RFC1578

Network Working Group J. Sellers Request for Comments: 1578 NASA NREN/Sterling Software FYI: 22 February 1994 Category: Informational

                  FYI on Questions and Answers

Answers to Commonly Asked "Primary and Secondary School Internet User"

                           Questions

Status of this Memo

This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

The goal of this FYI RFC, produced by the Internet School Networking (ISN) group in the User Services Area of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), is to document the questions most commonly asked about the Internet by those in the primary and secondary school community, and to provide pointers to sources which answer those questions. It is directed at educators, school media specialists, and school administrators who are recently connected to the Internet, who are accessing the Internet via dial-up or another means which is not a direct connection, or who are considering an Internet connection as a resource for their schools.

7. Questions About Educational Collaboration, Projects, and

Introduction

The elementary and secondary school community of teachers, media specialists, administrators, and students is a growing population on the Internet. In general, this group of users approaches the Internet with less experience in data network technology and fewer technical and user support resources than other Internet user groups. Many of their questions are related to the special needs of the community, while others are shared by any new user. This document attempts first to define the most frequently asked questions related to the use of the Internet in pre-university education and then to provide not only answers but also pointers to further information. For new user questions of a more general nature, the reader should get FYI 4, "FYI on Questions and Answers: Answers to Commonly Asked 'New Internet User' Questions" [1]. For information on how to get this document, see Appendix B.

It is important to remember that the Internet is a volatile and changing virtual environment. I have tried to include only the most stable of network services when listing resources and groups for you to contact, which is a good solution to the problem of changing offerings on the Internet, but by no means a fool-proof one. This constant change also means that there is a lot out there that you will discover as you begin to explore on your own.

Future updates of this document will be produced as Internet School Networking working group members are made aware of new questions and of insufficient or inaccurate information in the document. The RFC number of this document will change with each update, but the FYI number (22) will remain the same.

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank for their help and contributions to this document the members of the Consortium for School Networking, Kidsphere, and Ednet electronic mailing lists, Ronald Elliott, Science and Technology Center; Klaus Fueller, Institute for Teacher Training of the German federal state of Hesia (HILF), and educator; Ellen Hoffman, Merit Network, Inc.; William Manning, Rice University; and Anthony Rutkowski, CNRI. Special thanks go to Raymond Harder, Microcomputer Consultant, and Michael Newell, NASA Advanced Network Applications, who not only made contributions but also kept a steady stream of feedback flowing. Extra special thanks go to the remarkable Ms. April Marine of the NASA Network Applications and Information Center for her contributions to the document, her expert advice, and her unparalleled support.

Questions About the Internet in an Educational Setting

3.1 What is the Internet?

  The Internet is a collection of more than 10,000 interconnected
  computer networks around the world that make it possible to share
  information almost instantly.  The networks are owned by countless
  commercial, research, governmental, and educational organizations
  and individuals.  The Internet allows the more than 1.5 million
  computers and 10 millions users of the system to collaborate
  easily and quickly through messaging, discussion groups, and
  conferencing.  Users are able to discover and access people and
  information, distribute information, and experiment with new
  technologies and services.  The Internet has become a major global
  infrastructure for education, research, professional learning,
  public service, and business and is currently growing at the rate
  of about ten percent per month.

  The Internet Society serves as the international organization for
  Internet cooperation and coordination.  See Section 9, "Resources
  and Contacts".

  For a more complete basic introduction to the Internet, see FYI
  20, "What is the Internet?" [2].  Instructions on retrieving FYI
  documents can be found in Appendix B.

3.2 What are the benefits of using the Internet in the classroom?

  The Internet expands classroom resources dramatically by making
  many resources from all over the world available to students,
  teachers, and media specialists, including original source
  materials.  It brings information, data, images, and even computer
  software into the classroom from places otherwise impossible to
  reach, and it does this almost instantly.  Access to these
  resources can yield individual and group projects, collaboration,
  curriculum materials, and idea sharing not found in schools
  without Internet access.

  Internet access also makes contact with people all over the world
  possible, bringing into the classroom experts in every content
  area, new and old friends, and colleagues in education.  With
  access to the Internet, your site can become a valuable source of
  information as well.  Consider the expertise in your school which
  could be shared with others around the world.

  The isolation inherent in the teaching profession is well-known
  among educators.  By having access to colleagues in other parts of
  the world, as well as to those who work outside of classrooms,

  educators able to reach the Internet are not as isolated.

  A hands-on classroom tool, the use of networks can be a motivator
  for students in and of itself, and their use encourages the kind
  of independence and autonomy that many educators agree is
  important for students to achieve in their learning process.
  Because class, race, ability, and disability are removed as
  factors in communication while using the Internet, it is a natural
  tool for addressing  the needs of all students; exactly how this
  is done will vary from district to district as schools empower
  individual teachers and students.

  School reform, which is much on the minds of many educators today,
  can be supported by the use of the Internet as one of many
  educational tools.  See the answer to Question 4.1 for more
  specifics.

3.3 How can educators incorporate this resource into their busy

    schedules?

  Most educators learn about the Internet during the time they use
  to learn about any new teaching tool or resource.  Realistically,
  of course, this means they "steal" time at lunch, on week-ends,
  and before and after school to explore resources and pursue
  relationships via the Internet.  Those who do so feel that it is
  well worth the rich rewards.  It's important that computers used
  to access the Internet are readily available and not so far away
  physically as to make using the resource impossible for educators
  and others.

  Many features of the Internet, such as the availability of online
  library catalogs and information articles, will actually end up
  saving considerable time once an instructor learns to use them,
  and there are new tools being developed all the time to make
  Internet resources more easily accessible.

  As the value of the Internet as an educational resource becomes
  more evident, school systems will need to look toward building the
  time to use it into educators' schedules.

3.4 I'm already using the National Geographic Kids Network (or PBS

    Learning Link or FrEdMail or ______).  Does this have anything
    to do with the Internet?  Is the Internet different from what
    I'm already using?

  Since the Internet is a network of many different networks, you
  may be using one of the networks which is connected to the
  Internet.  Some commercial programs for schools use networks and
  provide value-added service, such as curriculum software,
  technical support, project organization and coordination, etc.
  Some provide value-added service, but don't allow for all basic
  Internet services.  Networks like FrEdMail (Free Educational
  Electronic Mail), FidoNet, and K12Net are bulletin board and
  conferencing systems linked via the Internet which provide
  inexpensive access to some Internet services.  If you can use
  interactive computer access (Telnet) and electronic file transfer
  (FTP), as well as electronic mail, you are probably "on" the
  Internet.  If you have questions about the specific service you're
  currently using, ask its support personnel if you have Internet
  access, or call the InterNIC.  See Section 9, "Resources and
  Contacts" for how to reach the InterNIC, FrEdMail, FidoNet, and
  K12Net.

Questions About School Support for an Internet Connection

4.1 Where does my school get the money for connecting to the

    Internet?

  Although school budgets are impossibly tight in most cases, the
  cost of an Internet connection can be squeezed from the budget
  when its value becomes apparent.  Costs for a low end connection
  can be quite reasonable.  (See the next question.)

  The challenge facing those advocating an Internet connection
  sometimes has less to do with the actual cost than it has with the
  difficulty of convincing administrators to spend money on an
  unfamiliar resource.

  In order to move the Internet connection closer to the top of your
  school's priority list, consider at least two possibilities.
  First, your school may be in the process of reform, as are many
  schools.  Because use of the Internet shifts focus away from a
  teacher-as-expert model and toward one of shared responsibility
  for learning, it can be a vital part of school reform.  Much of
  school reform attempts to move away from teacher isolation and
  toward teacher collaboration, away from learning in a school-only
  context and toward learning in a life context, away from an
  emphasis on knowing and toward an emphasis on learning, away from

  a focus on content and toward a focus on concepts [3].  The
  Internet can play an integral part in helping to achieve these
  shifts.

  Second, to demonstrate the value of a connection, actual Internet
  access is more useful than words.  While this may sound like a
  chicken-and-egg situation (I have to have Internet access to get
  Internet access), some organizations will provide guest accounts
  on an Internet-connected computer for people in schools who are
  trying to convince others of the value of an Internet connection.

  Contact local colleges, universities, technology companies,
  service providers, community networks, and government agencies for
  both guest accounts and funding ideas.  For alternatives to your
  own school's budget or for supplements to it, look for funding in
  federal, state, and district budgets as well as from private
  grants.  Work with equipment vendors to provide the hardware
  needed at low or no cost to your school, and consider forming a
  School/Community Technology Committee, or a joint School
  District/School/Community Technology Committee.

  The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) has
  information on grants and funding.  Ask for the AskERIC InfoGuide
  called "Grants and Funding Sources".  Two network services, one
  maintained by the United States Department of Education's Office
  of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and one maintained
  by the US National Science Foundation, also have information about
  grants and funding.  Grants can be a way for you to acquire the
  initial money to demonstrate the value of telecommunications in
  the classroom, and since these monies are often awarded on a
  short-term basis, should probably be looked at as temporary means
  of funding your activities.  For information on these
  organizations and their services, see Section 9, "Resources and
  Contacts".  (Note: The funding services mentioned are primarily US
  based.)

