9/15/91 8:07:50 PM Opening "chatlog915" for Chat Log recording. MaryEz : What's on tonight? I didn't look at the schedule. AFA Bard : Language Arts Software, Mary AFL Gayle : Trying to, at least, Bard. AFL Gayle : Language Arts and Reading Software, Mary, but we're flexible. :) MaryEz : I have to tell you a wonderful story about this week using Davidson's Work Attack Plus with a hearing impaired boy. Severely hearing impaired. His special teacher came to me and asked if I could help with teaching him his personal vocabulary words. Of course, I said yes and I got out WA+ which I hadn't used for a while. I typed in his words and used him and his friend, Simone, who is also hearing impaired in the sentences. When he did the program he giggled and was so excited to see his own name and Simone's I giggled too because of his delight. I had him put his hand on the front of the computer where the speaker is so that he could feel the vibration of the sound reward as well as see the visual reward. It was a great experience for us both. BCS Frank : Yeah, it's easy to forget the magic in these computers. :) Well done. AFA Bard : BREAKTHROUGH! That's what happens when you put an EXCELLENT teacher with great technology!! MaryEz : The program also prints out tests and flash cards so the teachers were delighted also. MaryEz : I am very pleased with all of Davidson's software because it does record keeping and allows you to input your own data quite easily. The kids are in 6th grade. Casey will be involved with ScrapBook in the first exchange on Sept. 24. I have never tried to copy it. I would guess that it is copy protected. AFA Bard : You should also check out Talking Textwriter and (if you have a Mac) KIDPIX. :) AFL Gayle : Just wondered... Prize, who is the Davidson Rep online, had said some of their programs are no longer copy protected. Talking TextWriter from Scholastic that works with the Echo speech board. MaryEz : TeacherJN, Joel Noble, is the Davidson Rep I think. AFL Gayle : Scholastic will sell you the board. AFL Gayle : Right, Mary, Joel Nobel. MaryEz : One of the great things that happened with Casey was that he read the words and sentences aloud which he won't do most of the time. AFL Gayle : That's great, Mary! :) AFA Bard : Excellent, Mary! AFL Gayle : Orange Cherry also has some GS programs that talk. They've been given mixed reviews, though. Also, Unicorn has modified some of their programs for the GS AFL Gayle : so the program will talk. MaryEz : Have any of you heard of Kids91, now Kids92 and Scinet? BCS Frank : How much of Casey's positive response was due to the program being personalized BCS Frank : Kids91/92, Scinet... nope. AFA Bard : Nope - explain? AFL Gayle : Tell us about them, please, Mary. Is that the international link on InterNet? AFL Gayle : Haven't heard of Scinet at all. MaryEz : This is an international telecommunication project which I have just heard about from a parent who just moved to CT from Mississippi. He is a pilot and is interested in volunteering in my lab. AFA Bard : Sounds like a great resource, Mary. Tell us more! MaryEz : Scinet is run out of Canada (Ontario, I believe). MaryEz : It ended the year at the Childrens Festival in Finland this past May. I am still looking through the inch thick packet of material that Mark gave me. BCS Frank : Hmmm... is that part of Internet, or a seperate network? AFL Gayle : I think it's a newsfeed on Internet. I've seen a few messages about it on AFL Gayle : FrEdMail. The Scinet I haven't heard of, just Kids 91/92. I'd be interested in seeing the packet of information and hearing more about it, Mary, once you wade through it all. :) MaryEz : If you are interested send me mailing addresses and I will send some of the info he gave me. AFL Gayle : OK. Thanks! :) AFA Bard : Ditto, Mary. Can you upload an ASCII file about it to the AED library? MaryEz : It would be easier to copy materials and mail it to you. Its a lot of stuff. I won't send all the mail, but I'll send you some. BCS Frank : neat! :) AFL Gayle : That would be great, Mary! :) Don't