Welcome & Introduction

1. Welcome & Introduction • Welcome • Your tutors Andy Ewers Nick Lewis • today’s Agenda

2. Agenda 10.00 Welcome & Introduction 10.15 Fundamentals 10.45 File Management 11.10coffee break 11.25 Downloading 11.45 Information Types 12.05 Information Sources 12.20 Search Engines (internet) 13.00 lunch break

3. 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

4. LAICT8 1. Fundamentals • hardware basics • addingdevices/drivers • handling files / back-up • user interface (windows) • copy/paste function Checklist of preparatory study • O L E • video-conferencing • interactive capabilities • version control • evaluating software

5. 2. File Management File sizes • implications - storage - processing • compression techniques - standards - zip/unzip • temporary files • disk defragmentation • security/protection

6. File Management File sizes • what makes a file large? a) presentation formatting e.g. these files contain just the words the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog simple text = small web-page = small wp = larger dtp = largest

7. File Management File sizes • what makes a file large? b) graphics • low detail = smaller (e.g. GIF) • high detail = larger (e.g. JPG) violin.gif = 16 kb violin.jpg = 34 kb

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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!

12. 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

13. PG8 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’?

14. 4. Information Types • Resources size • textual (simple) • textual (formatted - pdf, doc, etc files) • graphical • sound • audio/visual

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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 ...

18. 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’

19. Information 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 available NetNanny CyberPatrol CyberSitter SurfWatch Web Trail CyberSnoop InterGO

20. Information Sources The world wide web • the world wide web has become the face of the internet • highly visual • easy to follow • multi-function

21. School 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

22. School 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

23. School 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

24. SITES8 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

25. 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

26. AV8 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

27. 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

28. 7. Electronic Mail • originally person-to-person • but, circulation lists supported • more like ‘poste restante’ than letterbox delivery • most widely used internet facility

29. E-Mail Attachments • needed for large filese.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 requirede.g. wincode

30. Electronic Mail : WebMail • e-mail running on a WebSite, not on an ISP’s mail-servere.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 againe.g. joe.bloggs@hotmail.com

31. 8. 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 !

32. Newsgroups : Web Boards • newsgroup on a website rather than on a news-servere.g. LAICT Web Board • useful for closed user groups • like an inhouse notice-board

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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