4.2 How much does it cost to connect to the Internet, and what

    kind of equipment (hardware, software, etc.) does my school need
    in order to support an Internet connection?

  The cost of an Internet connection varies tremendously with the
  location of your site and the kind of connection that is
  appropriate to your needs.  In order to determine the cost to your
  school, you will need to answer a number of questions. For help in
  learning what the questions are and getting answers to them, begin
  asking at local colleges, universities, technology companies,
  government agencies, community networks (often called "freenets"),
  local electronic bulletin board systems (BBS), network access

  providers, or technology consultants.

  To give you an idea of possible equipment needs, here are three
  sample scenarios, based on possible solutions found in the United
  States.  Keep in mind that these are very general examples and
  that there are many solutions at each level.  See also the answer
  to Question 5.5.

    Low-end: You could subscribe to some kind of Internet dial-up
    service.  This may be provided by a vendor at a cost, by a local
    university gratis, or as a part of a public access service like
    a community network.  You will need a computer which allows
    terminal emulation, terminal emulation software, and a modem
    which is compatible with your dial-up service.  The approximate
    cost, not including the PC or the cost of the phone call, is US
    $100 to US $800 plus a monthly fee of approximately US $30.

    Mid-range: You could subscribe to a dial-up service that
    provides Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) or Point to Point
    Protocol (PPP), allowing your computer to effectively become a
    host on the Internet.  You will need a computer with SLIP or PPP
    software, telecommunications applications software (to allow you
    to use telnet and FTP - File Transfer Protocol), and a modem
    which is compatible with your dial-up service.  The approximate
    cost, not including the PC or the cost of the phone call, is US
    $100 to US $800 plus a monthly fee of approximately US $60.

    High-end: Your school or department could subscribe to a service
    that provides a full Internet connection to the school or
    department's local area network.  This allows all the computers
    on the local area network access to the Internet.  You will need
    a router and a connection to a network access provider's router.
    Typically the connection is a leased line with a CSU/DSU
    (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit).  A leased line is a
    permanent high speed telephone connection between two points;
    this allows you to have a high quality permanent Internet
    connection at all times.  A local area network, which may
    consist only of the router and a PC, Macintosh, or other
    computer system, is also needed, and your computer(s) will need
    some special software:  a TCP/IP (Transmission Control
    Protocol/Internet Protocol) stack, as well as TCP/IP based
    communications software such as Telnet and FTP.  The approximate
    cost, not including the computers, is US $2,000 to US $3,000
    plus a monthly fee of at least US $200.

4.3 What is required in terms of personnel to support an Internet

    connection?  (Will it require extra staff, training, more time
    of teachers and librarians?)

  Any plan for implementing technology in schools must consider
  staff development.  Training is often the most neglected aspect of
  a technology plan, and a lack of training can lead to failure of
  the plan.  In the case of the Internet, all users will need some
  kind of training, whether they are teachers, librarians, students,
  administrators, or people fulfilling other roles in the school.

  The train-the-trainer model, in which a group of people are
  trained in a subject or tool and each individual in turn trains
  other groups, is a good model for Internet training.  A small
  group of motivated teachers can be provided with training and can
  then educate their colleagues.  One advantage is that the initial
  group is able to target the specific needs of the other teachers
  in the school.

  Depending on the hardware involved, there may be a need for
  technical support.  Finding this kind of support, which schools
  will certainly need because it is not usually in place, may be
  tricky.  Some districts are beginning to provide it at the
  district level.  Some schools are able to use volunteers from
  business, industry, or government agencies.  Much of this type of
  support can be done over the network itself, which makes it
  possible for someone located off-site to maintain the equipment
  with only occasional trips to the school.  Additionally, vendors
  often provide some support, perhaps a help desk for basic
  questions.

4.4 How do I convince the people who do the purchasing in our school

    system to spend money on this?

  Most people become convinced with exposure.  One excited
  individual in the school who is able to show proof of concept by
  starting a pilot program can be the catalyst for a school or an
  entire district.  If you can get an Internet account (as suggested
  above) and use it for instruction in your classroom, you can make
  presentations at faculty, school/community, and school board
  meetings.

  The National Center for Education Statistics in the Office of
  Educational Research and Improvement at the United States
  Department of Education has released a 17-minute video targeted at
  school administrators entitled "Experience the Power: Network
  Technology for Education".  It uses interview clips of students,
  teachers, and policy makers in the United States to educate about

  what the Internet is and to encourage support for the use of
  telecommunications in primary and secondary schools.  The NASA
  NREN (US National Aeronautics and Space Administration National
  Research and Education Network) K-12 Initiative has produced an
  11-minute video describing the benefits to schools in using the
  Internet.  The video is entitled, "Global Quest: The Internet in
  the Classroom", and it tells the story through interview clips
  with students and teachers who have experienced the power of
  computer networking.  For further information on the two videos,
  see "National Center for Education Statistics", and "NASA Central
  Operation of Resources for Educators" under "Organizations" in
  Section 9, "Resources and Contacts".

4.5 Where do I go for technical support and training?

  Much technical support and training can be found by using the
  Internet itself.  You can send questions to people in the know and
  join discussion lists and news groups that discuss and answer
  questions about support and training.  One such list is Tipsheet,
  the Computer Help and Tip Exchange, the purpose of which is to
  provide a supportive setting where people can ask questions or
  discuss products.  Other lists are the education-related lists
  mentioned in Question 7.2.  All of these are listed in Section 9,
  "Resources and Contacts".

  Network News, or Usenet News, is a world-wide bulletin board
  system with discussion groups on various topics, including
  computer science, general science, social and cultural themes,
  recreational interests, etc.  By sending questions to an
  appropriate news group you can receive answers from people
  experienced with your particular problem.  Specific news groups to
  look for are those beginning with "comp", for "computer", and
  followed by the type of operating system, hardware, or software
  you have a question about.  For example, comp.os.unix or
  comp.os.msdos.apps.  To understand the culture and etiquette of
  Usenet News, read the group news.announce.newusers.

  Your local community may also have resources that you can tap.
  These are again colleges and universities, businesses, computer
  clubs and user groups, technology consultants, and government
  agencies.

  Your network access provider may offer training and support for
  technical issues, and other groups also offer formal classes and
  seminars.  For those schools who have designated technical people,
  they are good candidates for classes and seminars.

  There are some documents for further reading and exploration that

  you may want to peruse.  See Section 8, "Suggested Reading".
  There are books on almost every specific subject in the computing
  world that may answer your questions.  For new books, check your
  local library, bookstore, or booksellers' catalogs.

Questions About Implementation and Technical Options

5.1 How do I learn about options for getting my school connected?

  In the United States, there are a number of state-wide educational
  networks, most of them with access to the Internet.  To find out
  if there is a state education network in your area which gives
  accounts to educators and/or students, contact the Consortium for
  School Networking.  The InterNIC has a list of regional and
  national network providers.  Both the Consortium for School
  Networking and the InterNIC are listed in Section 9, "Resources
  and Contacts".

  The global regional NICs such as the RIPE NCC in Europe can also
  provide a list of service providers.  The APNIC in the Pacific Rim
  will have a similar list in the near future.

  You can sometimes locate a person enthusiastic about the idea of
  using networks in schools and willing to help you who works as an
  independent consultant, in a local college or university, in a
  technology company, for a network access provider, at a community
  network, or in a government agency.

  There are a number of books about the Internet and how to get
  connected to it.  A few are listed in Section 8, "Suggested
  Reading", and more are being published every month.  Check
  libraries, bookstores, and booksellers' catalogs.

5.2 How many of our computers should we put on the Internet?

  You will probably want to make Internet *access* possible for as
  many of your school's computers as possible.  If you are using a
  dial-up service, you may want a number of shared accounts
  throughout the school.  If your school has a Local Area Network
  (LAN) with several computers on it, one dedicated Internet
  connection should be able to serve the whole school.

  If you are going to connect a lot of computers to the network, you
  will need to make sure your line speed is adequate.  Most dial-up
  systems available today support speeds up to 14.4 Kbs (kilobits
  per second), which is adequate for no more than a couple of
  network users, depending upon the network utilities (FTP, etc.)
  they are using.  If you are planning to connect a large number of

  users, you should probably consider a dedicated line of 56 Kbs or
  higher.

5.3 Should we set up a telecommunications lab or put networked

    computers in each classroom?

  A computer lab is an easier maintenance set-up for the person in
  charge of keeping the equipment running and allows each individual
  (or pair) in an entire class to be using a computer at the same
  time; a computer located in the classroom is more convenient for
  both the teacher and the class.  If you choose the lab option, you
  will probably want to get a commitment from specific teachers or
  media specialists to use the lab in the course of their teaching.
  You might also consider the other labs located throughout your
  school.  For example, if you have a science or language lab, it
  may be the best place for your school to begin to use the
  Internet.  And finally, remember that the library is a natural
  place for people to access network resources!

