©1996, I. Borrás
THE INTERNET
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"What -or who- is the Internet? It has been called "the
mother of all computer networks:" evolving out of the military-industrial
ARPAnet of the early 1970s, it has expanded into an all but totally unsupervised
community of communicators that, as of the mid 1990s, reaches over 15 million
users in nearly 150 countries, and continues to grow rapidly...
Even more remarkable than the Internet's intellectual variety is its
spontaneously democratic and libertarian spirit. The Internet was created
by its own users and is run without any central administration...
If the spirit of the Internet and the technology of NREN should ally,
government may need do nothing more than guarantee by law the context within
which such a network runs itself: namely, that information shall be a public
utility kept free because the people want it to be free." The Cult
of Information, Roszak, (1994: 185-186) |
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INTERNET DIGEST
The Internet, the center lane of the information
super-highway, is a world-wide computer network created more than two decades
ago for researchers. Recently, early childhood educators at all levels and
early childhood teacher education students have begun to use the Internet
to communicate and to share information. Research suggests that use of electronic
networking can help teachers (especially new teachers) reduce their sense
of isolation, connect with peers, and increase their sense of professionalism
and autonomy (Honey & Henriquez, 1993). Internet use provides access
to high-quality research and practice information for practicing educators
and college students (Means et al., 1993). This digest explores the uses
of the Internet for teacher education students, and provides basic information
on popular features and access.
Features
While electronic mail is the most frequently used feature
of the Internet by all groups of users, participation in discussion groups
and access to the growing number of information collections available via
the Internet are increasingly viewed by educators as essential.
ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL). Research indicates that educators'
most frequently used sources of information are their colleagues; electronic
mail provides educators with a worldwide group of peers with whom to share
information and ideas. Messages can be composed and sent from home or work
at the sender's convenience, and received and responded to when convenient
to the receiver. Electronic mail is fast and reliable. Most messages are
received and read only by the person for whom they were intended, but e-mail
should not be considered absolutely secure or private.
INTERNET DISCUSSION GROUPS. Internet discussion groups
are an extension of electronic mail and are essentially electronic mailing
lists. They provide users with the opportunity to be part of electronic
communities made up of individuals who share similar interests rather than
geographic proximity. Thousands of discussion groups exist on the Internet
covering everything from scuba diving to early childhood education. Mailing
list capability is also used to provide online courses, such as the Internet
"Roadmap" course,which provides hands-on Internet training to
anyone wishing to "enroll" by becoming part of an online "class."
DATABASES AND LIBRARY CATALOGS. The ERIC database, the
ETS Test Collection (which catalogues and describes thousands of surveys,
tests, and other measurement instruments), government databases (which often
include the full text of materials), and university library catalogs are
accessible through the Internet. Most are accessed using telnet software,
which allows users to logon to remote databases as if their own computer
were directly connected to the remote system.
GOPHER AND WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) SITES. Other information
collections on the Internet include easy-to-use gopher and WWW sites, which
often contain the full text of many documents and articles. These collections
frequently include articles, lesson plans, and other teaching materials;
information on projects for children to participate in with their peers
in other parts of the world; parenting, family, and health information;
government information from a myriad of agencies and departments; and information
about (and from) many cultures. "Gopher" software offers menus
for easy access and usually allows users to search the information on the
server by keyword. World Wide Web (WWW) sites offer graphics and links to
materials housed in a variety of places on the Internet. WWW resources require
that the user have available Web browser software (such as NCSA Mosaic or
Netscape) and a special phone-line connection, or access to a Web browser
through an online system such as Prodigy or America Online.
FILE TRANSFER. On the Internet, files are easily transferred
from one computer to another using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Authors
can share chapters they are working on together; large files containing
software or lengthy documents can also be transmitted and retrieved.
COMMUNITY COMPUTING NETWORKS. Individuals with access to
a computer and modem can connect to a community computing network (or public
access computer system), usually at little or no cost (NPTN, 1994). These
networks exist in many communities and offer services that include electronic
mail; information about health care, education, government, and technology;
and connections to other networks such as the Internet. Local information
is prominently featured on community computing networks, such as school
schedules and directories of local social service organizations, but descriptions
of exemplary national programs, tested lesson plans, and general information
on education-related topics may also be included. A common type of community
computing network is the Free-Net. Free-Nets are affiliated with the National
Public Telecomputing Network.
