Telecommunications Overview
Learner Outcomes
Basic Operations and Concepts: Students will demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems. Students are proficient in the use of technology.
Social, Ethical, and Human Issues: Students will understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
E-Mail and Listservs
There are many programs to send and receive E-Mail, for DOE email, you will need the following:
  1. a computer connected to the Internet
  2. an e-mail account and address
  3. your login
  4. your password
  5. secure shell encryption software (software download information)
Parts of an email address
Name: login
Address: @server name plus words or abbreviations that show where the email account is coming from
Makani email addresses look like this: login@k12.hi.us
Check out some addresses from around the world!

Listserv
Basically, a listserv is a group of people, sharing the same purpose or interest via email.
When you subscribe to a listserv, you are signing up to receive all the email that is addressed to that list
The listserv for MeneMac Class of '10 is called menemac2k6 and its address is:
menemac-2k6@rainbow.kapaams.k12.hi.us

Activity #1: E-Mail & Listserv
Complete an assignment via email and listserv
[NOTE: Before you complete this assignment, be sure you understand how to post to the list and to an individual, the difference between compose and reply, and how to cc someone on a post.]
  1. Get into your email account (take notes if you need to; you will be using the account a lot)
  2. Send a post to your class listserv, answering the following questions for Reflection #1
    • In the subject line, write your name and Reflection #1
    • If you have already used e-mail, describe how you have used it in the past. If you have not used e-mail before, describe your usual ways of communicating (i.e. f2f, phone, letters, etc) with others (i.e. friends, parents, teachers, etc).
    • Compare and contrast e-mail with another medium of communication that you use regularly.
    • Describe the effect this fairly new medium will have on people and culture throughout the world.
  3. Read and respond to one of the posts from your classmates. CC the list on this post. We will use it to assess both your ideas on the various communication media, as well as your tech skills of following the directions and posting correctly.
Chat
Chat software allows people with Internet connections to have a written conversation at the same time.
Here is a sample chat between students in Japan and Hawaii, in which the Japanese students review the Hawaii website about Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.
And another sample chat between the MoHS Imagine the Future teams and their project manager, Dr. Amela Sadagic, in New York.
Message Boards or Forums
A Message Board, also known as Forum, Discussion Board, Bulletin Board, is like a board in cyberspace where people can leave messages for others to read whenever they check out that board.
Our MEdia and ME Project Forum is an example of using an online forum for collaboration with teens in Osaka, Japan. We will be using a similar forum when we begin our project with students in Azerbiajan. The Hawaii students' posts are at the top and the Osaka students' replies follow the Hawaii comments.

Parents get a chance to participate in their children's learning in the Parent Forums. In this example for the Class of '08, parents comment on their children's portfolios.

Activity #2: Forum Posts
Think about online web posting that you have seen (responses to blogs and "guest books" are other examples.
If you have not seen "real world" forums, check out the Honolulu Advertiser online forum.
  1. Compare and contrast forums and listservs. Come up with at least two similarities and two differences.
  2. From your experience reading and/or posting on other forums, discuss some concerns or issues that may come up with behavior in the forums.
  3. Come up with one or two guidelines for our class use of forums that would help to encourage positive and productive participation in them.
  4. Post your ideas in our Media Central forum.
World Wide Web
Since a picture, or pictures, audio, video, and more...are worth a thousand words, let's check out some examples
Activity #3: World Wide Websites
Browse through the websites. Then respond to the following questions:
  1. Photo Interactive: Describe something you learned from this simulation. How did the site interactivity teach you this concept?
  2. Electric Snow: Explain how the creators of this site used multimedia (images, text, audio, motion) to communicate their topic effectively.
  3. Road 2 Fame: What was the problem that the Cybermission team was trying to solve?
  4. Project CHO51: What were the different sources used by this team for their research?
  5. With your partner, summarize and reflect on your experience by describing the advantages and disadvantages of online resources. This assignment will serve as an assessment of how well you can generalize from various experiences and how well you collaborate with a partner.
Research Tools
Canadian site on effective Internet use that provides great online tools for "best practice" in online research.
Search Checklist | Website Evaluation Form | Website Note Sheet
Source Eval Sheet | Advocacy Site | Personal Site
Activity #4: Re: SEARCH
Since we will be collaborating with teenagers in Azerbaijan, find out something about the country and culture.
  1. Use at least 3 different search engines to find information about your topic and compare your results.
  2. Come up with a list of at least 3 search strategies that will help you in your online research.
  3. Find 3 "interesting things" about the country that you have found and that you think others in class will be interested to know.
  4. Come up with two questions that you have for our partners in Azerbiajan, based on the research that you have just done.
  5. Going beyond: How will this research about Azerbiajan help you in your collaboration with students from that country?
BEST USE of Tech Tools
Always remember...
We need to use the Internet for LEARNING
Your e-mail account and account access are for class activities only. Use another, non-DOE account for social communication
Ask yourself--How does this website help in my learning?
If you find something that you know does not belong in your classroom, tell your teacher.
Make sure to pick the best sites
  • Accuracy: Do they give you correct information?
  • Currency: Are they updated often?
  • Validity/Bias: Who made the site? Why did they make it?
Netiquette
Always remember, there is a human being at the other end
Always include a greeting (Dear...) and a closing (Sincerely,...)
Be aware of your global audience
  • another language
  • be careful of slang or local expressions
  • respect other cultures

No sarcasm (know what it means)
Use smileys to show feelings
Do not repost or send garbage
Safety
Responsible use of the computers and of the network
Personal responsibility and safety
  • The Internet is like any other place in today's world--a mix of good and bad elements
  • Know what info to give out and what not to give out
    • In projects and email--full name and school are okay
    • Personal info (phone, home address, etc) should not be given out
    • When in doubt, ask an adult (teacher, parent, etc.)
Copyright & Citations
Canadian site on plagiarism that emphasizes the reason for responsible and ethical use of other people's ideas.
Pre-Test | What is Plagiarism? | Other People's Ideas
Activity #5: Putting It All Together
The true test...how can all of this make a difference in your learning?
  1. With a partner, pick a topic of interest to both of you (the only restriction is that it pass the "parent-teacher-principal" test)
  2. Search for information, recording the best websites that you turn up.
  3. The more variety and validity you can find, the better.
  4. Find photos or other graphics that you can use, legally and ethically. Be prepared to verify this.
  5. Brainstorm how you could present this information in a way that makes the best use of the web as a medium. Sketch out a storyboard for your website.
  6. Make sure some of your planning is done via email. CC the listserv for credit for this portion of the assignment. I will be looking to see how well you communicate in writing, online.
  7. And, most important, document your process...for this assignment, the product is not as important as the process...the goal of the activity is to make you a more effective learner.
  8. Be prepared to present your process and your information to the rest of the class.