Tapped In Newsletter: January 2000
===============
...ON THE TAPIS
January 2000
Issue 26
===============
=============
In This Issue
=============
[1] NetTech: From the Impossible to the Inevitable
[2] Chats and Scaredy Cats! - by BJ Berquist
[3] Get to Know the Math Forum
[4] Technology Tips
[5] Digital Divide: Technology and Our Future (PBS Special)
[6] Evaluating Ed Tech
[7] Gateway to Educational Materials
[8] NASA Earth Science Kids' Site
[9] ThinkQuest Competition Winners
[10] About ...On the TAPIS
Quote of the Month
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain
[1] NetTech: From the Impossible to the Inevitable
=-------------------------------------------------
Ferdi Serim, editor of the MultiMedia Schools Magazine (http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/default.shtml), and co-author of NetLearning: Why Teachers Use the Internet (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/netlearn/) will lead an After School Online (ASO) discussion at Tapped In on Thursday, January 27, 4:30-5:30pm PST/7:30-8:30pm EST/12:30-1:30am GMT. Just log in at the correct time! This session will introduce you to the NetTech Educational Technology Coordinator's Website a place to share insights for succeeding at the never-ending job of a technology coordinator!
[2] Chats and Scaredy Cats! - by BJ Berquist
--------------------------------------------
Logging in to the TAPPED IN environment can be an intimidating experience not only for a computer novice, but also for a savvy computer expert. There are several resources that a new member can utilize to maximize the MUVE experience and minimize the stress.
TAPPED IN is more than a chat room and we suggest visiting first. This will help you get familiar with the user interface and show you how to use it. You can take an asychronous tour of our website to get a flavor of what will happen when you log in. http://www.tappedin.org/info/webtour.html
HelpDesk volunteers staff the Reception area and can help you when you log in. Get to know our volunteers...each volunteer, just like each member of the community, has a particular area of expertise.
The monthly Calendar of Events offers professional development opportunities and special events for people new to TAPPED IN like tours of our resources, and "newbie" sessions. We've also added a new topic, "Chats and Scaredy Cats," to help you overcome any lingering technophobia. If you still are hesitant to log in, let us know and we'll connect you with a mentor who will contact you via email and help you get TAPPED IN.
[3] Get to Know the Math Forum
------------------------------
TAPPED IN is very pleased to invite you to a Math Forum online discussion on January 31, 4:00-5:00pm PST/7:00-8:00pm EST/12midnight-1:00am GMT. The Math Forum is a dynamic Internet-based community focused on mathematics education at all levels. This month's discussion will be an overview of the features in the Teacher's Place, including Ask Dr. Math, Teacher2Teacher, Problems of the Week, The Internet Mathematics Library, Web Units, and Discussion Groups.
[4] Technology Tips - Help Guides
---------------------------------
In addition to the PDF Help Guide that is available on the TAPPED IN home page, you can get help for many topics while you are logged in. Type (with no quotes) <Help Introduction> or <Help Basic> to get information about basic commands. Typing <Help Index> will show you a complete list of help topics. Don't forget HelpDesk volunteers are almost always available to answer questions! (Remove the brackets on the commands above they are just there to offset the command.)
Advanced Tech-Tip of the Month - Training Tips
-----------------------------------------------
If you are interested in bringing in a group or organization for a meeting at TAPPED IN, these URLs will help make the experience in the TAPPED IN environment easier for you all:
Tips for Trainings - http://www.tappedin.org/info/trainingtips.html
Self-Guided Web Tours - http://www.tappedin.org/info/webtour.html
Tips for Holding Successful Meetings in TAPPED IN - http://www.tappedin.org/info/meeting_tips.html
[5] Digital Divide: Technology and Our Future
---------------------------------------------
PBS is offering a two part series beginning Jan 28, 2000 (check local listings or www.itvs.org) that spotlights the work of innovators who bring kids together with computers in meaningful ways. How the computer revolution is affecting American youth, how all children can have equal access to computers, and how children can learn to use computers to their best advantage are topics that will be addressed. This broadcast would be an excellent opportunity to organize a group viewing (school board members, parents, community members) followed by discussion. Don't miss this one!
[6] Evaluating Ed Tech
----------------------
Evaluating the effectiveness of educational technology was the theme of the U.S. Department of Education Secretary's Conference. That theme is the focus of 13 papers prepared for the conference. The papers, as well as the conference agenda are at:
http://www.ed.gov/Technology/TechConf/1999/
Also check out, An Educator's Guide to Evaluating The Use of Technology in Schools and Classrooms and Technology Connections for School Improvement: Planner's Handbook from North Central Regional Education Lab (NCREL) (http://www.ncrel.org/tplan/tplanB.htm).
[7] Gateway to Educational Materials
===================================
The Department of Education is making the Web a teacher-friendly place. The National Library of Education in collaboration with the ERIC Clearinghouse, an organization at Syracuse University's School for Information Studies, built the Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) to provide free lesson plans on the Internet. Using GEM (http://www.thegateway.org/) teachers can use a simple search to access the database of resources from federal, state, university,nonprofit, and commercial sites.
[8] NASA Earth Science Kids' Site
---------------------------------
What do a "Jeopardy-style" quiz on Earth Science themes, a "Drag 'n Drop" puzzle of satellite images, and a module on SEAWiFS (phytoplankton monitoring satellite) have in common? They are all new additions to the NASA Earth Science Kids' Site (http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/). Check it out!
[9] ThinkQuest Competition Winners
----------------------------------
Recent winners of the annual ThinkQuest student Web site competition -- which this year awarded about $1 million in scholarship money and cash prizes to schools, teachers and students -- represent an international group of Web-savvy teenagers who use the ThinkQuest platform to promote education, technology, and teamwork.
[10] About ...On the TAPIS
===========================
Postings of all ...ON THE TAPIS issues are available on the TAPPED IN website.
Contact us if you have any questions about your subscription, password or user name, or if you have any news items that you want to share with the community for ...ON THE TAPIS.