NETEACH Nook
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A spacious classroom with a comfortable, lived-in feeling to it. Someone
has put up at least one nice decoration: a world map with brightly colored
push pins showing where NETEACHers have connected from. So far, there are
pins in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, Greece, UK, Brazil, Israel,
Canada, France, Germany, and all over the US.
You see Teacher's Desk, Big Table, Bulletin Board, Beanbags, Fireside
Bearskin, Kitchen Table, and Wading Pool.
You see Markus, Gregor, Lesley, Godzilla, Puzzled, Chrissy [Guest], and
Mike [Guest] standing about.
Markus asked Jo, the PA of CMP, to take note of this meeting.
Puzzled is having problems
Markus presents Jo to all: ...our perfect PA...
Godzilla says, "Jo will be taking profuse notes during our session."
Markus says, "you can: 'ask Jo for coffee' as well"
Lesley needs something to feel better and asks for tea
Puzzled has disconnected.
Gregor says, "Markus, Lesley, and Godzilla have been putting schMOOze to
my personal favorite use... they're using it to collaborate professionally.... "
Chrissy [Guest] [to Gregor]: Have you got a powerful eye to see who are
logging in now?@more
Markus asks Jo for the time.
Jo says: "The time here at schMOOze is: 10:09 a.m.
Jo brings a nice cup of tea for Lesley
Gregor says, "Markus made "Jo," a virtual secretary (Sorry, PA! ;o) to
log discussions."
Lesley drinks the tea...
Francesco has arrived.
Lesley needs something to feel better and asks for tea
Gregor greets Francesco.
Jo brings a nice cup of tea for Lesley
Godzilla says, "Hi Mike. You came to the right place."
Markus [to Gregor]: well ... shall we start?
Gregor [to Markus]: Why don't we beging with introductions?
Francesco nods
Mike [Guest] says, "What usually happens here?"
Markus is going to show something new on the screen...
On the screen you see...
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*** INTRODUCTIONS ***
You are of course welcome to remain anonymous, but at this time
we invite all of you who wish to do so to identify yourselves by
your name and affiliation.
GODZILLA = Larry Davies - Nagoya University (Japan) and MARKUS = Markus
J. Weininger - Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis (Brazil)
are your hosts today and welcome you all to this session!
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pete [Guest] has arrived.
Gregor is Greg Younger, CALL Coordinator at the Economics Institute in
Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Godzilla says, "Welcome, Pete."
Gregor [to pete [Guest]]: You're just in time for introductions!
pete [Guest] says, "Hi again"
Mike [Guest] says, "My name is Michael Morrison, and I teach at Kwangju
wome's University in Kwangju, South Korea. Women's."
Markus is very happy to see new faces :)
pete [Guest] says, "Pete is Pete MacKichan, teacher and ed tech student
in Greece."
Gregor [to Mike [Guest]]: Nice to meet you! Thanks for coming.
Markus says, "Hi Pete and Mike"
Mike [Guest] says, "It sounded interesting. I have no idea how to start
teaching using a computer."
Markus says, "Ok, our subject today is CGI use for Language Learning
sites"
Gregor [to Markus]: Would you like us to have your webpage open now?
Chrissy [Guest] asks a cup of tea from Jo, too.
Markus says, "Yes that can help"
Godzilla says, "Does everyone here have WWW capability? "
Markus says, "Let me show you first the program for today"
Mike [Guest] says, "Which webpage?"
Godzilla says, "If so, it would help to look at our page in your browsers
now."
Francesco nods
Markus is going to show something new on the screen...
On the screen you see...
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NETEACH session CGI (Common Gateway Interface)
---------------------------------------------
1 - INDEX OF TRANSPARENCIES
.......................
2 - Welcome to this NETEACH - Session
3 - Introductions :-)
4 - What is CGI (Common Gateway Interface)?
5 - What is it good for?
6 - How can I start? (examples)
7 - Comments or questions?
8 - Reminder ;-)
-------------------------------
If you want to see any of these transparencies again later,
type PEEK IN LCD ... PEEK 1 IN LCD will show you this Index.
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For today's NETEACH session you should look simultaneously at this URL:
http://halley.yadata.com.br/schMOOze/neteach/
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Markus says, "here you see the URL for those who don't have it"
Markus says, "...and how you can get back to tthis index of
transparencies in case you want to look at them later..."
Chrissy [Guest] is sorry for the big lag that she can only make an intro
now. Chrissy is studying in London as a research student. She herself comes
from Taiwan.
