EDT 525
Reflections
Ellen L. Freeman
Fall 2005 & Summer 2006
Class 1
LISTSERVS
Reference Webopedia.com
An automatic mailing list server developed by Eric Thomas for BITNET in 1986. When e-mail is addressed to a LISTSERV mailing list, it is automatically broadcast to everyone on the list. The result is similar to a newsgroup or forum, except that the messages are transmitted as e-mail and are therefore available only to individuals on the list. LISTSERV is currently a commercial product marketed by L-Soft International. Although LISTSERV refers to a specific mailing list server, the term is sometimes used incorrectly to refer to any mailing list server. Another popular mailing list server is Majordomo, which is freeware.
It took a little patience and figuring out by trial and error to get myself signed up for my first listserv, but after that it was smooth sailing. I joined ACTEM and have received well over 260 emails in 5 weeks time. I joined and have received a few emails from educatetheeducators and edutech, both online at topica.com. I also belong to the extracredit listserv at listserv.ed.gov.
I have learned the most from ACTEM, both in regards to understanding how listservs work and what the use is and from the posts themselves. I even found an old (1981) high school friend posting to the listserv from the Saco school district and I found out about a hoax that went out about Bangor Savings Bank passwords—MY bank! I’ve noted with interest:
Backup programs: Retrospec for MAC, Decimus at http://www.decimus.net/synk/ for MAC, and BackupPC (GPL) on Linux for PC. Palm OS tips, several District Technology Plans, which I will keep electronically for future reference.
EXTRACREDIT is a list of updates on how No Child Left Behind is improving education for all children…. this is a good one to belong to (for me) because I have never had experience with Learning Results or No Child Left Behind.
On Educatetheeducator I learned about Smartboards and other unknown classroom tools. This was a listserv for beginners and it was really great to watch teachers helping each other out in an excited and professional manner.
Listservs were where I saw and felt the most camaraderie among teachers and IT Tech directors as a profession. People are generally good and well mannered, although there was the occasional release of steam, most of the folks were really looking to contribute. When I land a position of my own in the IT edu field, joining listservs will be one of the first tools I establish for myself—free and user-friendly!
NEWSGROUPS
Reference
Lever-Duffy, Judy. Teaching and Learning with Technology. Pearson Education, Inc.: Boston, 2003.
A newsgroup is a public conference dedicated to a specific topic.
Reference Webopedia.com
Same as forum, an on-line discussion group. On the Internet, there are literally thousands of newsgroups covering every conceivable interest. To view and post messages to a newsgroup, you need a newsreader, a program that runs on your computer and connects you to a news server on the Internet.
Reference
Lever-Duffy, Judy. Teaching and Learning with Technology. Pearson Education, Inc.: Boston, 2003.
I looked at a variety of newsgroups at http://tile.net/news/.
BLOGS
Reference Webopedia.com
(n.) Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.
(v.) To author a Web log.
Other forms: Blogger (a person who blogs)
