Introduction to Newsgroups
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| Introduction to Newsgroups
A newsgroup is an asynchronous discussion. Classroom discussions are the lifeblood of most classes. Now imagine being able to have this discussion beyond the time that a class meets face-to-face. Imagine students and teachers being able to discuss a topic whenever they have the inspiration or time. The saddest part of a great classroom discussion is that once the bell rings - it is soon forgotten and the day moves on. With newsgroups, the discussion is saved. Another powerful application of newsgroups is the ability to enable collaborative work. Students may use newsgroups to collaborate in collective problem solving. The discussions can be organized into sub-threads and themes. The learning that takes place in discussions is available on the web via newsgroups.
Fundamentals of Newsgroups Threaded Discussions - A threaded discussion indicates that several discussions may take place at the same time and can be initiated by any participant. Discussions should be organized into "threads" or topics. Thus any person may view the responses of other participants and respond to the participant of her or his choice. Thus the respondent may offer thoughts to any topic and to any participant at any time. Responding - Having read "post" (someone's response or writing) if you wish you may respond to that person. Keep in mind that your response will be read by all other participants. If your response is intended to be private, you should respond via email, not the newsgroup. The server handling the discussion will determine how you may respond. A FrontPage discussion newsgroup which is feature in this tutorial predetermines your discussion interface. However, most other newsgroups will allow the user to access the discussion via popular browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer. Reading the Discussion - Just like any traditional discussion, you may choose to be very "vocal" or you may be more taciturn. Learning takes place on both levels. One may learning by reading only, but the most powerful learning takes place when one responds by posting. Responding forces you to cohesively argue a particular point. Plus others will benefit from your post as well. FrontPage Discussion - Follow this link to participate in a discussion about the use of technology in the classroom. The options you have include reading the articles found in the "Contents". You may also begin a new discussion by clicking on "Post a new article" or "Post". When posting a new discussion topic or thread, you should also include a new subject to give your readers a hint about your new topic. You may also search the discussion to find specific information by clicking on "Search". The "Next" and "Previous" buttons will take you to the following or previous post. Identity - Your identity will be known to those who participate regularly. FrontPage asks for your name; however, most newsgroups will automatically post your identity (and email address). Thus your should not post anything you are not prepared to defend. FrontPage will post your source server automatically so your identity can be traced whether you choose to fill in the name prompt or not. Creating your own Discussion - To create your own discussion for your class, you must have access to a web server. |
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