Markus says, "we suggest that you open the inicated page in your browser
but come back here and only switch to the browser when we discuss some detail
there"
Gregor is all set.
Francesco says, "already done, looks fine"
Markus [to all]: can you please tell me if you have the page open in your
browsers?
Lesley was some time ago while ignoring the lag
Mike [Guest] says, "yes"
Gregor says, "I also checked it out yesterday, and printed out the source
code, thinking that might be of use to me."
Markus nods at Gregor
Godzilla says, "Has everyone had a chance to preview the material on the
page?"
Godzilla says, "or is this the first time you are seeing it?"
Markus [to all]: for those interested I can send you the scripts per
e-mail later...
Francesco says, "I saw the materials"
Mike [Guest] says, "I saw it earlier"
pete [Guest] says, "I saw it yesterday"
Markus says, "Great!"
Mike [Guest] says, "was it about java applets?"
Mike [Guest] says, "or are those different?"
Markus says, "Ok I think we can move to the first point: What are CGI
scripts..."
Markus is going to show something new on the screen...
On the screen you see...
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What is CGI (Common Gateway Interface)?
--------------------------------------
... CGI scripts are programs that are running on a web-server, processing
input users of a site send to the server from a page.
CGIs generate specific output events, according to the users input.
Those events can be:
- e-mail events (sending mail to you, the user or any other address)
- HTML-pages created on-the-fly by the server, including user data
- other events on the server (execute counters or any other command)
Simple examples are 'guestbooks', where users can easily create their own
messages on a page that is edited automatically and instantly by the CGI
script.
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Markus says, "Do you have any questions, doubts or comments about that?"
Godzilla says, "Or about anything you've seen on the page?"
Gregor says, "No doubts at all. :o) I may be deluded, but I think I've
been missing out on something not-too-difficult by not getting started with
CGI earlier."
Mike [Guest] says, "I need some way to introduce my students to the
computer, this may be too advanced..."
Markus [to Gregor]: hmm I started not long ago too...
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: not at all... because CGI can lhelp you making
their first contacts easier...
Gregor [to Mike [Guest]]: Maybe so, but check it out... this could give
you ideas to use later when you feel more adept with using the web with your
students.
Mike [Guest] says, "ok ok you talked me into it"
Gregor scribbles a note to himself that "Introducing students to the
computer" would make an excellent upcoming topic.
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: for instance CGIs can help you to let them put
stuff on the web even knowing little about computers
Markus says, "Ok, does anybody still have questions on the point what CGI
is?"
Mike [Guest] says, "i understand that, (I think), but I don't have a web
page, and I'm not sure about that aspect..."
Godzilla [to Mike [Guest]]: All they need to know in the beggining is to
type, point and click.
Gregor says, "Just a vocabulary note..."
Mike [Guest] says, "but lets move on"
Markus nods
Markus is going to show something new on the screen...
On the screen you see...
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What is it good for?
--------------------
... CGIs give you, as a site maintainer, the possibility to let your
users (learners/teachers) have controlled access to your server. All they
have to do is fill out forms or click buttons.
There are mainly three benefits in doing so:
(1) In spite of the time you use for setting up your CGI scripts, they
save you a lot of time later on, as you don't have to put/edit users'
materials manually on your server any longer. Users can put things on the web
alone, as much or as often as they like (or as server space allows).
(2) You can implement real and personalized interaction with your users
(3) User empowerment and autonomy: the CGI script can guide less
proficient internet users through complex processes.
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Gregor says, "CGI refers to a script, a whole page utilizing that kind of
script.. or both?"
Markus says, "CGI is the possibility to let a browser interact with a
server"
Markus [to Gregor]: the scripts are 'programs' executed by the sever to
process this interaction
Godzilla says, "If you look at our page you will see several forms..."
Markus corrects a typo: server
Gregor [to Godzilla]: Click on "examples?"
Godzilla says, "For instance, the COFFEE form..."
Godzilla says, "Student's (such as mikes) only need to fill in the
information asked of the form."
pete [Guest] says, "I like anything that will save me time."
Godzilla says, "The form is coded to call up a cgi script..."
Godzilla says, "The cgi then goes to work taking the data input in the
form..."
Godzilla says, "You need to know a little html in order to design
forms..."
Godzilla says, "The cgi executes, and in the case of the coffee script..."
Godzilla says, "produces a personalized page with the data you entered..."
