| Number 4 | April 12, 1999 | ||
| Announcements - Educyber publishes two editions of Edunotes, one for Educators and one for Computer Users. To change or add to your subscription, contact Educyber (303-421-2223, edunotes@educyber.com) - Visit our Bookstore page to order books to help you use and understand computer technology. Inside Edunotes Educyber Site Guide |
In the thousands and millions of lines of code they produce for a single piece of software, programmers often hide their own little Easter egg that can give you a bit of surprise when you find it. Sometimes the Easter egg is no more than the splash screen that the program displays when it starts or a scrolling list of credits for the programmers and creators of the software, but sometimes you might get a lot more. Who would have thought that Excel 97 would have it's own flight simulation program hidden inside. It's nothing fancy mind you, but it's still a note of interest and can provide a minute or two of diversion from number crunching. If you are a fish-loving Netscape user, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that you've got easy access to the Netscape aquarium. If you don't have hours to hunt yourself, visit http://www.cnet.com/Content/Features/Howto/Eggs/ to learn more. |
Perhaps A Word A Day (AWAD) is just what you're looking for. Anu Garg is a self-proclaimed Wordsmith. His AWAD sends thousands of people a new word every day. You get the word, pronunciation information, a definition, a usage example, and usually the etymology of the word as well. Each week the words are on a different theme. For example, one week in March the words all began with pi in honor of pi day (Yes there is actually a day set aside to remember pi.) As an added bonus, each word comes with a quote of the day. You can chuckle over amusing quotes from the likes of Mark Twain or ponder the depth behind the words of great philosophers. You can even hear the word of the day's pronunciation at the AWAD web site. The pronunciation is provided in both WAV and RealAudio formats so just about everyone should be able to listen. Ready to sign-up for your daily word? Visit the AWAD web site at http://www.wordsmith.org/awad/ |
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| Edunotes Newsletter This newsletter is created by Brian and Maki DeLaet at Educyber, Inc. Subscriptions in the U.S. are free. Subscribe online at www.educyber.com or call (303) 268-2245. Educyber is based at: 4251 Kipling St. #190. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 |
Edu
Words (a glossary for computer users) URL: (Uniform Resource Locator) The address of a location (usually) on the Internet. Educyber's URL is http://www.educyber.com HTTP: (HyperText Transfer Protocol) The protocol used with the World Wide Web. The typical format for using http is "http:// (Host)/(Path)" In other words, www.educyber.com is the host and edunotes/index.php is the path to the Edunotes main page. FTP: (File Transfer Protocol) Another protocol used on the Internet, FTP is the main protocol used to transfer files over the Internet. You can use ftp in your browser, but many computers that you connect to with ftp work better with an ftp utility program such as Fetch! for Macs and WS_FTP for PC's. Telnet: A way of communicating with a server (computer) remotely as if you were actually sitting at that server's console. You need a user name and password to start a telnet session. Many people access their email with telnet. |
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At the same time, with Internet delivery, it's becoming easier and easier to upgrade. Many of the upgrades that are available are free if downloaded over the Internet as well. Here is a list of some of the major software products and the latest version available: Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows 98 (Y2K Update Available) Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 Microsoft says Windows 2000 will be released sometime in '99. Apple Mac OS 8.5.1 (notice the .1 - free download at the Apple website) Internet Programs: Netscape Communicator 4.5 AOL 4.0 Eudora Pro 4.1 (4.2 should be out soon) MS Internet Explorer 5.0 Outlook Express 5.0 MS Outlook 98 (free upgrade from 97) Opera 3.51 (www.operasoftware.com) Quicktime 3.0 RealPlayer G2 Update 1 DreamWeaver 2.0 Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 Other Software: Office 97 Service Release 2 Office 2000 should be coming out sometime in the next few months. Quicken 99 Lotus SmartSuite Millennium Edition Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 9 Adobe PhotoShop 5.0 Adobe Illustrator 8.0 ACT! 4.0 (PC) ACT! 2.8 (Mac) Norton Utilities 4.0 In addition to the above titles, you should always make sure you have the most up-to-date version of your anti-virus software. Some of the upgrades, like Netscape Communicator and IE 5 are free while others you must pay for. Many of the upgrades are available over the web. For those that aren't free, you pay with a credit card. Of course, you can also find most of these upgrades in your local computer superstore as well. If you plan to download a program update, make sure you have either lots of time or a fast Internet connection. Stop and consider how your students face the monitor. Are they looking up or down? The ideal position is having the top of the screen at eye level. Is the screen tiltable? If it's a little low, tilt it up at a slight angle so they don't have to try to scrunch down to see it clearly. Alternatively, try raising the monitor by putting a block of wood or other object between the desktop and computer monitor. What kind of chairs are your students sitting in? It should firmly support their lower back and be easily adjustable for whatever student