suppose he has any of that on disk, which would make for easy uploading? MaryEz : It's in the files on one of my many floppys somewhere. Send it again. I owe you a picture any way. MaryEz : He has a IBM but not AOL. Can I access his ascii files from my Mac? if he gave me a file disk. AFL Gayle : Uh, Bard, can she? AFA Bard : Yes, Mary. Use Apple File Exchange and open with a program like Works or MacWrite. AFA Bard : Then transfer to ASCII and upload. MaryEz : OK I'll see what I can do. BCS Frank : Does he have a modem? He can send it direct. AFL Gayle : Thought so, but I thought I'd let the expert tell her how. :) AFA Bard : Good suggestion, Frank. From his modem to yours, Mary. ASCII is universal! MaryEz : Yes, he does have a modem. Now youv'e got me, I'll have to admit that I don't know much about how to MaryEz : do this without AOL as the software to do it with. BCS Frank : His terminal software will have Xmodem; so will yours. MaryEz : I have used MicroSoft Works to get NASA and Scinet. AFL Gayle : Mary, do you have a terminal program other than AO? BCS Frank : It can take a little fiddling to do the first time, MaryEz : MSWks. BCS Frank : but it's a very handy way to get and send material. AFL Gayle : OK. You would call his computer. Then you can do a send and receive. MaryEz : I can see you guys are going to force me to the next step of TC :)!! AFA Bard : If you need help, just buzz, Mary. :)) BCS Frank : In a few years the computers will all be talking to each other anyway. :) MaryEz : It's all those funny characters !!@ etc. in the numbers that intimidate me! AFA Bard : OK.... Ready for the BIG Question????????? AFL Gayle : Sure. Gofor it, Bard! :) AFA Bard : What do Jane Fonda, Harriet Tubman and Rosanne Barr, er, Arnold have in common? BCS Frank : Ahhh the "bangs" and "shells." MaryEz : Lousy voices? BCS Frank : Book-of-the-Month selections? MaryEz : Born in Atlanta? AFA Bard : LOL!! Sit back for a second and watch!!!!! AFA Bard : (a sly deception!) AFA Bard : We've got quite a variety of Language Arts software in our own AED libraries. From our NEW FILES library -- a couple of great HyperStudio stacks called "Women in American History" caught my eye. These might be the perfect interdisciplinary plans for a historical writing assignment. Anybody checked this file out yet? AFL Gayle : Sneaky... :))) BCS Frank : genuine subtle there. :) AFL Gayle : I downloaded it but haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Tell us what is AFL Gayle : in store for us, Bard. :) MaryEz : One of these days I'll have to hook my GS to the modem and download some of this stuff! BCS Frank : haven't yet, thanks for the tip :) AFA Bard : It's really great. The author has painstakingly scanned photos of about 50 famous women and included some factual information in scrollable HyperStudio windows. The follow up is a pretty neat game that asks students to identify which woman participated in selected historical events. Kind of neat! The stack was authored by JanLynn, Sunshine's mom! AFL Gayle : And I saw on the Roger Wagner board, a post by Jan saying she is working on a new, improved version. :) MaryEz : Now, I'll really have to download it. We enjoyed meeting both of them as Scrappers. AFA Bard : Question #2... What did Bart Simpson say to the surfer? (another sly deception!) BCS Frank : A nice, small world some days. :) MaryEz : Surf's UP!!!! BCS Frank : Smurfs up? AFA Bard : The answer: HANG, MAN - er, HangMan.. watch... AFA Bard : AND... from the AED Reading and Language Arts Library... Here's a really interesting trio.. Check out "Creative Writing Rebus", a file of lesson plans for using the computer in a 5th or 6th grade writing class. This file, by the way, was the winner of our annual Computer Learning Month contest! And... don't forget HAMLET, for all you OTHER "bards" out there! It's a great file to help spice up your HS English lit. classes. You'll also find a great HANGMAN (user configurable) and, for those "tough to teach" ESL/ESOL kids - try the Dolch Word List file. All in our