SEEDS: World Wide Web Applications in Education

by Griff Richards, BCIT Technology Centre

Introduction

Design Considerations

Teaching and Learning

Examples

Lessons Learned

Where to start

Future Trends

Building an on-line Community in British Columbia

HyperNews Forum

Introduction

Goal

Basic Concepts

1. the linking of thousands of computers to form the Internet, and
2. the use of HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) as a common protocol for transferring pictures, text and other media.

To use the Web, your computer must be connected to the Internet and it must have client software to decode the HTML. (Educators can obtain client software such as NETSCAPE for free - ask your campus computing group!). When the URL is entered, the client sends a request to the server and the server transfers the file to the client.

Sometimes transactions are instantaneous. But, if the server is busy handling too many clients, or there is too much traffic on the Internet, then the transaction can be slow or fail completely. The faster the connection and more direct the link, the better the service. Larger files (like pictures) usually take more time to transfer than small files.

Web documents often incorporate hyperlinks that point to other related information. Clicking on a link can move you to a different part of the file, or to another URL. Links can also be hidden under graphics such as the apple below.

Design Considerations

• Keep it simple. Start small with a clear idea. Work from an outline. An ounce of design goes a long way in promoting usability.
• Don't use too many "features" that will clutter the screen, distract, make things hard to read, or demand too much bandwidth.
• Keep your images as small as feasible...use thumbnail sketches to allow the user to decide if the full image should be downloaded.
• Begin each file with a table of contents. End each item with a pointer back to the top.
• Put long articles in files for downloading.
• Use the computer for interaction and comunication.
• Listen to the feedback from your victims. Think about how the web component will mesh with the rest of the course.
• Don't invest in adjunct or optional materials. Invest your time in something that will free you to be more effective.

Check out the design issues regarding this site. For an overview on design heuristics, visit the SUN Styleguide, and be sure to visit the Examples section below.

Teaching and Learning

Just as the Web has become a way for businesses to "have a presence" in the global economy, educators can also show their wares, advertise their services and to some extent, transact the business of education.

Range of Applications

• to make available course outlines
• to provide copies of course materials
• to provide research links to further readings
• to post frequently asked questions (FAQ's) somewhere so they don't have to be asked again.
• to develop a presentation of the knowledge learned
• to provide interactive instructional materials
• to provide on-line evaluation instruments
• to advertise the institution and availability of courses
• to share information about research interests
• This space reserved for the next great application…
  

One of the great challenges of the web is that much of the future is undefined. Growth may level off when the number of users matches the number of desk-top computers, or when delays in servers or bandwidth slow communications to the point where users are no longer willing to wait. In the meantime, it is "hot", and if your students are bonafide members of the cyberspace, then Internet applications may be very useful in shrinking barriers of distance and time.

Roles of teachers and learners

Teachers are not limited to the role of information providers. At the Connections '96 conference Charlotte Green suggested the following intiatives to enrich the student learner experience:

• shifting critical analysis from teacher to student
• freeing up face to face student-faculty time for best use
• building problem solving activities as well as content mastery
• fostering student driven class discussion
• continuously updating the curriculum to industry standards
• involving the external community in the assessment process.

The Future of Networking Technologies for Learning provides a thorough discussion of web-related educational issues from curriculum to connectivity and change through community involvement. To keep abreast of new ideas, their web applications and their impact on teaching and learning, keep an eye on pointer sites such as Yahoo - Education, reference sites (e.g.ERIC), or on-line magazines (e.g.Online Educator).

Examples

• Chemistry 0010: On-line study guide
• Economics 1150: On-line course outline
• Geology Courses: Various examples
• German 149: Resources for a living language
• Media Studies 113: On-line intergrated student outline
• UVic Online Guide: E-mail, ftp and the internet

Click here if you would like to submit another B.C. example.

For an international selection of "on-line" courses see The World Lecture Hall.

Lessons Learned

1. Anonymity ("On the internet nobody knows you're a dog!") for some, personal characteristics which might lead to subdued social involvement in a traditional class setting are masked by the guise of e-mail.
2. The distance you are closing may be closer to home than you think - most web applications are currently used within institutions rather than for distance education.
3. Access to the internet is not equal. Geographic location plays a large part in determining the quality and cost of service you will get. Learners in farflung regions may have very costly telephone bills to become linked to an internet service provider. Folks with older computers and slower modems will be poorly served by the current rage to produce complex pages with big art. (But not with little artsy seed packets!).
4. Web sites are only as good as their last update. Information which becomes quickly stale will require constant updating.
5. Information on the Web is only as reliable as its source. The unwary can easily be misled if they use information without validating it premises. Electronic literacy may become the next wave of hype and all the schools will implement electronic literacy programs. (Maybe it will be taught by T.V.??)