  Networking all computers campus-wide can be expensive.  You will
  need to consider the options--dial-up access, a dedicated line, or
  some other possibility--and weigh them against your school's needs
  and priorities.  You may want to investigate having one lab, the
  library, and a few classrooms with modem access, assuming phone
  lines are available.  As use of the Internet catches on, it will
  be more effective to create a campus-wide local area network that
  is routed to the Internet through a dedicated line than to keep
  adding modems in classrooms.  Or you may want to consider the
  other options discussed in question 5.5 below.

5.4 Can people get on the Internet from home?

  This depends on your network access provider.  It is certainly a
  possibility and is probably desirable for the educators at your
  school if they happen to have the necessary equipment at home.
  You will need to discuss whether you want to make this option
  available to students even if it is possible technically.  This is
  best discussed with the community your school serves in a public
  forum such as a school/community meeting.  At issue is the shared
  responsibility of educators and parents to monitor student
  Internet use.  (See also Question 6.2.)

5.5 What are some of the options for using Internet services without

    paying for a full, dedicated-line Internet connection?

  It is possible to create a local, store-and-forward network using
  various implementations of the Unix to Unix Copy (UUCP) software
  suite, available as public domain (free) or shareware (small fee

  which is often optional) software, which can run on many different
  platforms including Amiga, IBM, and Macintosh.  The connections
  are via dial-up phone lines using local phone numbers.  Usenet
  News and email are "stored" on a computer until the time appointed
  for that computer to contact the next one along the path to the
  final destination, at which time it is "forwarded" along its way.
  Most computers are set up to process outgoing requests at least
  every 30 minutes.  With this type of system you will have access
  to as many Usenet News groups as your site agrees to carry, as
  well as email, which includes access to mailing lists and
  listservs such as those listed in Section 9, "Resources and
  Contacts".  Many file servers also offer file transfer and other
  services via email.

  There are a couple of important advantages to such a system.
  First, it is much more affordable since such networks provide more
  efficient use of telephone lines, making a connection only while
  data is actually being transferred.  Second, it allows for
  filtering, which gives a school some control over what kind of
  information is available to its students.

  The disadvantage to this type of Internet access is that you may
  be limited regarding the range of Internet applications you can
  use.

  FrEdMail, FidoNet, and K12Net are store-and-forward systems.
  FidoNet, for example, is a network of amateurs and hobbyists which
  operates on personal computers and is publicly accessible by
  anyone with a microcomputer and a modem.  Contact information for
  all three organizations can be found in Section 9, "Resources and
  Contacts".

Questions About Security and Ethics

6.1 Who should have access in the school, the teachers or the

    students?

  Clearly the answer is that all educators, including administrators
  and media specialists or librarians, AND students should have
  access to the Internet.  There's no reason why support staff
  should not also have access.  In elementary schools, access for
  students may be more supervised than in the upper grades.

6.2 I've heard that there are files on the Internet that parents

    would not like their children to get.  How can students be
    kept from accessing this objectionable material?

  If your school has a direct Internet connection, and often even if
  it doesn't, it is not possible to use a technical solution to
  prevent students from accessing objectionable material.  Everyone
  on the network, including students, is able to download files from
  public electronic repositories, some of which contain materials
  that just about anyone would consider objectionable for school-age
  children.  The store-and-forward scenario described in Question
  5.5 is one solution to filtering the information to which students
  have access, but if students are allowed to use email then it is
  possible for someone to send them objectionable material.

  For this reason, it is important that schools develop clear
  policies to guide students' use of the Internet and establish
  rules, and consequences for breaking them, that govern behavior on
  the Internet.  Additionally, schools should consider integrating
  issues around technology and ethics into the curriculum [4].

  Another possibility is to control the times and opportunities that
  students have to access the Internet, and only allow access under
  supervision.  This is a less desirable option than teaching the
  ethics of Internet access as a matter of course, but may be used
  in combination with other methods to ensure the integrity of the
  school, its students, and its educators.

  In any case, schools need to exercise reasonable oversight while
  realizing that it is almost impossible to absolutely guarantee
  that students will not be able to access objectionable material.

6.3 How do we keep our own and other people's computers safe from

    student "hackers"?

  In the language of computer folks, a "hacker" is someone who is
  excellent at understanding and manipulating computer systems. A
  "cracker" is someone who maliciously and/or illegally enters or
  attempts to enter someone else's computer system.

  Computer security is unquestionably important, both in maintaining
  the security of the school's computers and in ensuring the proper
  behavior of the school's students (and others who use the
  network).  In this area, not only school policy, but also state
  and national laws may apply.  Two sources of information which you
  can read to help you sort through security issues are:

    "Site Security Handbook" (FYI 8)

    "Ethical Uses of Information Technologies in Education"
    (Sivin & Bialo)

  The full references for these documents can be found in Section 8,
  "Suggested Reading".  The pamphlet "Ethical Uses of Information
  Technologies in Education" is more applicable to the laws of the
  United States than to those of other countries, but several of the
  ideas are shared in various cultures.

6.4 How do we keep viruses from attacking all our computers if we

    get connected to the Internet?

  If you use the Internet to exchange data (such as text or
  pictures), virus infection is generally not a problem.  The real
  concern is when you download software programs and run them on
  your own computer.  Any program you download over the network and
  run could have a virus.  For that matter, any program, whether on
  tape or a disk, even commercial software still in its original
  packaging, might possibly have a virus.  For this reason, all
  computers should have virus protection software running on them.

  Virus checking software is available free over the Internet via
  Anonymous FTP from the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT),
  which is run by the US National Institute for Standards and
  Technology (NIST).  The Anonymous FTP host computer is
  ftp.cert.org.  (For information on using Anonymous FTP, see
  Appendix B.)  Your hardware or software vendor, your network
  access provider, your technical support resources, or your
  colleagues on network mailing lists should be able to provide more
  specific information applicable to your site.

  To help reduce the risk of downloading a virus with your program,
  try to use trusted sources.  Ask someone you know or send the
  question to a mailing list or news group to find the most reliable
  sites for software access.

6.5 What are the rules for using the Internet?

  When your Internet connection is established, your access provider
  should acquaint you with their Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).  This
  policy explains the acceptable and non-acceptable uses for your
  connection.  For example, it is in all cases unacceptable to use
  the network for illegal purposes.  It may, in some cases, be
  unacceptable to use the network for commercial purposes.  If such
  a policy is not mentioned, ask for it.  All users are expected to
  know what the acceptable and unacceptable uses of their network

  are.  Remember that it is essential to establish a school-wide
  policy in addition to the provider's AUP.

Questions About Educational Collaboration, Projects, and Resources

7.1 How can I find specific projects using the Internet that are

    already developed?

  There are a several resources on the Internet that are directed
  specifically at the primary and secondary school communities, and
  the number is growing.  The InterNIC gopher server has a section
  on K-12 (Kindergarten through 12th grade) Education, the
  Consortium for School Networking maintains a gopher server, and
  NASA's Spacelink is directed at primary and secondary school
  educators.  NYSERNet's Empire Internet Schoolhouse is an extension
  of its Bridging the Gap program.  For access to these and others,
  see Section 9, "Resources and Contacts".

  Many people on electronic mailing lists such as Ednet, Kidsphere,
  and the Consortium for School Networking Discussion List
  (cosndisc) post their projects and ask for partners and
  collaborators.  The K12 hierarchy of Usenet News has several
  groups where educators post these invitations as well.  For
  subscription to these and other electronic lists and for names of
  news groups, see Section 9, "Resources and Contacts".  For news
  groups and mailing lists of special interest to educators, see the
  "Ednet Guide to Usenet Newsgroups" and "An Educator's Guide to E-
  Mail Lists", both of which are listed in Section 8, "Suggested
  Reading".

  As you explore the Internet, there are some tools that will help
  you find projects that are already developed.  A good overview of
  many of these resource discovery tools is the "Guide to Network
  Resource Tools" written by the European Academic Research Networks
  (EARN) Association.  It explains the basics of tools such as
  Gopher, Veronica, WAIS, Archie, and the World Wide Web, as well as
  others, and provides pointers for finding out more about these
  useful tools.  It is listed in Section 8, "Suggested Reading".

7.2 Where do I go to find colleagues who support networking and

    schools willing to participate in projects?

  The electronic mailing lists and Usenet News groups in Section 9,
  "Resources and Contacts" are rich with people who want to
  collaborate on projects involving use of the Internet.

  There are also a number of conferences you may want to look in to.
  The National Education Computing Conference (NECC) is held

  annually, as is Tel-Ed, a conference sponsored by the
  International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).  ISTE
  maintains an online server which has a calendar of conferences all
  over the world in telecommunications for education.  The INET
  conference is the annual conference for the Internet Society.  See
  Section 9, "Resources and Contacts", for contact information for
  these organizations and for information on access to ISTE's online
  server.

7.3 What are some examples of how the Internet is being used in

    classrooms now?

