1. EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS Vision and Reality
Vladimir Batagelj, University of Ljubljana,
Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Primary school of Cvetko Golar,
Škofja Loka, Slovenia
Vladislav Rajkovi~, University of Maribor,
Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Kranj, and
Jo`ef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Borut ^ampelj, National Education Institute,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
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2. CONTENTS
critical comparison of some existing educational networks by their contents and services
some guidelines for educational network developers
redesign of Slovenian Educational Network - SIO/SEN
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3. EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS The first educational services on the
Internet were established around 1989:
protocols such as FTP, Gopher and
Veronica
turning point in 1993:
HTTP protocol and browsers
(Mosaic and later Netscape...)
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4. Few educational networks
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5. what? to whom? WHAT IS AN EDUCATIONAL NETWORK? why ?
organization of educational
web sites in a useful system
teachers, students,
parents ...
why ?
to find useful information,
to publish their experiences and materials,
to collaborate with partners in educational
projects,
to communicate with colleagues (exchange of
experiences, ON-LINE communication…),
to support open and flexible learning.
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6. SERVICES AND CONTENTS OF EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS
About - the basic information 7
Links 8
Distribution and exchange of resources 9
ON - LINE communications 10
Info - frequently required information 11
Free time activities 12
English 13
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7. About introductory and basic information
about the educational network - EN,
goals and concept of EN,
instructions and hintes for its efficient use.
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8. Links types link forms to institutions to contents indexes catalogues9
to institutions
to contents
(subject pages and materials)
link forms
indexes
catalogues
search engines
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9. types servers of institutions related to
education: ministry, museums, archives,
art galleries, libraries…,
news, media services, publishers,
institutions supporting informatization
of schools: tehnical support, manuals and
instructions.
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10. Websites of individual schools
basis of EN,
common elements: adresses, staff,
school council, school calendar and time
table, contact hours, curricula, health
care, safety regulations and free-time
activities,
specific offer.
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11. Distribution and exchange of resources
classification
by users 12
by subject:
math, arts….
accessibility
commercial/demo/free
mode:
text, sound, picture, video...
An easy access to needed resources should
be provided!
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12. exchange their experiences, opinions and educational materials,
Teachers:
cooperate,
exchange their experiences, opinions
and educational materials,
new challenges of professional development.
Users
Students:
Internet is a rich source
useful information for
projects or short lecture notes,
communications with friends,
plenty of entertainment.
Parents:
general information about school
and its activities,
direct communication with teachers,
and advisory services,
exchange opinions about current
problems and dilemas with other
parents.
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13. ON - LINE communications
Types:
, mailing-lists,
bulletin boards, conferences (notes, chat, video),
hypertext (pasive, active and interactive).
International projects:
KIDLINK,
I*EARN,
ESP,
EUN projects; Socrates...
New challenges in open
and distance learning!
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14. Info - information about activities
information about events:
competitions, contests, performances…
instructions, manuals, guidelines:
computerization of school, Intranet…
different statistics: resume the state and
development of EN.
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15. Make an EN more attractive for kids and support learning by playing.
Free time activities
Make an EN more attractive for kids and support learning by playing.
Forms: lumber room, games, web news papers, competitions,
entertainment.
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16. English For nonenglish based networks it is
important to have an english window into a network.
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17. ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES
Network
administration18
Animation
activities 19
User interface 20
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18. Network administration
technical support,
permanent development of concept and strategy,
coordination with users and supporters,
permanent monitoring and evaluation of EN.
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19. There is no ideal organization form!!
local environment and
cultural characteristics
goals of EN
The structure should be flexible
to allow easy growth in different
directions.
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20. Animation activities
Attractiveness of EN can be achived by providing useful information and different activities such as: quizzes, competitions, events, contests, projects, line newspapers, on- line meetings, ...
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21. sufficient quantity and quality and extent of information,
User interface
sufficient quantity and quality and extent
of information,
quick and easy access to these,
interactivity and openness to users
contributions,
taking care about limitations of available
browsers and diversity of users.
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22. Language and writting problem of nonenglish ENs,
the right solution for the alphabet
problem is Unicode combined with the
OpenType fonts and the FACE attribute in
the HTML tag FONT,
the language problem is more difficult.
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23. REDESIGN OF SIO Slovenian Educational Network
Project Ro:
1994, to rise the level of computer supported
informatization in elementary and secondary schools
Development of SIO:
support of project Ro, 1995
New SIO has been launched as a result of analysis
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24. Conclusions
free access to information and IT;
free exchange of information;
free expression of individual opinions.
A global international educational network should be established!
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25. Internet: A Land To Settle Rather Than An Ocean To Surf
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