Here's what some users (both teachers and learners have to say):

a. teachers using the web

• Its a great way to organize your course
• It's easy to convert course outlines into HTML files, but it's a lot of work to make the content really interactive. This needs a lot of planning and testing. To do it right needs an assistant to keep all the files in order.
• I liked being able to put up information quickly and modify it as feedback came in from the students. The FAQs saved a lot of office hours.

b. learners tell their tales

• The information is nice but us it's a slow grind to run through a modem.
• I thought the web was supposed to enhance interactions, not replace them!
• Now I know what it feels to be a techno-peasant.
• I liked being able to do my coursework when and where I had the time.

So you're still not deterred and want to know where to start:

The first step is to understand a little bit about hyper-text mark-up language or HTML. This forms the basis for web documents. After all, the beauty of the web is that if everybody follows the same mark-up conventions, then it can be read by web browser software (clients) installed on your computer. This means you don't need to publish a separate edition of you documents for Macs or for PCs.

1. Ed-Web is designed for educators in K-12 and has one of the easiest HTML courses. Of course, there's lots of other information there too.
2. Maricopa Center for Learning, Arizona has a major "pointing site" for educators as well
3. University of Indiana shows lots of neat examples.
4. Many good suggestions are found in pointers on the web site of Algonquin College in Ontario
5. And if you are seriously wanting to "put your course on-line" just fill in the blanks on these HTML templates available from the University of South Carolina.
6. A nicely designed site with lot's of tips for getting going is Simon Fraser University - Faculty of Education
7. Thinking of testing learning objectives? Check into this site at Oxford.
8. And finally here's a pointer site to gerneral references for advancing the sophistication of your web site, the Charity Village Webmaster's Club.

Hard Copy References

Hoffman, P. E. (1995). Netscape and the World Wide Web for Dummies. Foster City, Ca.: IDG Books Worldwide.($CDN 27.00)
This covers a wide range of general concepts and focusses on the use of Netscape. Very little content on education except for an outdated URL for ERIC.

Kent, P. (1995). The Complete Idiot's Guide to the World Wide Web. Indianapolis: Alpha books.($CDN 24.00)
This is good for basic concepts and provides background on a number of different web browsers, but went to press at the same time as Netscape 1.0 so it spends a lot of time on gophers which have pretty well crawled back into their holes.

Kidder, G. & Harris, S. (1995). HTML Publishing with Internet Assistant. Research Triangle Park,NC: Ventana. ($CDN 42.00 Diskette included)
Even if you don't use the Internet Assistant software to plug in to MS Word, this is a great reference book for getting started. Unfortunately, it focuses on Netscape 1.0 applications and doesn't get into the newer stuff for Netscape 2 and the advanced world of plug-ins. (And its only a year old!)

Miller, R. & Keeler, E. (1995). Internet Direct: Connecting through SLIP and PPP. New York: MIS Press. ($US 25.00)
If you are reading this on-line, you've probably already solved your connectivity problems. However no collection of web references would be complete without something covering the nuts & bolts of setting up your computer for the internet.

Rimmer, S. (1996). The Internet Graphics Toolkit. New York: McGraw-Hill. ($CAN 50.00 CD-ROM included)
Although the style strains at being "cool", the content provides a practical guide to producing and incorporating graphics into your web site.

Stein, L. (1995). How To Set Up and Maintain a World Wide Web Site. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
A readable book that covers the behind the scenes workings of a web site.

Soft Copy References

Examples of a couple of good beginner references are: InterNet Starter Kit and Special Edition Using HTML. For the latter, the on-line version is the 1st Edition (1995), and an ad touts the merits of the new 2nd Edition (1996) which sells for $US 40 and includes a CD-ROM.

Future Trends

The sheer volume of development work conducted around the work is pushing web technology ahead at ever increasing rates. New browsers to search the net with will be released with ever increasing frequency, Plug-ins provide a way for temporary fixes to third party software so that multimedia development tools can create ever more complex displays. Programming techniques using Java can make static web pages come alive and shift processing from the server to the client's machine. Selective Dissemination of Information provides technique of narrowcasting specific information to specific users (see Pointcast). Virtual reality experiences and synchronous audio-graphic conferencing will become commonplace. A premium will be paid for access to professors in real time.

Distance Education opportunities via the net will expand and even though some learners will cummunicate across continents, the bulk will sign on because of convenience for transportation and timeshifting.

Educational applications will lag the technology applications as users try to keep up with the latest tools and technology. Some subject areas (such as computer studies and business) will see adoption of web based training rapidly since learners and instructors in those areas are more likely to have access to the hardware and skills to access the Internet. A rift will grow between the haves and have nots of the Internet.

The demand for academic computing support will be insatiable. Just when educational systems adopt web-based technologies into the core of their operations, the price of telecomunications will sky-rocket. Most content will no longer be free, but will be available on a pay for view basis.

Recreational activities will become available on line and we will all learn to play the piano through cyberspace.

Building an on-line Community in British Columbia

Of course, the purpose of SEEDS is not just to point you out of the province. Some of the finest research in networked communities and in web applications takes place right here in our province. Please enter your comments or questions in the HyperNews forum. Many of the Educators who have allowed us to point to their sites have also made their e-mail addresses available so that they can respond to your comments.