Tapped in Newsletter: December 2000
...ON THE TAPIS
December 2000
Issue 37
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In This Issue
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[1] Warm Wishes for the Holiday Season from the TAPPED IN Team
[2] The 3 Rs: Reading, Responsibility & Respect
[3] The Top-Ten Questions asked at HelpDesk
[4] Technology Tips
[5] SIG Gem of the Month
[6] New JigsawHelper Discussion Group to start in January
[7] QED: Teacher internet use grows more sophisticated
[8] About ...On the TAPIS
Quote of the Month
"Within my lifetime, refusal by a faculty member to use distance-learning technology will be considered professional malpractice." Christopher J. Dede, quoted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, October 14, 1999.
[1] Warm Wishes for the Holiday Season from the TAPPED IN Team
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This year has been a busy one--when aren't they?! First, we want to thank each and every one of you for joining and being part of TAPPED IN. Our membership has now grown to over 9,000 and each month over 10% of you log in. Even though we've gotten so big, we still truly believe that every member in TAPPED IN brings something valuable to contribute--a new perspective, knowledge to share, a question, or enthusiasm for teaching and learning. We hope that you find value in being able to share and learn with other educators online in the community.
As we grow as a community, we see more and more instances of how much each of you cares and wants to help others reach their full potential as an educator. We believe that this caring is what sets TAPPED IN apart from other places. If you haven't yet experienced the benefits of our community, log in or email us and talk with us about how to get involved. Being part of a community and taking full advantage of its offerings initially takes a little effort, but members who are involved tell us the rewards very much outweigh the effort. If you find yourself too busy, and want to keep reading our newsletter and "lurking" in the community, that is ok too. Join us whenever you can--we'll be here.
[2] The 3 Rs: Reading, Responsibility & Respect - by BJ Berquist
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Our TAPPED IN community is growing rapidly. We now have almost 9000 members! This means more resources for us all and greater attendance at the scheduled public discussions. It also sometimes means that newer community members may not be familiar with online discussion etiquette. This can be time consuming, disruptive, and frustrating for participants and discussion leaders. Please take a few moments to review the 3 R's so that everyone can have a successful discussion experience.
It's a good idea to log on 10 to 15 minutes before a discussion is scheduled to begin. This lets the HelpDesk direct you to the right room. When you enter the room where the discussion is taking place take time to READ the dialogue that may scroll on your screen. Keep in mind that when you enter text in the SAY window and press return you are talking to everyone in the room even if you direct your comment to a single person.
Be RESPONSIBLE for your dialogue. If you want to talk to someone and not disturb the discussion, whisper to that person (type: /wh nameofperson and your comment) The moderator or facilitator of the discussion may establish ground rules for asking questions. You may be asked to post questions to the whiteboard, whisper them to the facilitator, or ask them at a designated time.
Discussion leaders are members of the TAPPED IN community and volunteer their time to present discussion topics. RESPECT their contribution by listening to what they have to say and by contributing to the dialogue. TAPPED IN values its members and hopes that with your help each discussion will be a positive productive learning experience for everyone involved.
[3] The Top-Ten Questions asked at HelpDesk
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10. How do I get an office?
9. How do I get a transcript of a discussion?
8. How do I find out if a person is logged in?
7. How do I join someone for a meeting?
6. How do I get a recorder?
5. Can I take a tour?
4. How do I whisper?
3. How do I know when a discussion is scheduled?
2. How do I emote (laugh, smile, wave, etc.)?
...and the Number One Question...
1. How do I find out more about TAPPED IN?
HelpDesk, a group of TAPPED IN volunteers and staff, is ready to answer these questions. HelpDesk hours are 8am-8pm PST Monday through Friday.
(answers: 10. type /HELP OFFICE and follow the prompts 9. Go to the After School Online Room and click on TRANSCRIPT EMAILER 8. Click on WHO'S ONLINE 7. Type: /join nameofperson 6. Get a personal recorder from SUPPLIES 5. Check the CALENDAR for scheduled Tours and Tips sessions 4. Type: /whisper nameofperson and your message. Dont forget the slash! 3. Click on CALENDAR 2. Type a colon and the action. (:laughs, :smiles, :waves, etc.) 1. Ask a friendly HelpDesk person!)
[4] Technology Tips
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Zoning in on Time Zones
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What exactly does "time-zone friendly calendar" mean? Its a feature that has been added to the TAPPED IN Calendar that allows you to look at the scheduled events with times showing for your time zone. Just click on your zone for a personalized version of the Calendar. If your zone is not displayed, let us know and we'll add it!
Advanced Tech Tip of the Month: Holding Meetings In TAPPED IN
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If you're planning on bringing in a class or holding a meeting in the TAPPED IN environment, the following sites can help you and your participants prepare for the experience. Knowing what to expect during a discussion allows you and your participants to have a successful event.
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] SIG Gem of the Month
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(from the 12/7/00 Foreign Language Discussion Group transcript)
JimBe asks, "Thanks for letting me join in. Will there be any CALL discussion anytime soon?"
JoyceRS says, "Thanks for your input. I will check those sites"
ChuckM [to Joyce]: "CALL?"
JimBe says, "Computer-Assisted Language Learning."
ChuckM asks, "How about next time? Who wants to help research this?"
JimBe says, "I'm working on a CALL CD for Eng. teachers in Japan."
ChuckM asks, "Or shall we all?"
ChuckM looks to Jim
ChuckM asks, "I think we found our man. Jim?"
KeikoS . o O ( quite a few questions tonight had to do with CALL, too. )
JimBe asks, "I just poked my head in to check it out. But sure! What time?"
JoyceRS says, "Let's see if I can find anything on the level of elementary school children"
ChuckM asks, "Our next regular meeting would be Jan. 4th. Is this OK with everyone?"
Special Interest Group (SIG) Discussions try to meet the needs and address the issues of specific groups of educators. Currently active groups include: the Social Studies Forum, Technology in the Classroom, KIKO, Foreign Language, Targeting Librarians!, WebQuests, K-3 Resources, School Administrators, Alternative/Correctional Ed, ArtsSites, PAarts, and School Counselors.
Read the transcripts of past discussions in the TAPPED IN archives and join us for the next session. Register for the MEET ME mail list to receive the weekly/monthly topics for each discussion group.
[6] New JigsawHelper Discussion Group to start in January
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http://www.jigsawhelper.org is a free community that helps teachers learn and use the Jigsaw Grouping Method with the Web. Research has shown that even occasional use of the Jigsaw Grouping Method can improve academic learning, while reducing gender bias, and racial conflict (Aronson, The Jigsaw Classroom, 1997). Anyone interested in the advantages of using the Jigsaw Grouping Method with the Web to help teachers write and/or use Jigsaw Activities is invited to join Fred Steinbroner on the third Tuesday of every month, beginning on Tuesday January 16, 2001. Together we can climb toward higher academic achievement, gender equality, and racial harmony in our schools.
[7] QED: Teacher internet use grows more sophisticated
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Quality Education Data findings show that there are a growing number of teachers using the internet for evaluating curriculum, lesson planning, and professional development.
[8] About ...On the TAPIS
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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.