might use the same computer. The ideal posture is sitting up straight with their feet on the floor and 90 degree angles at the waist and knees. Of course very few of us work with unlimited budgets but, if your chairs aren't the right height consider cheaper alternatives. If they aren't sitting at the workstation for long periods of time, it may be better to have them sit on a thick book to get a better posture but of course the book would not be very comfortable for longer sessions. They should also have lots of legroom. Don't ask them to work on a computer where they have to lean forward because there's no leg space. That can lead to all sorts of aches and pains from poor posture and having to reach for the keyboard. Watch how your students are accessing the keyboard and mouse. Their arms should, ideally, be parallel to the floor and in a relaxed position for using the keyboard. Their wrists should be straight. If they bend your elbows at angles less than 90 degrees so their hands can reach the keyboard, see if you can use or install a drawer under the desktop for the keyboard. If they use the mouse for an extended period of time, make sure that their arm is not extended straight out. If there isn't room for a mouse next to the keyboard, consider getting trackballs. It takes a little getting used to but those who use them become reasonably proficient in a day or two. |
http://www.hoxie.org/pdk/clip01.htm Does your class have a website? Do you publish school or classroom newsletters? This page offers files of school-related clipart and small animations for you to download and use for free! There are many images in different categories so that you can choose a graphic or two to make your publication look sharper! This page belongs to a chapter of Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) and it is linked to PDK International Home Page <http://www.pdkintl.org/>, which supports educational research by providing PDK's database search service and other information to support teachers. Larry's Links http://home.cwix.com/~l2ingram@mci2000.com/ed-1.htm Here are more reference links than you will ever need! Built by a high school teacher in San Antonio Texas, this page contains useful links on social studies, history, geography, government/civics, other research groups, teachers' resources and more. It also has links to Library of Congress Resources and several educational media web sites like PBS, The Discovery Channel, and National Public Radio, so you'll be sure to find the information you need to prepare for your class. ESchoolNews online http://www.eschoolnews.org/ This site is titled "Your #1 Source for K-12 School Technology News and Information". The newsletter is furnished with up-to-date information to help, in particular, K-12 educators integrating computing with their classroom learning. "eSchool Discussion Forum" provides an opportunity to share information with fellow educators all over who face the same challenges and concerns. The site also provides links to some grant information sites so that you can find the right grant to apply for so your school can upgrade its technology. You can get two trial issues of their newsletter for free but their web site has useful information as well.
by Brian DeLaet
Though I'm not in a classroom right now, the dichotomy of the need for
district-, state-, or even nation-wide standards for achievement and
promotion versus measuring the individual student's growth and learning
concerns me.The NY Times recently did an article (http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/regional/ 040199ny-mills-cirriculum.html) on NY State Commissioner of Education Richard P. Mills who, earlier in his career was involved in an alternative school that, among other things, used student portfolios as an evaluation tool. Now that he oversees education in his state, he is a firm proponent of standards and testing. Has he turned 180 degrees or is there some way we can hold students to standards while at the same time affirming the growth and learning an individual student has made even if it is below standard? The district where my son goes to school (Jefferson County, Colorado) is trying a new method of evaluation for grades K 6 that shows both the student's level based on the standard, and the gains the student has made through the semester and the year. My biggest fear with any kind of testing based on standards, is the inevitable and overwhelming importance placed on a single test. In Japan, where I spent many years, tests, especially college entrance exams, have become so important that a person's whole future is literally determined by whether they pass or fail that single test. Though the tests aren't standardized, they have reached such a degree of importance that test anxiety causes everything from sleepless nights to suicidal depression for thousands of high schoolers. Though I find myself agreeing with Mr. Mills about the usefulness and importance of determining standards and testing those standards; we must do all that we can to ensure that standardized tests don't take on a life of their own, spawning cram schools and "practice tests" and causing sleepless nights or worse for our young people. In addition, as almost any teacher will attest, some students make great strides in their learning, mastering concepts or ideas they previously couldn't grasp, and still are below their level. As standards are debated and developed, we need to keep in mind these cases so that whatever standard is set, we don't lock them out of meaningful roles in society or rob them of their dreams. |
This Newsletter is published by Educyber. For more information, or to subscribe, call (303) 268-2245 or Email edunotes@educyber.com ©1999 Educyber,Inc.