  Projects which use the Internet sometimes request sites from all
  over the world to contribute data from the local area then compile
  that data for use by all.  Weather patterns, pollutants in water
  or air, and Monarch butterfly migration are some of the data that
  has been collected over the Internet.  In Appendix A you will find
  several examples from the Kidsphere electronic mailing list, each
  from a different content area and representing different ways of
  using the Internet.

  There are a number of specific projects you may find interesting.
  KIDS-94 (and subsequent years), managed by the non-profit KIDLINK
  Society, is one.  It currently includes ten discussion lists and
  services, some of them only for people who are ten through fifteen
  years old.  Another place to look is Academy One of the National
  Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN), which usually has between 5
  and 10 projects running at a time.  The International Education
  and Research Network (I*EARN), a project of the non-profit Copen
  Family Fund, facilitates telecommunications in schools around the
  world.  Chatback Trust, initiated to provide email for schools in
  the United Kingdom and around the world with students who have
  mental or physical difficulty with communicating, and Chatback
  International, directed at any school on the Internet, maintain a
  network server that you may want to investigate.  The European
  Schools Project involves approximately 200 schools in 20 countries
  and has as its goal building a support system for secondary school
  educators.  For contact information on these groups and server
  access, refer to Section 9, "Resources and Contacts".

7.4 Is there a manual that lists sites on the Internet particularly

    useful for class exploration?

  There are a number of resource guides, and so far only a couple
  are directed specifically at an education audience.  "An
  Incomplete Guide to the Internet and Other Telecommunications
  Opportunities Especially for Teachers and Students K-12" is
  compiled by the NCSA Education Group and is available online.  The

  "Internet Resource Directory for Educators, Version 2" is also
  available online.  It was prepared by a team of 46 teachers in
  Nebraska and Texas who were enrolled in telecomputing courses at
  two universities in 1992 and 1993.  Ednet's "Educator's Guide to
  Email Lists" is available electronically, as is the "Ednet Guide
  to Usenet News Groups".  ERIC offers several documents relating to
  telecommunications and education, including the ERIC Digest
  "Internet Basics", the ERIC Review "K-12 Networking",
  "Instructional Development for Distance Education", and
  "Strategies for Teaching at a Distance".  Complete bibliographic
  information for these documents is listed in Section 8, "Suggested
  Reading".  For help in retrieving the documents electronically,
  see Appendix B.

  There are also printed guides to the Internet appearing along with
  the new books on the Internet.  The problem with paper resource
  guides is that the Internet is a changing environment, so they
  become outdated quickly.  Check libraries, bookstores, and
  booksellers' catalogs for these guides.

  One answer to the problem of printed Internet guides is the
  newsletter.  NetTEACH NEWS is a newsletter specifically for
  primary and secondary school educators interested in networking.
  It contains information on new services on the Internet that are
  of interest to educators, projects for collaboration, conferences,
  new books and publications, and includes "The Instruction Corner",
  which gives practical tutorials on using network tools and
  services.  NetTEACH NEWS is published ten times a year, and is
  available both hardcopy and via email.  Subscription information
  can be found in Section 9, "Resources and Contacts".

7.5 How can I add my own contributions to the Internet?

  The network server operated by the Consortium for School
  Networking exists expressly for the sharing of ideas by the
  elementary and secondary school community.  Educators are
  encouraged to submit projects, lesson plans, and ideas.  A gopher
  server maintained by PSGnet and RAINet also accepts educator
  submissions for addition to the many sections of its menu tree
  devoted to elementary and secondary school interests.  See Section
  9, "Resources and Contacts" for information on reaching CoSN or
  submitting materials, and for access to the server maintained by
  PSGnet and RAINet.  It is important to remember that anything you
  create should be updated for others as you make changes yourself
  in the course of your learning by experience.

  The electronic mail lists and news groups mentioned are also
  places to share your knowledge and yourself as a resource, and as

  you gain experience you may find you have the knowledge to put up
  an electronic server at your own site.  A group of schools in
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States shares one such
  server, and there you could recently find and download to your own
  computer photographs and notes from an exhibit on the architecture
  of one of the elementary schools.

Resources and Contacts

CONFERENCES:

NECC and Tel-Ed

  International Society for Technology in Education
  1787 Agate Street
  Eugene, Oregon  97403-1923
  USA
  phone:  503-346-4414 or 1-800-336-5191
  fax:    503-346-5890
  email:  [email protected]
          (Compuserve:  70014,2117)
          (AppleLink:  ISTE)

  Electronic access to a calendar of conferences all over the world
  and other information is available on the ISTE server.  See
  "Network Servers" in this section.

INET

  Internet Society
  1895 Preston White Drive
  Suite 100
  Reston, Virginia  22091
  USA
  Phone:  703-648-9888
  Fax:    703-620-0913
  Email:  [email protected]

ELECTRONIC MAIL LISTS:

Cosndisc (Consortium for School Networking Discussion List)

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe cosndisc YourFirstName YourLastName

  To post, send a message to...
  [email protected]

Ednet

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe ednet YourFirstName YourLastName

  To post, send a message to...
  [email protected]

Kidsphere

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]
  Type any message asking to be added to the list.

  To post, send a message to...
  [email protected]

KIDS-95/KIDLINK

  To learn about KIDLINK projects, subscribe to the news service by
  sending a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe KIDLINK YourFirstName YourLastName

  To receive a file of general information on KIDLINK, send email to
  the same listserv address, leave the Subject field blank, and in
  the first line of the body of the message enter...
  get kidlink general

K12admin (A list for K-12 educators interested in educational administration)

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe k12admin YourFirstName YourLastName

  To post, send a message to...
  [email protected]

LM_NET (A list for school library media specialists worldwide)

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe LM_NET YourFirstName YourLastName

  To post, send a message to...
  [email protected]

SIGTEL-L (A list for the Special Interest Group for Telecommunications, a service of the International Society for Technology in Education)

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe SIGTEL-L YourFirstName YourLastName

  To post, send a message to...
  [email protected]

Tipsheet (Computer Help and Tip Exchange)

  To subscribe, send a message to...
  [email protected]

  Leave the Subject field blank, and in the first line of the body of
  the message enter...
  subscribe tipsheet YourFirstName YourLastName

NETWORK SERVERS:

Chatback Trust and Chatback International network server

  via telnet...
    telnet rdz.stjohns.edu
    login: student
    (Follow login instructions on screen.)

  via gopher...
    sjuvm.stjohns.edu (port 70)
    Choose "Rehabilitation Resource Center" from first menu.
    Choose "SJU Unibase Bulletin Board and Conference System" from
    menu which then comes up.

Consortium for School Networking gopher server

  via gopher...
    cosn.org (port 70)

  via telnet...
    telnet cosn.org
    login: gopher
    (no password)

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) Digests Archives are available

  via telnet...
    telnet bbs.oit.unc.edu
    login: launch
    (Follow directions on screen for registration.  At the main menu,
    choose number 4, "Topical Document Search (WAIS)", and move to
    eric-digests.  For help in WAIS, type a question mark.)

  via FTP...
    ftp ericir.syr.edu
    login: anonymous
    password:  your_email_address
    cd pub

  via email...
    mail [email protected]
    (In your message ask for the topic you're interested in.  A human
    will answer you.)

  via gopher...
    ericir.syr.edu (port 70)

Empire Internet Schoolhouse

  via gopher...
    nysernet.org (port 70)

  via telnet...
    telnet nysernet.org
    login: empire
    (no password)

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) gopher server

  via gopher...
    gopher.uoregon.edu (port 70)

  via telnet...
    telnet gopher.uoregon.edu
    login: gopher
    (no password)

  Once connected via either of these two methods, use the menu item
  "Search Titles in This Gopher Server" and enter ISTE when asked
  what to search for.

InterNIC gopher server

  via gopher...
    is.internic.net (port 70)

  via telnet...
    telnet is.internic.net
    login: gopher
    (no password)

KIDS Gopher, a KIDLINK service

  via gopher...
    kids.duq.edu (port 70)

  via telnet...
    telnet kids.duq.edu
    login: gopher
    (no password)

NASA Spacelink

  via telnet...
    telnet spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
    login: newuser
    password: newuser
    (Follow registration instructions on screen.)

  To find information on the NASA Teacher Resource Center Network or
  for a NASA Select television schedule, enter "g" for GO TO, then
  enter either "TRC" or "NASA Select".

  via FTP...
    ftp spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov

National Science Foundation's (United States) Science and Technology Information System (STIS)

   via telnet...
     telnet stis.nsf.gov
     login:  public
     Follow instructions on screen.

   via gopher...
   stis.nsf.gov (port 70)

Office of Educational Research and Improvement (US Department of Education) gopher server

   via gopher...
     gopher.ed.gov (port 70)

The OERI gopher server contains educational research and statistics, as well as information about the United States Department of Education and its programs.

