…Or How I Learned To Love the 'Net!

Greetings! Since you are reading this document, you are probably considering the possibility of expanding your Internet-related teaching capacities. Perhaps you currently use a webpage to post your syllabus. Perhaps you use electronic mail (hereafter "email") to discus topics with your students. Maybe you think you could expand the role of the World Wide Web (hereafter "Web") to facilitate student learning. Or maybe your conscience has consistently bugged you about the quantity of paper wasted each year on student papers, lab reports, etc., and you wish to do something about it. For all of these concerns and more, this report will fulfill your wishes.

This report will attempt to enhance your web presence, but it is not intended to be a introductory guide to setting up a web page, using email, etc. Each section will have prerequisites that you will need to feel comfortable with before proceeding. Please contact me if you need assistance.

The prerequisites for each section are:

Section One: JavaScript Tutorials

You will need to know how to set up an HTML document (i.e. a webpage) using an editor and how to call the document using a browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer.) Additionally, you will have to know how to FTP documents from your computer to your Internet directory.

Section Two: Discus

You will need to be comfortable with FTP and the Web. You must know how to set permissions on FTP directories. In addition, you will need an executable CGI directory. CGI stands for "Common Gateway Interface" and the directory usually looks something like /cgi-bin (on Teleport, my ISP server, the directory is /htbin.) Finally, you will need the path to the Perl directory (usually /usr/bin/perl) and Perl Version 5 running on your system.

Section Three: Drills and Practice

You will need to know how to set up an HTML document, how to FTP that document to your webspace, and how to call the document using a browser. An extensive familiarity with the JavaScript computer language is also recommended. Recommended reading: JavaScript Bible (3^rd Edition) by Danny Goodman (IDG Books, 1998).

Section Four: Handouts on the Web

In addition to the prerequisites on Section One, above, you will need a working copy of Microsoft Word 97 (or Word 98 on the Macintosh) on your computer.

Section Five: Paperless Grading

You will need access to Microsoft Word 97 (or Word 98 on the Macintosh). You must also be familiar with email (sending and receiving documents, email addresses, etc.)

Section Six: Introducing Students to the Internet

No prerequisites required, although you may want to "spice up" my example with a few content-specific examples that correlate with the course to be taught. You will need to provide your students with a "host" email address if they do not have one currently; I usually give them my address at MHCC.