Reading and LA library files! DMA Mike : Howdy all -- I'm online two places. AFA Bard : Welcome, Mike! BCS Frank : You cloning around, Mike? DMA Mike : Yup, Got a bit backup. MaryEz : Ohhhhhhhh, Frank! AFA Bard : LOL! BCS Frank : Hmmm... sounds good for those "tough" ESL/ABE adults too. AFA Bard : Welcome Gerry! AFL Gayle : There are also some stacks about Chaucer in the StudioWare Library. Bard, any more don't miss files we should know about? AFL Gayle : Hi, Gerry! :) AFA Bard : Thought you'd NEVER ask, Gayle! (:: he says predictably ::) AFA Bard : Watch......... AFA Bard : And LAST, but not LEAST... check out our STUDIOWARE library! Tucked away in the stacks you'll find some great HyperStudio stackware including SPELLSTACK, THE POETRY OF POE and SONNET 55! Of course, the BEST online Language Stuff may use ONLY your own AOL software!! I'm talking about... SCRAPBOOK USA, now cranking up for ANOTHER great season! Check our SPECIAL INTEREST/EDCONNECTION AREA for information on this wonderful classroom telecommunications project! AFA Bard : Whewwwwww! AFA Bard : Questions? BCS Frank : Speaking of Roger Wagner, AFA Bard : Great segue, Frank! BCS Frank : he has a few great posts over in the AcrossTheBoards... AFL Gayle : Tell us about them, please, Frank. :) IC Gerry : <--can't WAIT for Scrapbook to start up again! What a great program!! BCS Frank : on the importance of hypermedia for the Apple IIgs in education. BCS Frank : Learned from the masters, Bard... :) AFA Bard : What are his major points, Frank? MaryEz : Our first exchange of "Hellos" is Sept. 24 BCS Frank : That evalgelism for the Apple II, and for computers in general should focus on the users' felt needs. and that hypermedia offers great opportunity for helping educators to increase their "toolkit." BCS Frank : Some of it was in response to folks saying they want to change the way Apple markets the Apple II. IC Gerry : I see Roger is doing a conference at MECC this year..:) BCS Frank : HyperStudio 3.0 is Released!!?? DMA Mike : brb AFA Bard : Tell us more, Mary! MaryEz : Apple dealers won't even discuss Apple II family anymore :(. IC Gerry : We saw that at the Apple II Developer's conference this summer..looks tremendous!!!! AFA Bard : Anyone notice that Apple dropped the Apple IIe from the Teacher Buy list this month? The gs is still there though. BCS Frank : Sure did... Roger's Studio Scripting is a knock out! MaryEz : BRB, have to get mailing downstairs. AFL Gayle : Are you going to MECC this year, Gerry? IC Gerry : Right, Bard..and I think it will be for quite some time..especially with the new system coming out! IC Gerry : Gayle, we may be out of town then..:( IC Gerry : I am just sick about missing it! AFA Bard : Right, System 6.0 for the gs! Should be VERY interesting, especially to gs "nay-sayers". :) AFL Gayle : That's too bad, Gerry. :( IC Gerry : It is really a terrific conference for educators..and getting to be more important for computer companies also! AFA Bard : Some of the most recent MECC stuff is really incredible. IC Gerry : The Midwest is getting to be where the action is! :) BCS Frank : :) BCS Frank : Certainly seems that way. AFL Gayle : Does anyone know what new products MECC is coming out this year? AFL Gayle : Insert a with there after out. :) MaryEz : Sorry, can't find the info. BCS Frank : Mary, did you say that HyperStudio 3.0 has already been released? AFL Gayle : No problem, Mary. You can tell us about it later. AFA Bard : Just got our site license mailing on Friday, Gayle. Unfortunately, it's at work. :( AFL Gayle : That's OK, Bard. You can post a message in the message board about what's new. AFL Gayle : Our site license goes to the BOE, so I haven't heard yet what we'll be getting. AFA Bard : So does ours, Gayle. :) IC Gerry : BOE??? AFA Bard : Bored-Of-Education. :) IC Gerry : oh...;) IC Gerry : In our school. I am the board..:) AFL Gayle : Board of Education, Bard! ;) IC Gerry : or at least a sixth of it..:) BCS Frank : Works either way, Gayle :) AFA Bard : Both ways, Gayle ;) AFL Gayle : BOE=place where the