PSGnet and RAINet gopher server

  via telnet...
    telnet gopher.psg.com
    login:  gopher
    (no password)

  via gopher...
    gopher.psg.com (port 70)

NEWS GROUPS:

alt.education.distance alt.kids-talk comp.security.announce k12.chat.elementary k12.chat.junior k12.chat.senior k12.chat.teacher k12.ed.art k12.ed.business k12.ed.comp.literacy k12.ed.health-pe k12.ed.life-skills k12.ed.math k12.ed.music k12.ed.science k12.ed.soc-studies k12.ed.special k12.ed.tag k12.ed.tech k12.edu.life-skills (especially for school counselors) k12.euro.teachers (in Europe) k12.lang.art k12.lang.deutsch-eng k12.lang.esp-eng k12.lang.francais k12.lang.russian k12.library k12.sys.projects misc.education misc.education.language.english misc.kids misc.kids.computer news.announce.newusers pubnet.nixpub (where a list of open access Unix sites is often posted,

 for those looking for access to Usenet News and email only)

NEWSLETTER:

NetTEACH NEWS

Published monthly from August to March and bi-monthly April/May and June/July, NetTEACH NEWS is written for both the novice and the experienced networking teacher.

Annual hardcopy subscription costs are: US $22.00 for individuals in the US US $25.00 for individuals in Canada US $30.00 for individuals outside the US and Canada US $30.00 for institutions

Annual ASCII electronic copy costs are: US $15.00 for individuals

Add $5.00 to hardcopy costs to receive both ASCII and hardcopy.

Site licensing is available for public primary and secondary education networks. Discounts are available for school district multiple sub-scriptions.

For a subscription form, questions, or to submit materials, contact:

Kathy Rutkowski, Editor Chaos Publications 13102 Weather Vane Way Herndon, VA 22071 USA Phone: 703-471-0593 EMail: [email protected]

ORGANIZATIONS:

AskERIC ERIC Clearinghouse on Information Resources Center for Science and Technology Syracuse University Syracuse, New York 13244-4100 USA Phone: 315-443-9114 Fax: 315-443-5448 EMail: [email protected]

 According to a recent electronic brochure, "The Educational
 Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a federally-funded national
 information system that provides access to an extensive body of
 education-related literature.  ERIC provides a variety of services
 and products at all education levels."

 Another portion of the electronic brochure states, "AskERIC is an
 Internet-based question-answering service for teachers, library
 media specialists, and administrators.  Anyone involved with K-12
 education can send an e-mail message to AskERIC.  Drawing on the
 extensive resources of the ERIC system, AskERIC staff will respond
 with an answer within 48 working hours."  Educators may have
 questions about primary and secondary education, learning, teaching,
 information technology, or educational administration which AskERIC
 can answer.  Parents AskERIC is a new service for parents looking
 for information to better facilitate their children's developmental
 and educational experiences.  Use the email address listed above.

Chatback International Dr. R. Zenhausern, Executive Director Psychology Department St. Johns University SB 15, Marillac Jamaica, NY 11439 USA Phone: 718-990-6447 Fax: 718-990-6705 EMail: [email protected]

The Chatback Trust Tom Holloway, UK Director 25 Clemens Street Royal Leamington Spa Warwickshire, CV31 2DP Phone: +44-926-888333 Fax: +44-926-420204 EMail: [email protected]

 The Chatback Trust is the organization which was originally
 concerned primarily with school children with various types of
 language disorder.  Chatback International is the expansion of that
 project onto the Internet and is concerned with the use of networks
 to educate all children.

Consortium for School Networking P.O. Box 65193 Washington, DC 20035-5193 USA Phone: 202-466-6296 Fax: 202-872-4318 EMail: [email protected]

 According to a recent brochure, "The Consortium for School
 Networking is a membership organization of institutions formed to
 further the development and use of computer network technology in
 K-12 education." To join CoSN, request an application at the above
 address.  To contribute your ideas, lesson plans, projects, etc.,
 for others to access over the Internet, send to email to:
      [email protected]

European Schools Project University of Amsterdam CICT/SCO Grote Bickerrsstraat 72 1013 KS Amsterdam The Netherlands Contact: Dr. Pauline Meijer or Dr. Henk Sligte Phone: +31-20-5251248 Fax: +31-20-5251211 EMail: [email protected]

 The European Schools Project is "a support system for secondary
 schools to explore applications of educational telematics."

FidoNet 1151 SW Vermont Street Portland, OR 97219 USA Contact: Janet Murray Phone: 503-280-5280 EMail: [email protected]

 FidoNet is a dial-up, store-and-forward messaging system which takes
 advantage of late night phone rates to send and receive email and
 conferences.

FrEdMail Foundation P.O. Box 243, Bonita, CA 91908 USA Contact: Al Rogers Phone: 619-475-4852 EMail: [email protected]

International Education and Research Network (I*EARN) c/o Copen Family Fund 345 Kear Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 USA Contact: Dr. Edwin H. Gragert Phone: 914-962-5864 Fax: 914-962-6472 EMail: [email protected]

 According to Dr. Gragert, "The purpose of the I*EARN Network is to
 create low-cost telecommunications models to demonstrate that
 elementary and secondary students can make a meaningful contribution
 to the health and welfare of people and the planet.  We want to see
 students go beyond simply being "pen-pals" to use telecommunications
 in joint student projects as part of the educational process."
 I*EARN works with international service and youth organizations to
 add telecommunications to existing partnerships.

KIDLINK Society 4815 Saltrod Norway Phone: +47-370-31204 Fax: +47-370-27111 EMail: [email protected] Contact: Odd de Presno

 KIDLINK is the organization that runs the yearly KIDS projects,
 KIDS-94, KIDS-95, etc.  For information on getting files related to
 KIDS-NN/KIDLINK, see "Electronic Mail Lists" in this section.  For
 access to the KIDS Gopher, see "Network Servers" in this section.

K12Net 1151 SW Vermont Street Portland, OR 97219 USA Phone: 503-280-5280 Contact: Janet Murray EMail: [email protected]

 K12Net is a collection of conferences devoted to curriculum,
 language exchanges with native speakers, and classroom-to-classroom
 projects designed by teachers in K-12 education.  The conferences
 are privately distributed among FidoNet-compatible bulletin board
 systems on five continents and are also available as Usenet
 Newsgroups in the hierarchy "k12."  More information about K12Net is
 available from gopher.psg.com.

  via telnet...
    telnet gopher.psg.com
    login:  gopher

  via gopher...
    gopher.psg.com (port 70)

NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) Lorain County Joint Vocational School 15181 Route 58 South Oberlin, OH 44074 USA Phone: 216-774-1051, x293/294 Fax: 216-774-2144

 For a copy of the video "Global Quest: The Internet in the
 Classroom" released by the NASA NREN K-12 Initiative contact the
 above address.  The fee for the video is cost plus shipping and
 handling.  You may also make a copy yourself by taking a blank copy
 to the nearest NASA Teacher Resource Center or by taping from NASA
 Select television.  For information on the NASA Teacher Resource
 Center Network or on NASA Select, contact your nearest NASA facility
 or log in to NASA Spacelink.  (See NASA Spacelink in "Network
 Servers".)

National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Ave N.W., R.410 C Washington DC 20208-5651 USA Phone: 202-219-1364 Contact: Jerry Malitz EMail: [email protected] Fax: 219-1728

 For a copy of the video "Experience the Power: Network Technology
 for Education" released by NCES contact the above address.  If you
 contact them via email to order a video be sure that you send your
 mailing address.

InterNIC Information Services General Atomics P.O. Box 85608 San Diego, California 92186-9784 USA Phone: 800-444-4345

       619-455-4600

Fax: 619-455-3990 EMail: [email protected]

 The InterNIC is a (United States) National Science Foundation funded
 group tasked with providing information services to the United
 States research and education networking community.  The Reference
 Desk is in operation Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00
 p.m.  Pacific Time.

Internet Society 1895 Preston White Drive Suite 100 Reston, Virginia 22091 USA Phone: 703-648-9888 Fax: 703-620-0913 EMail: [email protected]

    The Internet Society is an international membership organization
    for individuals and organizations that support its goals of
    promoting the use of the Internet:

      A. To facilitate and support the technical evolution of the
         Internet as a research and education infrastructure, and
         to stimulate the involvement of the scientific community,
         industry, government and others in the evolution of the
         Internet;

      B. To educate the scientific community, industry and the public
         at large concerning the technology, use and application of
         the Internet;

      C. To promote educational applications of Internet technology
         for the benefit of government, colleges and universities,
         industry, and the public at large;

      D. To provide a forum for exploration of new Internet
         applications, and to stimulate collaboration among
         organizations in their operational use of the global
         Internet.

Reseaux IP Europeens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) Kruislaan 409 NL-1098 SJ Amsterdam The Netherlands

Phone: +31 20 592 5065 Fax: +31 20 592 5090 EMail: [email protected]

  The RIPE NCC assists European Internet operators and refers
  users to appropriate operators.

  Services include:

       -delegated registry for network and
        Autonomous System numbers
       -whois database at whois.ripe.net
       -document store at ftp.ripe.net
        (also accessible via gopher and wais)
       -interactive information service
        (via telnet at info.ripe.net)

Asia Pacific Network Information Center c/o University of Tokyo, Computer Center 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113 Japan Phone: +81-3-5684-7747 Fax: +81-3-5684-7256 EMail: [email protected]

  The APNIC is a cooperative organization of national network
  information centers in the Asia Pacific region operating under the
  auspices of the Asia Pacific Coordinating Committee for
  Intercontinental Research Networks.  APNIC is tasked with providing
  information and registration services to networking organizations
  throughout the Asia and Pacific Rim regions.

