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• This is an excellent way to extend the capabilities of a web browser.

EXERCISE: Create a Word or Powerpoint file, and put it in your web directoryusing FTP. Add a link to it in your home page, and test to see if the link works.

3.6.12 Fancy Stuff

• Compact Discs (CDs) are becoming a common way to transfer information. These will allow you to store up to 650 MB of data. When used they look exactly like another disk drive that cannot be overwritten. To make a CD the writers cost about $400, and writable CDs can be purchased for about $1-2 each. It will take 30-60 minutes for a CD writer to create a CD that is completely filled.

4. TEACHING WITH THE INTERNET

•The impact that web based material has on the students is,

-easy access to course note correction and additions.

-easy access to ‘bulletin-board’ type information.

-students can add their own assignments to the course notes.

-software and application specific files can be easily downloaded by the students.

-the students can have a copy of the lecture material, and so the lecture focus shifts from dictation, to discussion of the course content.

-homework can be submitted and returned without leaving home.

•In general the students strongly favor the Web based approach, although there are a number of problems that face some of them,

-different levels of computer support. Some students have no Internet access from home.

-access problems in campus computer labs.

-the learning curve - this is quickly decreasing.

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•There are some strong benefits for the faculty member who plans to use the Web for course materials,

-the preparation before each lecture is decreased.

-each lecture can be more consistent, if the web pages are used for presentation.

-software and files are easy to distribute.

-paperless marking can be done by having students upload files to their accounts. The instructor can then download these files and use software (e.g. Word, Photoshop, MathCAD and Working Model) to mark and leave comments. These files are then uploaded to a private directory where the student can retrieve them.

-homework submitted with software such as Mathcad forces students to be exact in their calculations. It makes it harder to be obtuse, verbose, or vague.

-notices can be posted on the web, saving trips to a designated board.

-individual students can be reached with email.

-changes in the course notes can be easily distributed.

-students can post their work publicly and compare to others.

•There are some additional demands placed on the instructor,

-before the course is offered the first time the instructor must spend a large amount of time developing solid course materials.

-support is needed from the department/faculty to provide needed release time and equipment support.

-mistakes on-line can become very public.

-the course may become less flexible after the beginning of the term.

•You can start small by developing materials for part of a course or a single lecture.

•Before the course starts you will probably want to follow a time line like that shown below.