Access
Internet access for the general public is increasing rapidly,
but this question remains a central concern for many educators who want
to use the Internet. At the federal level, a number of possibilities are
being explored for increasing Internet access for the education community,
including legislation that promotes the use of telecommunications in the
classroom and funding for access for educators. Right now, however, four
means of gaining access are available.
ACCESS THROUGH STATE OR REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL NETWORKING
SYSTEMS. Many states (Texas, Florida, North Dakota, Virginia, and others)
now provide or are planning to provide low-cost or free access for educators.
Inquiries should be directed to local school district offices, regional
education service providers, or state departments of education to find out
if this option exists in your area.
ACCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY COMPUTING NETWORKS. Local Free-Nets
and other community computing networks are already operational in dozens
of cities across the U.S., and many more are in the planning stages; a few
states, such as Maryland, offer Internet access to every citizen who requests
it through a state-wide network. Local public libraries are a good source
of information on community information net-works that may be close by and
reachable through a local or low-cost telephone call.
ACCESS THROUGH SPECIAL PROJECTS AT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.
Many universities and colleges provide access to the Internet for undergraduate
and graduate students, and for nearby schools that take part in research
or learning projects.
ACCESS THROUGH COMMERCIAL SERVICES. Dozens of commercial
services, including some telephone companies, now offer connectivity to
parents and educators. In addition, some professional associations offer
subscriptions to online services that offer their own information and Internet
access. While most commercial providers allow subscribers to use electronic
mail, some do not offer access to the valuable information collections and
databases on the Internet. Before making a decision on subscribing to a
commercial service, early childhood educators should find out if they will
be able to: (1) receive and send electronic mail on the Internet without
restrictions; (2) joint Internet discussion groups (listservs); (3) use
Internet capabilities such as gopher, telnet, lynx (software that allows
information created for graphical web browsers to be accessed by people
with text-only systems), and graphical Web browsers such as Netscape; and
(4) access the system through a local telephone call. Many commercial vendors
offer a free trial period so that you can try out their service.
Use
The size and diversity of the Internet can make it difficult
to find specific information, but a growing number of online and offline
services and software can help. Basic Internet guides are now common in
book stores, and some are available free on the Internet for "downloading"
to your own computer.
ASKING DISCUSSION GROUP PARTICIPANTS. Customized help in
finding resources on particular topics can be obtained by participating
in discussion groups or listservs.
INTERNET FINDING TOOLS. Several Internet finding tools
are available. These include general search tools, such as Jughead and Veronica
(which allow Internet users to do a keyword search) for gopher sites and
the Web Crawlers for World Wide Web sites. Many education sites offer extensive
topical listings of Internet resources, such as Stanford University and
the Illinois Learning Mosaic.
ASKERIC. The ERIC Internet question-answering service called
AskERIC can provide pointers to specific resources, such as penpal programs
for children. Requests for information should be sent by email to askeric@ericir.syr.edu.
AskERIC and its parent-related component, PARENTS AskERIC are good sources
of information on all topics related to education and can be used by anyone
interested in education. "InfoGuides" housed at the AskERIC gopher
and Virtual Library offer pointers to Internet (and print) resources on
such topics as children's literature, child abuse, home schooling, and the
media and children.
References
Alexander, N.P. (1994). Atlis. Early Childhood Development
and the Electronic Age. Young Children 49(5, July): 26-27. EJ 486 926.
Honey, M., and A. Henriquez. (1993). Telecommunications
and K-12 Educators: Findings from a National Survey. New York: Center for
Technology in Education. ED 359 923.
Krol, E. (1994). The Whole Internet: User's Guide & Catalogue.
(Second Edition). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
Means, B., J. Blando, K. Olson, T. Middleton, C. C. Morocco,
A.R. Remz, and J. Zorfass. (1993). Using Technology to Support Education
Reform. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. ED 364 220.
National Public Telecomputing Network. (1994). Community
Computing and the National Public Telecomputing Network. Cleveland, OH:
Author.
INTERNET SITES
The below sites will provide you with an extensive and
updated overview of the Internet concepts and terms. There are certainly
many more sites dealing with the subject that you can search on your own.
However, I would advise you not to so at this point. First because you could
be overwhelmed with too much information, and second because simply browsing
around the Internet is not going to make you learn the Net cognitive tools.
Internet
The Internet Services List
ILC Glossary of Internet Terms