10. References

[1] Malkin, G., and A. Marine, "FYI on Questions and Answers:

   Answers to Commonly Asked 'New Internet User' Questions", FYI 4,
   RFC 1325, Xylogics, SRI, May 1992.

[2] Krol, E., and E. Hoffman, "What is the Internet?" FYI 20, RFC

   1462, University of Illinois, Merit Network, Inc., May 1993.

[3] "Restructuring Schools: A Systematic View" in Action Line, the

   newsletter of the Maryland State Teachers Association, a National
   Education Association Affiliate.  R. Kuhn, Editor.  No. 93-6.
   June, 1993.

[4] Sivin, J. P. and E. R. Bialo (1992) "Ethical Uses of Information

   Technologies in Education."  Washington, DC:  U.S. Department of
   Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of
   Justice.

[5] Hoffman, E. and L. Jackson, "Introducing the Internet--A Short

   Bibliography of Introductory Internetworking Reading for the
   Network Novice", FYI 19, RFC 1463, Merit Network, Inc., NASA, May
   1993.

11. Security Considerations

General security considerations are discussed in Section 6 of this document.

12. Author's Address

Jennifer Sellers NASA NREN 700 13th Street, NW Suite 950 Washington, DC 20005 USA

Phone: 202-434-8954 EMail: [email protected]

APPENDIX A: EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS USING THE INTERNET

The following examples of projects using the Internet appeared on the Kidsphere electronic mailing list during the 1992-93 school year. The messages have been edited in the interest of space and because many of the details about how to participate are dated, but the information presented can give you a feel for the types and range of projects that happen today.

=============================

Example One, "Middle School Math Project"

=============================

This is the official invitation to participate in "Puzzle Now!". "Puzzle Now!" is an interdisciplinary project using educational technology as a tool to integrate the curriculum. "Puzzle Now!" provides teams of mathematics and language arts teachers and students with thematic puzzle problems via VA.PEN.

PROJECT : Puzzle Now!

SUBJECT AREA : Mathematics/Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL : 6 - 8

DURATION : This project will consist of eight - one week

                cycles.

PROJECT GOALS : -to increase student motivation for math

                problem solving;

                -to emphasize the importance of addressing
                 problems in a clear, concise, and logical
                 manner;

                -to provide students with opportunities for
                 developing skills in written expression;

                -to familiarize students with computer and
                 modem as tools for problem solving projects.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

                The puzzles presented in this project are no
                mere entertainment.  These puzzles will help
                the student reason logically, develop thinking
                skills, and will assist in the understanding of
                many practical disciplines, such as geometry.

                IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to remember that getting
                the correct answer isn't as important as
                figuring out how to find it.
                DO THE SOLUTIONS HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED IN A
                PARTICULAR FASHION?  Yes, the solution format
                requires that the group/team/individual first
                1) restate the puzzle/problem; 2) explain the
                strategy, or strategies used in finding the
                answer;  3) state the answer.
                Your team/class may turn in only one solution.
                That means you must work together to develop one
                solution to be examined by the "Puzzlemeister".

==============================

Example Two, "Poetry Contest, Grades 9-12"

==============================

              National Public Telecomputing Network
                              --
                Academy One Project Announcement

                 FIRST ANNUAL INTERNET POETRY CONTEST
                  FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS GRADES 9-12

                    ***FEATURED FORM: THE SONNET***

                    ***First Place Award: $50.00***

                   ***Second Place Award: $25.00***

                   ***Honorable Mentions: $10.00***

The first annual Internet Poetry Contest invites entries from students in grades 9-12 for original sonnets written within the last 3 years. The purpose of the contest is to encourage young creative writers to practice the discipline needed to write in a particular poetic form, in this case, the sonnet form. (The sonnet is defined and examples are given below.) Sonnets may be submitted in any recognized sonnet form including Petrarchan, Shakespearean, Miltonic, or Spenserian.

Students submitting entries must include a form (given below) certifying that each sonnet entered in the contest is original and written within the last 3 years. The deadline for mailing entries is April 30, 1993. Winners will be notified individually and winning entries will also be announced via Academy I on the Internet.

Judges for the contest are current or retired English instructors throughout the United States.

==================================

Example Three, "Tracking Monarch Butterflies"

==================================

Our school has begun a study of monarchs using Nova's Animal Pathfinders. After working through these lessons, which will give us the necessary background information, we will design the format for collecting the data on sighting monarchs. We will send information on the format to any school who wishes to participate in the project. Our fifth grade students will begin this project and we hope that students from kindergarten through twelfth grade will get involved. We hope that schools from south to north along the migratory flyways will be interested in joining and collecting data about first sightings and population counts. We still have not found the lepidopterists who did the initial research but will keep looking. Hope to hear from you soon.

===========================

Example Four, "Simulated Space Mission"

===========================

          National Public Telecomputing Network
                        --
            Academy One Program Announcement

SPECIAL EVENT: NESPUT 24-HOUR CENTENNIAL SPACE SHUTTLE

               SIMULATED MISSION ON APRIL 27, 1993

SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, SPACE ENTHUSIASTS:

The April 27 simulated and telecommunicated space shuttle mission is a mostly real-time 24 hour mission involving numerous activities in space. Your school could be involved for an entire 24 hour period or for a much lesser amount of time (say just your school day or even a few hours). During that 24 hour period, schools will be linked to share information via telecommunications and a variety of activities will be going on via telecommunications and in the classroom--most of them created by the schools and students involved. The space shuttle Centennial at University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a real and permanent simulator, will act as itself and use its mission control area as Houston. Reports on the progress of our real student

astronauts will be posted on the listserv and via the menus on NPTN affiliate systems carrying Academy One. Your school can act as any one of the following:

A second American shuttle. A second Russian shuttle. A weather reporting station for your area. One of NASA's alternate landing sites. A science station posing questions and problems for all

 astronauts in simulated space.

An information station, posting interesting information of

 interest about the space shuttle and the space program.

A graphics station, sending GIF files to other schools

 (especially good if you have a scanner for your computer).

Any other type of space related station or activity you can

 imagine.

======================================

Example Five, "Equinox Experiment and Calculation"

======================================

           ATTENTION - MARCH 20, l993 IS THE EQUINOX

            A WORLDWIDE SCIENCE AND MATH EXPERIMENT

                    ERATOSTHENES EXPERIMENT

Eratosthenes, a Greek geographer (about 276 to 194 B.C.), made a surprisingly accurate estimate of the earth's circumference. In the great library in Alexandria he read that a deep vertical well near Syene, in southern Egypt, was entirely lit up by the sun at noon once a year. Eratosthenes reasoned that at this time sun must be directly overhead, with its rays shining directly into the well. In Alexandria, almost due north of Syene, he knew that the sun was not directly overhead at noon on the same day because a vertical object cast a shadow. Eratosthenes could now measure the circumference of the earth (sorry Columbus) by making two assumptions - that the earth is round and that the sun's rays are essentially parallel. He set up a vertical post at Alexandria and measured the angle of its shadow when the well at Syene was completely sunlit. Eratosthenes knew from geometry that the size of the measured angle equaled the size of the angle at the earth's center between Syene and Alexandria. Knowing also that the arc of an angle this size was 1/50 of a circle, and that the distance between Syene and Alexandria was 5000 stadia, he multiplied 5000 by 50 to find the earth's circumference. His result, 250,000 stadia (about 46,250 km) is quite close to modern

measurements. Investigating the Earth, AGI, l970, Chapter 3, p. 66.

The formula Eratosthenes used is:

    D         A        d=distance between Syene and Alexandria
  _____  =  _____      A=360 degrees assumption of round earth
                       a=shadow angle of vertical stick
    d         a        D=to be determined (circumference)

Are you interested in participating?

All you need to do is place a vertical stick (shaft) into the ground at your school and when the sun reaches it's highest vertical assent for the day (solar noon), measure the angle of the shadow of the stick.

                           -\
                           - \
                 stick ->  -  \
                           - a \    a=shadow angle
                           -    \
                           -     \
  ground___________________-______\_____________________________

By doing this experiment on the equinox we all know that the vertical rays of the sun are directly over the equator, like the well at Syene. Using a globe or an atlas the distance between your location and the equator can be determined and the circum- ference can be calculated.

But how about sharing your shadow angle measurement with others around the real globe.

Send your measurement of the shadow angle____________degrees

Send your location city ____________________________________

Send your location country _________________________________

Send your latitude _________________________________________

Send your longitude ________________________________________

We will compile all the data and send you a copy to use in your classroom to compare the various locations and angles.

If you're interested send us your data. We will compile and return it to you.

