Message from Dr. Roberto Bamberger

I guess that if I had prepared some slides for the presentation, They might have looked like this

* Tools for Interaction

* There are lots of them.

* ListServers

* Can have web interfaces which "thread" the discussion

http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/lwgate.cgi/TOOLB-L/archives/toolb-l.log9601d/subject/

* MS FrontPage Discussion List

* HomeBrew systems http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/ButchsPlace

* Many "Chat" sites

* Virtual Classroom is an excellent tool

* There is no tool that is universally optimal

* How do you choose

* Start by deciding what the educational goal of the interaction is

* Research "available" tools by

* Talking to others

* Utilizing ListServers (for Example)

* Surfing the net

* Remember "available" can depend on a lot of things like

* Server OS and Software

* Support (technical, financial, etc.)

* Client machines (what OS, Browsers, etc can people use?)

* Decide what your requirements are based on the learning objectives

* Is text based system sufficient? If so, maybe use a listserve or usenet

* Is there a need to have different people having different roles or abilities (ie can an instructor do different things than a student? Can you have different levels of students)

* Main point:

* Know what you want the tool to accomplish. Make a list so that you can make informed questions

* When you have the informed list, make an informed question to

* This group is a good start

* Various Net Mailing lists on distance learning

* My group over here in College of Engineering. Ask, we will try and help!

* Remember, our goal is education and its enhancement.

* Make sure that you are not letting the technology get in the way of education.

* Remember that students have been conditioned to learn in certain ways and they have expectations.

* Remember to provide support for new tools.

* Do not just throw them in the pool.

* Remember, many students do not know how to learn... they know how to memorize and repeat.