superintendent and the supervisors work... Also the only AFL Gayle : place that has Macs and LaserWriters. Sigh... AFL Gayle : In fact, there isn't a single Apple // in the building any more. Just IBMs and AFL Gayle : Macs. MaryEz : The best kept secret in town!! IC Gerry : in our case it is the library and the principal..and we just have IIes and a GS..:) AFL Gayle : Wait a minute. I take that back. There IS one //e, running FrEdMail. AFL Gayle : Library is the BEST place to have your computers, Gerry. :) AFL Gayle : Me, biased? Naaaawww.... ;) AFA Bard : BEST place, Gayle? Well, OK, ONE of the best places. :)))) IC Gerry : No..we meet in the library...computers are in a locked closet in the basement. LOL!!! AFL Gayle : I thought you had some Lasers at your school, Gerry? MaryEz : My lab is just off the library and some of the extra computers are there! IC Gerry : yes. a couple...forgot about those..:) AFL Gayle : Oh, of course. The library is the favorite meeting place for everybody and AFL Gayle : anybody. ;) AFA Bard : The basement, Gerry? It's HAMMER time!!! :)) BCS Frank : Hmmm... at least you have a solid computer security system, Gerry. AFL Gayle : Hammer, Bard? What are you going to strike? AFL Gayle : Or is it pound? ;) IC Gerry : Nope..just open to the burglars..we make it easy for them to find..:) AFA Bard : The basement door, Gayle. To free those computers! AFL Gayle : Ah, I see, Bard. :) BCS Frank : Welcome to the Computer Liberation Hour! DMA Mike : Told you I'd return! AFA Bard : Rehi, Mike... still Dual-processing? DMA Mike : No Just singled out IC Gerry : Bard, that is just the Frank language..similar to the Dallas language (my husband) so often I can translate..:) AFA Bard : You made the right choice. :)) AFA Bard : LOL, Gayle! BCS Frank : ... sometimes my fingers are faster than the keys... :) AFL Gayle : So, Gerry, what's your favorite piece of software for language arts? MaryEz : Frank's flying fingers!! AFL Gayle : How about you, too, Frank? :) AFA Bard : (the topic monster strikes again!) BCS Frank : I'm still getting along with Appleworks 3.0.... DMA Mike : Define :Language Arts. AFL Gayle : That's topic COP, Bard, not monster. IC Gerry : Mecc Communikeys...language based keyboard program..:) IC Gerry : tied in to Earthwatch AFL Gayle : Language arts includes reading, writing, spelling, Mike. :) BCS Frank : students find out thy can word process & take home thir own print outs. AFA Bard : :) Language Arts (n): that which is everything except math, social studies and science - except in AFL Gayle : Gerry, serious question... Have you actually used Communikeys with kids? I AFA Bard : the case of whole language when it's all of those, too. :)) AFL Gayle : previewed it last week, and it seemed to go awfully fast for students to really IC Gerry : We had a topic??? ;) AFL Gayle : learn how to touch type? (Or was it that the user already knew how to touch AFL Gayle : type? ;) IC Gerry : Yes, Gayle..with my own kids..they like it..:) AFL Gayle : Of COURSE we had a topic, Gerry! AFL Gayle : Are they learning how to touch type by using it? MaryEz : I have used it with 250 5th graders. I am not thrilled with the continued stress on WPM. IC Gerry : Yes, Gayle... AFA Bard : WPM in fifth grade??? What abou accuracy? AFL Gayle : Did it do well with teaching them touch typing, Mary? IC Gerry : Mary, I downplayed that... AFL Gayle : I have altruistic reasons for my questions. As I told Bard earlier, my AFL Gayle : principal has decided I'm to teach Typing I to our 9th graders, starting AFL Gayle : tomorrow. MaryEz : I try to downplay it but when the software keeps saying you typed so many words per minute its hard MaryEz : to keep telling them its not important. IC Gerry : lots of notice, huh, Gayle?? :) BCS Frank : Hi, Andy :) AFL Gayle : Yes, something like that, Gerry. It's called keep the OTHER Board of Education AFA Bard : *** A FREE HOUR will be given away to some lucky participant in ONLY MINUTES!! *** MaryEz : Typing I, they're still using that term? Panda4 : Hi Sorry Im'm late I fell