=========================

Example Six, "Famous Black Americans"

=========================

Project Name: Who Am I?: Famous Black Americans

Subject Area: Social Studies, Research Skills

Grade Level: Grades 4-12

Project Description: The goal of this project is to assist students

                    in increasing their knowledge of American
                    black history.  Each week, on Monday Morning,
                    a set of three or four clues will be sent to
                    your account.  The same will occur on
                    Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.
                    At any time, through the end of the day on
                    Friday, your students may send their answer
                    (the name of the famous American identified
                    by the clues) to the following online
                    address:

                          [email protected]

                    A class should send only one answer each
                    week.  If two are sent, the sponsors will
                    assume that the first of the answers is the
                    one intended to be submitted.

                    The sponsor will collect all answers, compile
                    a listing of classes who send the correct
                    answers, and will forward this list to all
                    participants via email by early on the
                    following Monday morning.  On that morning,
                    in addition, the sponsor will send all
                    classes a new problem.

                    This project lasts five weeks, with clues
                    each week being given for a different famous
                    person in American history.

Project Length: Five Weeks

Awards: Every Monday morning, participating classes

                    will receive an online message from the
                    sponsor congratulating those who have sent
                    correct answers during the previous week.  At
                    the end of the five weeks, attractive
                    certificates will be awarded to all
                    participating classes (sent by way of the
                    Postal Service).  In addition, classes which
                    have participated in each of the five weeks
                    will receive a separate style of certificate
                    for their school or class.

APPENDIX B: HOW TO GET DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY

The traditional way to access files available online on the Internet is via a program based on the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Many information sites have hosts that allow "anonymous" FTP, meaning you don't need to already have an account on the host in order to access the files it makes public. This appendix will describe obtaining files via anonymous FTP and describe obtaining files via the Internet Gopher program.

The online files sited in Suggested Reading can all be retrieved via anonymous FTP. (Most can also be retrieved via Gopher.) In most cases, when you see a reference to a file available for FTP, the reference will give you both a computer hostname and a pathname. So, for example, the ASCII text version of the EARN Resource Tool Guide is on the host naic.nasa.gov in the /files/general_info directory as earn-resource-tool-guide.txt.

Many online files are mirrored on more than one host. RFC files, for example, are so popular that several hosts act as repositories for them; so, when they are cited, rarely is a hostname given. To find out all about getting RFCs and FYIs, send a message to rfc- [email protected] and in the body of the message, type 'help: ways_to_get_rfcs'. RFCs are available both via electronic mail and via Anonymous FTP, as well as via many Gophers.

Anonymous FTP

  Some of this information about transferring files based on text
  from the access.guide file referenced in FYI 19 [5] and written by
  Ellen Hoffman and Lenore Jackson.

  If you are on a computer connected to the Internet and can use
  FTP, you can access files online.  If your VM/CMS, VAX/VMS, UNIX,
  DOS, Macintosh, or other computer system has FTP capability, you
  can probably use the sample commands as they are listed.  If your
  computer doesn't work using the sample commands, you may still
  have FTP access.  You will need to ask your system administrator
  or local network consultant.  If you don't have FTP, you may be
  able to get files via electronic mail.

  If you are using a UNIX machine, you can use FTP directly from a
  system prompt.  For other computers, there are commercial and
  public domain programs that will allow you to use FTP.  (For
  example, there is a very easy-to-use shareware program called
  "Fetch" for the Macintosh.)

  Once you establish that you have FTP access, you will need to send
  a series of commands to reach the host computer with the file you
  want, connect to the appropriate directory, and have the file
  transferred to your computer.  A typical FTP session is described
  here, but not all software is exactly alike.  If you have
  problems, check your software's documentation ('man' page) or
  contact your local help-desk.

  This session uses the EARN Guide to Network Resource Tools in its
  naic.nasa.gov home as an example file to be transferred.

  Here's what you can do:

  (1) Tell your computer what host you are trying to reach:
                ftp naic.nasa.gov

  (2) Log in to the computer with the username "anonymous".  You
      will be prompted for a password; most often it is preferred
      that you use your complete email address as your password.

  (3) Navigate through the directory to find the file you need.  Two
      useful commands for doing so are the one to change directories
      ('cd'), which you can use to step through more than one directory
      at a time:

                cd files/general_info

      and the command which shows you the files and subdirectories
      within a directory:

dir

  (4) Give a command to have the file sent to your computer:
                get earn-resource-tools.txt

  (5) Quit FTP:
                quit

  RFC Repositories:

  Following is a list of hosts that are primary repositories for
  RFCs, and, for each host, the pathname to the directory that
  houses these files:

    - ds.internic.net     rfc
    - nis.nsf.net         internet/documents/rfc
    - nisc.jvnc.net       rfc
    - venera.isi.edu      in-notes

    - wuarchive.wustl.edu info/rfc
    - src.doc.ic.ac.uk    rfc
    - ftp.concert.net     /rfc

  RFCs are in the file format you see in the Suggested Readings
  section, e.g., rfc####.txt, with #### being the number of the RFC.
  To retrieve an RFC, then, you would FTP to a host above, log in as
  anonymous, cd to the directory noted, and retrieve the RFC you
  want.  The file ways_to_get_rfcs, mentioned above, explains which
  sites make RFCs available for electronic mail retrieval, and
  provides directions for doing so.

  Remember that FYI documents, such as this one, are also RFCs, so
  the information about RFCs applies to FYIs as well.  You can
  usually retrieve FYIs either by their RFC number, or by their FYI
  number.  FYI numbers are in the format fyi##.txt, where ## is the
  number of the FYI.

Gopher

  A relatively new method of viewing and retrieving information is
  the Internet Gopher.  A Gopher server presents information to a
  users via a series of menus.  By choosing menu items, the user is
  led to files or to other services available on the Internet.
  Gopher can also retrieve files for the user because it has an
  interface to the File Transfer Protocol.  So you can use Gopher to
  obtain files rather than FTP.  Once you have located a file you
  want, you also have the option of mailing it electronically.

  Several Gopher servers are listed in the Network Servers portion
  of Section 9 "Resources and Contacts".  The InterNIC gopher, for
  example, is one that provides access to the RFCs.

  Normally, the best way to access a Gopher server is by running a
  Gopher client on your own host or network.  However, if you do not
  have that software, many Gophers are accessible via Telnet (see
  the addresses in Section 9).  To Telnet to a host, most often you
  would give the command "telnet" and the hostname, for example:
  telnet naic.nasa.gov.

  Unlike FTP repositories, which are accessible over the network but
  which you have to access one at a time, many Gophers are linked
  together over the Internet.  Therefore, if you have access to one
  Gopher, you usually have access to hundreds more.  This huge
  network of gophers and the vast amount of information they serve
  is referred to as "gopherspace".  You can use a service within
  Gopher called "Veronica" to search gopherspace to see if there is
  more information out there of a particular type you are interested

  in finding.  From within Gopher, look for a menu item such as
  "Search Gopherspace Using Veronica" to find out more information
  about using the Veronica service.

APPENDIX C: GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT

The following is a short glossary of terms used in this document. For a more complete glossary of Internet terms, refer to FYI 18 (RFC 1392), "Internet Users' Glossary". These definitions are largely excerpted from that glossary. (See Section 8, "Suggested Reading", above.)

Anonymous FTP

  Accessing data via the File Transfer Protocol using the special
  username "anonymous".  This was devised as a method to provide a
  relatively secure way of providing restricted access to public
  data.  Users who wish to acquire data from a public source may use
  FTP to connect to the source, then use the special username
  "anonymous" and their email address as the password to log into a
  public data area.

Cracker

  A person who uses computer knowledge to attempt to gain access to
  computer systems and/or maliciously damage those systems or data.

Dial-in (also dial-up)

  A connection, usually made via modems, between two computers (or
  servers) over standard voice grade telephone lines.

Download

  To copy data from a remote computer to a local computer.  The
  opposite of upload.

DSU/CSU (Data Service Unit/Channel Service Unit)

  The digital equivalent of a modem.  A Channel Service Unit
  connects to a telephone company-provided digital data circuit, and
  a Data Service Unit provides the electronics required to connect
  digital equipment to the CSU.  Paired together a DSU/CSU allows
  computer equipment to be connected into the telephone digital
  service for highly conditioned, high speed data communications.

Electronic Bulletin Board System (BBS)

  A computer, and associated software, which typically provides
  electronic messaging services, archives of files, and any other
  services or activities of interest to the bulletin board system's
  operator.  Although BBSs have traditionally been the domain of

  hobbyists, an increasing number of BBSs are connected directly to
  the Internet, and many BBSs are currently operated by government,
  educational, and research institutions.

EMail (Electronic Mail)

  A system whereby a computer user can exchange messages with other
  computer users (or groups of users) via a communications network.

FidoNet

  A network of computers interconnected using the FIDO dial-up
  protocols.  The FIDO protocol provides a means of "store and
  forward" file transfer similar to UUCP.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

  A protocol which allows a user on one host to access, and transfer
  files to and from, another host over a network.  Also, FTP is
  usually the name of the program the user invokes to execute the
  protocol.

