizes implications

- storage - processing

compression techniques

- standards - zip/unzip

temporary files disk defragmentation security/protection

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File Management

File sizes what makes a file large?a) presentation formattinge.g. these files contain just the wordsthe quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

simple text = smallweb-page = small

wp = largerdtp = largest

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File Management

File sizes what makes a file large?

b) graphics– low detail = smaller (e.g. GIF)–high detail = larger (e.g. JPG)

violin.jpg = 34 kbviolin.gif = 16 kb

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File Management

File sizes compression techniques

• standards supported by applications

gif jpg wav midi mp3 avi etc

• free-standing, can be applied at will

pkzip / pkunzip

winzip

u_encode / u_decode

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File Management

File sizes temporary files• most applications create temporary files,

and should delete them on completion • usually have file extension .tmp

temporary internet files are NOT temporary• need to be deleted frequently• or managed with special tools

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File Management

File sizes disk defragmentation

• deleted files are not removed from the disk

• the space is flagged as available for re-use, but only smaller files can fit in the space

• gradually lots of small spaces become unusable = fragmented disk

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File Management

security/protection• many applications allow the editing of a

document (a file) to be restricted to the original author, or to a select list• this assumes that each user has a unique

username/password, used when accessing the application• other users have read-only access

warning - users can take a copy and edit that!

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3. Downloading (from the internet)

unconscious download• all internet pages (web-pages) are actually

downloaded to the hard disk when they are accessed (see ‘temporary files’)

conscious download• when a user chooses to download a file -

usually some software or a large text/graphic file - the standard internet download sequence is invoked

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Downloading continued….

the standard download sequence

- select the file to be downloaded- click the download button- a dialogue box appears, with ‘save to disk’ and

‘open here’ options- give the ‘save’ confirmation, which invokes a

disk location dialogue box- select the disk location required (which folder

to save to)- the file downloads to the disk- but will it be ‘installed’ or ‘set-up’?

PG8

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4. Information Types

Resources size

• textual (simple)

• textual (formatted - pdf, doc, etc files)

• graphical

• sound

• audio/visual

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Information Types

different types of software applications are needed to view, play, create, edit and manage different types of information

–word processing –desk top publishing– spreadsheet–drawing/graphics/photostyling –animation– simulation/computation– sound–audio/visual

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5. Information Sources

Conventional sources print publishers CD publishers video publishers

Internet sources govt depts and NGOs free web-sites commercial publishers

on the internet

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Information Sources - the Internet

massive network of networks millions of host computers millions of users supra-national : belongs to no one govt or organisation more information than can be imagined

BUT ...

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Information Sources - the Internet

no overall quality control too much garbage and mis-information too much pornography, racism,

and gambling access still predominantly by white, middle-

class, males evidence of “dumbing-down” for

mass markets care needed by those ‘in loco parentis’

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Information SourcesInformation Sources‘nanny’ software

various methods :-

• block access to selected sites• restrict access to selected sites• prevent access to pages which

contain certain words • keep list of visited sites

many products availableNetNanny CyberPatrol CyberSitter SurfWatchWeb Trail CyberSnoop InterGO

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Information SourcesInformation Sources

The world wide web

the world wide web has become the face of the internet

• highly visual

• easy to follow

• multi-function

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School Web SitesSchool Web Sites

many established

three main phases :-

• school brochure/prospectus

• school magazine (some with pupil pages)

• hub of school internet activities, with special applications or functions

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School Web SitesSchool Web Sites Some examples of

comprehensive Web Sites

• Oakham School www.oakham.org.uk

• King Edward VII School (Melton Mowbray)

www.ke7.org.uk

• Conifer High School, Colorado, USA

www.conifer.jeffco.k12.co.us

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School Internet usesSchool Internet uses

for internet experience for accessing internet tools

and services for accessing educational

resources for communication with other

schools, in other countries for e-mail for video-conferencing

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Information Sources

Internet educational resources more promise than actual so far situation improving need to identify ‘worthy’ sites likely good sources :-

• NGfL• DfEE• BECTA• BBC/education• Channel 4

• ACITT• Ultralab• Project Gutenberg• Project Earl• EduWeb

SITES8

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6. Search Engines and agents

original concept• index to information held at websites• advanced search tools to locate references in

index• easy connection to relevant webpages

actuality• cannot index ALL webpages• index methods vary• search tools vary• connection to found pages may be ‘relayed’ =

poor performance

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Search Engines and agents

four main categories

• directories• hierarchical• only index key data e.g. yahoo

• full text• non-hierarchical• index everything e.g. altavista alltheweb

• meta-search• search the search engines e.g. metasearch dogpile

• intelligent agents• ‘knowledge-base’• and do meta-search e.g. askjeeves

AV8

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Search Engines and agents

a sensible search strategy• use at least three search engines to ensure good

coverage of the subject being researched• read the instructions - search syntax varies• scroll down the pages• use uk/ireland options to switch off excessive

usa material

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7. Electronic Mail

originally person-to-person

but, circulation lists supported

more like ‘poste restante’ than letterbox delivery

most widely used internet facility

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E-Mail Attachments

needed for large files e.g. ms-word documents or graphics files

different encoding by different service providers causes problems for older e-mail software e.g. pipex encodes in base64 msn encodes in u_encode

decoder required e.g. wincode

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Electronic Mail : WebMail

e-mail running on a WebSite, not on an ISP’s mail-server

e.g. Hotmail, Talk21, LAICT

id and password on the website so can be accessed from any pc, anywhere in the world

never need to change your e-mail address again e.g. joe.bloggs@hotmail.com

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8. Newsgroups8. Newsgroups

also known as usenet groups,conferences, discussion groups

most popular usenet item = directory of newsgroups

2nd & 3rd most popular both “pornographic” estimate over 50% of internet traffic is porn related !

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Newsgroups : Web BoardsNewsgroups : Web Boards

newsgroup on a website rather than on a news-server

e.g. LAICT Web Board

useful for closed user groups

like an inhouse notice-board

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8. Evaluating Sources

who can you trust ?• government depts and NGOs ?• large corporations ?• publishers ?• national libraries/museums ?

how do we find ‘worthy’ sites ?• use known sites as links/portals to

other sites• use newsgroups/web-boards to

share info with others

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9. Hands On

set exercises• try several search engines and agents• try a download– simple, e.g. Project Gutenberg– complex, download and install an

application, e.g. BBC Ticker

freedom to experiment• try anything you need to know

more about

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10. Preparation for day 2

review of day 1

rehearse/reinforce information gleaned today

use online tutorials to improve skills in fundamental applications and techniques

use online guides to prepare for specific topics in day 2