asleep:/ AFL Gayle : (the elected people) happy. IC Gerry : Mary, most of the software we have is so old, we keep telling them to ignore lots of things..they are IC Gerry : USED to it! LOL!!! AFL Gayle : Actually, it's called Keyboarding/Typing I, Mary. MaryEz : What do you feel is appropriate for 5th graders to have mastered in keyboarding? Panda4 : You know MECC releases new titles evry year. AFL Gayle : Touch typing of the letters, Mary. Does that sound reasonable to you? DMA Mike : Quality in the text itself. Not just ion volume. IC Gerry : Not much Mary..I figure that is when they start..but I am sometimes in the minority... AFL Gayle : Yes, Andy. We were discussing that earlier. Do you know what they are coming AFL Gayle : out with this year that is new? AFA Bard : Depending on the time they have to work with it, Mary -- at least a familiarization with the keyboard AFA Bard : and correct posture/fingering technique. Panda4 : No but I'l check it tomorrow and upload a list. AFL Gayle : I'd be more interested in them getting accustomed to the idea of touch typing AFA Bard : Thanks, Andy! AFL Gayle : rather than worry about speed, Mary. AFL Gayle : Thanks, Andy! That would be great! :)) AFA Bard : Ditto, Gayle. AFL Gayle : Before we announce the winner of our free hour, a short commercial. :) MaryEz : I look for two hands, home row, space bar, return, esc, shift keys used properly. DMA Mike : Dito to Bard's lat statement here Proper fingering. IC Gerry : ::hoping I won::: ;) AFL Gayle : If you enjoyed Bard's "What's Great in our Software Library" preview this evening, then make SURE you set your alarm clock (Andy, especially ;) to be here next week at 8 pm ET. Our own AFA Bard will be our Guest Star, telling us about his Picks of the Best Software in our vast AED libraries. :) AFA Bard : Who, moi? Does this mean I get to borrow the limo, Gayle?? IC Gerry : ::marking calendar::: AFL Gayle : This is a don't miss opportunity! And, of course, we will once again have a AFL Gayle : free hour to give away to some lucky person. AFL Gayle : Our lucky person tonight is none other than MaryEZ! :) AFL Gayle : *Applause* Panda4 : Yeah Mary!!!! MaryEz : Come to "Integrating Geography into your Curriculum" on Wed. in TIN, Teachers' Forum, Conf 1 IC Gerry : Way to go, Mary!!!!!!! AFA Bard : [[[[[ Mary!! ]]]]]]]]] Cheer!!!!!!!! MaryEz : at 9:30. AFA Bard : Go Braves! BCS Frank : Congrats, Mary :) !!!! AFL Gayle : The secret word tonight was vocabulary! :) AFA Bard : (Had to get that in!) MaryEz : Thanks, I needed that!!! Panda4 : Bard, Where are you from? AFA Bard : Atlanta, Andy. :) AFL Gayle : Take a guess, Andy. AFL Gayle : Home of the Braves. ;) AFA Bard : Go BRAVES! MaryEz : You had to ask, Andy!! AFA Bard : (and the free..) AFL Gayle : And the next Olympics. :) DMA Mike : Does anyone here use a typing program as a basis for teaching proper possition- AFA Bard : and Coca-Cola. :) Panda4 : I'm from Birmingham, and most folks around here have adopted the Braves! DMA Mike : ing of the finger ,If so what? AFL Gayle : And CNN. MaryEz : Communikeys by MECC AFA Bard : Excellent, Mike! AFL Gayle : That's what we were discussing earlier, Andy. Communikeys was the choice by AFA Bard : And Hayes Microcomputers! AFL Gayle : Mary and Gerry. (Hey, that rhymes. :) AFL Gayle : Thanks to all for coming tonight! :) Remember to mark your calendars for Sept. 22, as Bard gives us the Picks of our Libraries. :) BCS Frank : Thanks, Mary, will try ... IC Gerry : Bard & FRank always have to be individuals..separately..:) AFL Gayle : Good night, all! I'm off to post the request for Mary's free hour. :) DMA Mike : I'll have to show up eariler next time.i IC Gerry : Mary, I have that already on my calendar..:) AFL Gayle : Congratulations again, Mary! :) AFA Bard : Nite, all! THANKS for visiting our chat! AFA Bard : Congrats again, Mary! AFL Gayle : Yes, Mike. She said the secret word right away. You've got to be quick to win AFL Gayle : around here. ;) BCS Frank : Especially thanks on the network info. 9/15/91 9:16:47 PM Closing Chat Log.