FYI (For Your Information)

  A subseries of RFCs that are not technical standards or
  descriptions of protocols.  FYIs convey general information about
  topics related to TCP/IP or the Internet.  See also:  RFC (Request
  for Comments).

Gopher

  A distributed information service that links many types of
  information from all around the Internet and presents it to the
  user in a series of menus.  Because hundreds of Gopher servers
  cooperate in providing access to information and services, the
  user sees a single, uniform interface to information that actually
  resides on different host computers.  The Gopher interface is very
  easy to use, and public domain versions of the clients and servers
  are available.

Hacker

  A person who delights in having an intimate understanding of the
  internal workings of a system, computers and computer networks in
  particular.  The popular media has corrupted this term to give it
  the pejorative connotation of a person who maliciously uses
  computer knowledge to cause damage to computers and data.  The
  proper term for this type of person is "cracker".

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

  The IETF is a large, open community of network designers,
  operators, vendors, and researchers whose purpose is to coordinate
  the operation, management and evolution of the Internet, and to
  resolve short-range and mid-range protocol and architectural
  issues.  It is a major source of protocol proposals and standards.

InterNIC

  A Network Information Center (NIC), funded by the National Science
  foundation, that provides information about the Internet.  The
  InterNIC is a team of three contractors, each of which focuses on
  a particular network support task.  The three tasks are:
  Information Services (the task most often cited in this document),
  Registration Services, and Directory and Database Services.

Kbs (Kilo-Bits per Second)

  A data transmission rate expressed in 1000 bit per second units.
  For example, 56Kbs is 56*1000=56,000 bits per second.

LAN (Local Area Network)

  A data network intended to serve an area of only a few square
  kilometers or less.  Since such are networks relatively small they
  can usually be directly controlled by the users and operate at
  relatively high speeds (up to 100Mb/s [10 million bits per
  second]) over inexpensive wiring.

Leased line

  A leased line is a special phone company permanent connection
  between two locations.  Leased lines are generally used where
  high-speed data (usually 960 characters per second and higher) is
  continually exchanged between two computers (in the Internet,
  generally between routers).  A leased line is billed at the same
  rate per month independent of how much the line is used and can be
  cheaper than using dial modems depending on the usage.  Leased
  lines may also be used where higher data rates are needed beyond
  what a dial modem can provide.

Listserv (mailing list server)

  An automated program that accepts mail messages from users and
  performs basic operations on mailing lists for those users.  In
  the Internet, listservs are usually accessed as "listname@host";
  for example, the list server for the hypothetical list

  "[email protected]" would be called "[email protected]".
  Sending email to "[email protected]" causes the message to be
  sent to all the list subscribers, while sending a message (to
  subscribe or unsubscribe, for example) to "[email protected]"
  sends the message only to the list server.  Not all mailing lists
  use list servers to handle list administration duties.

Mailing Lists

  A list of email addresses.  Generally, a mailing list is used to
  discuss certain set of topics, and different mailing lists discuss
  different topics.  A mailing list may be moderated, that is
  messages sent to the list are actually sent to a moderator who
  determines whether or not to send the messages on to everyone
  else.  Many mailing lists are maintained by a "listserv" (list
  server) program that automatically handles operations such as
  adding new people to the list.  (See above.)  In the Internet, for
  those mailing lists maintained by a human, rather than by a
  listserv, you can generally subscribe to a list by sending a mail
  message to: "listname-REQUEST@host" and in the body of the message
  enter a request to subscribe.  To send messages to other
  subscribers, you will then use the address "listname@host".

Modem (MODulator/DEModulator)

  A device that converts the digital signals used by computers into
  analog signals needed by voice telephone systems.  Modems can be
  "dial" or "leased line" type.  Dial type modems are used on normal
  telephone lines to call remote computers, and usually operate at
  speeds between 120 to 1,920 characters per second.

Network Access Provider (Network Service Provider)

  Any organization that provides network connectivity or dial-up
  access.  Service providers may be corporations, government
  agencies, universities, or other organizations.

Network News

  Another name for "Usenet News".

NIC (Network Information Center)

  A central place where information about a network within the
  Internet is maintained.  Usually NICs are staffed by personnel who
  answer user telephone calls and electronic mail, and provide
  general network usage information and referrals, among other
  possible tasks.  Most network service providers also provide a NIC
  for their users.

Port

  TCP/IP assigns at least one address to a host computer, but
  applications such as FTP must talk to a corresponding server
  application on the host.  The "port" is the way TCP/IP designates
  the remote application.  Most common Internet servers have
  specific port numbers associated with them.  For example, Telnet
  uses port number 23.  These are known as "well known ports" and
  allow application programmers to write standard applications (such
  as Telnet, FTP, etc.) that "know" where the corresponding server
  is on a particular host.

PPP (Point to Point Protocol)

  A protocol used to establish TCP/IP connections using serial lines
  such as dial-up telephone lines.  Similar to SLIP (see below), PPP
  is a later standard that includes features such as demand dial-up,
  compression, better flow control, etc.

Protocol

  A formal description of message formats and the rules two
  computers must follow to exchange those messages.  Protocols can
  describe low-level details of machine-to-machine interfaces (e.g.,
  the order in which bits and bytes are sent across a wire) or
  high-level exchanges between allocation programs (e.g., the way in
  which two programs transfer a file across the Internet).

Protocol Stack

  A series of protocols linked together to provide an end-to-end
  service.  For example, the File Transfer Protocol uses the
  Transmission Control Protocol, which uses the Internet Protocol,
  which may use the Point to Point protocol, to transfer a file from
  one computer to another.  The series FTP->TCP->IP->PPP is called a
  protocol stack.

RFC (Request for Comments)

  The document series, begun in 1969, which describes the Internet
  suite of protocols and related experiments.  Not all (in fact very
  few) RFCs describe Internet standards, but all Internet standards
  are written up as RFCs.  The RFCs include the documentary record
  of the Internet standards process.

Router

  A computer which forwards traffic between networks.  The
  forwarding decision is based on network layer information and
  routing tables, often constructed by routing protocols.

SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol)

  A protocol used to establish TCP/IP connections using serial lines
  such as dial-up telephone lines.  Small computers, such as PCs and
  Macintoshes, can use SLIP to dial up to servers, which then allow
  the computer to act as a full Internet node.  SLIP is generally
  used at sites with a few users as a cheaper alternative than a
  full Internet connection.  SLIP is being replaced by PPP at many
  sites.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

  TCP/IP is named for two of the major communications protocols used
  within the Internet (TCP and IP).  These protocols (along with
  several others) provide the basic foundation for communications
  between hosts in the Internet.  All of the service protocols, such
  as FTP, Telnet, Gopher, use TCP/IP to transfer information.

Telnet

  Telnet is the Internet standard protocol for remote terminal
  connection service.  The name "telnet" also is used to refer to
  programs that allow interactive access to remote computers, as
  well as the action of using said programs.  For example, the
  phrase "Telnet to host xyzzy." means to interactively log into
  host "xyzzy" from some other host in the Internet.

Upload

  To copy data from a local computer to a remote computer.  The
  opposite of download.

Usenet News

  An electronic bulletin board system created originally by the Unix
  community and which is accessible via the Internet.  Usenet News
  forms a discussion forum accessible by millions of users in almost
  every country in the world.  Usenet News consists of thousands of
  topics arranged in a heirarchical form.  Major topics include
  "comp" for computer topics, "rec" for recreational topics, "soc"
  for social topics, "sci" for science topics, etc.  Within the
  major topics are subtopics, such as "rec.music.classical" for
  classical music, or "sci.med.physics" for discussions relating to
  the physics of medical science.

UUCP (Unix-to-Unix CoPy)

  This was initially a program run under the UNIX operating system
  that allowed one UNIX system to send files to another UNIX system
  via dial-up phone lines.  Today, the term is more commonly used to
  describe the large international network which uses the UUCP
  protocol to pass news and electronic mail.

Virus

  A program which replicates itself on computer systems by
  incorporating itself into other programs which are shared among
  computer systems.

WAIS (Wide Area Information Server)

  A distributed information service which offers simple natural
  language input, indexed searching for fast retrieval, and a
  "relevance feedback" mechanism which allows the results of initial
  searches to influence future searches.  Public domain
  implementations are available.

WWW (World Wide Web)

  A hypertext-based, distributed information system created by
  researchers at CERN in Switzerland.  Users may create, edit or
  browse hypertext documents.  The clients and servers are freely
  available.  The WWW servers are interconnected to allow a user to
  traverse the Web from any starting point; in addition, many other
  servers such as WAIS and Gopher have been incorporated into the
  WWW servers.

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Introduction

Acknowledgments

Questions About the Internet in an Educational Setting

Questions About School Support for an Internet Connection

Questions About Implementation and Technical Options

Questions About Security and Ethics

Questions About Educational Collaboration, Projects, and Resources

Suggested Reading

Resources and Contacts

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Questions About Implementation and Technical Options

Questions About Security and Ethics

Questions About Educational Collaboration, Projects, and Resources

Suggested Reading

Resources and Contacts

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