Godzilla says, "Please try it out."
Markus [to pete [Guest]]: I desperately need anything that saves me
time... By now I can't edit any students' or teachers' web pages myself any
more... and they don't know how to do this... CGI is an intermediate solution
for this problem... I set it up but they do their pages later...
Godzilla [to Gregor]: Yes, Gregor the example we have is this coffee
form. Please everyone, order coffee through the form. It's ok to experiment
with different combinations, too...
Markus says, "If you have any questions, just go ahead, please"
Godzilla says, "The cgi that Markus prepared will send back a page
customized for every possible combination of data entered."
Markus [to all]: of course the coffee example is extremely simple... to
let you follow exactly how it works... the interactive quizzes are a bit more
complex...
Gregor curses the lag.
Chrissy [Guest] says, "I want a coffe, but order it in the form of
"later". Nothing happens. The button "order now" is OK. Is this the normal
reaction?"
Markus [to Chrissy [Guest]]: Sure!
Chrissy [Guest] [to Markus]: Thanks
Markus [to Chrissy [Guest]]: ...order later resets the form :)
Chrissy [Guest] [to Markus]: Yes. It did reset the form. I thought that
something wrong with it.
Francesco says, "my students here are astonished by this lesson! now I
have to go, thank you very much for the invitation, let me know where I can
find the log"
Markus [to all]: you can have a look at the link upload too and try to
send us link to your pages or other interesting sites
Godzilla [to Francesco]: We'll be posting it off of the same page, I
think.
Gregor [to Francesco]: http://spot.colorado.edu/~youngerg/netmoo.html
pete [Guest] needs extra sugar in his coffee.
Markus [to Francesco]: your students are always welcome to work on this
page later and send f/b or questions, ok?
Godzilla says, "Any other questions or comments so far?"
Francesco says, "ok, thanks :) Bye"
Godzilla waves.
Markus [to Francesco]: "Bye and see you!
Godzilla says, "Bye Francesco. Thanks for coming."
Gregor says, "Ciao, Francesco!"
Francesco has disconnected.
Markus [to all]: if you try out the link-upload and don't fill in your
name or e-mail you will see how CGIs can guide less experient users through a
process
Gregor says, "I'm not finding the link upload.,.. where's that?"
Gregor says, "Oh, you mean Submit a Site??"
Markus [to Gregor]: yes... :)
Godzilla nods at Gregor.
Gregor goes to try it out.
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: thank you for the site you submittted!
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: Did you try to send without e-mail?
Mike [Guest] says, "you're welcome, it's the site that led me here"
Mike [Guest] says, "no, I put my e-mail address"
Godzilla says, "Ah, Mike, say hello to Greg for me!"
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: ...try to send without e-mail and see what
happens...
Mike [Guest] says, "is it the same as having coffee with no name?"
Godzilla [to Mike [Guest]]: Yes. If you don't put your name, see what
happens.
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: yes you will receive an alert that explains
better what you should do
Mike [Guest] says, "Godzi"okay, it's there"
Godzilla says, "When designing cgi scripts, you have to consider all the
possible combinations of input that students will do. Including their lack of
input or other mistakes they make in the form..."
Mike [Guest] says, "no name no coffee"
Markus [to Godzilla]: that's right!
Godzilla says, "It is up to you to write the appropriate response, so you
have to be aware of all the possibilities."
Markus [to Chrissy [Guest]]: did you try it out too?
Godzilla has been caught by the nasty lag devil. Please help!!
Mike [Guest] says, "how would you deal with input that isn't relevant?"
Godzilla [to pete [Guest]]: How are you doing there?
Mike [Guest] says, "like a site that isn't there"
Mike [Guest] says, "if we put a link to http://llllll, will the page
still add it?"
Godzilla [to Mike [Guest]]: I'm not sure what you mean. You mean if a
student submits an URL that doesn't exist or has moved?
Mike [Guest] says, "doesn't exist"
Mike [Guest] says, "can it test the site first?"
Markus [to Mike [Guest]]: we could of course make the script check first,
but this would be rather complex to program and probably is not worth the
time you'd have to invest into this feature ... easier is to just delete it ;-)
Godzilla [to Mike [Guest]]: I'll have to second Markus on this. There are
some things that you just can't plan for...
Markus says, "generally speaking you have to ponder what is worth doing
it... in terms of maximum time economy..."
Mike [Guest] says, "I see"
Chrissy [Guest] is wondering whether she has big lag or the meeting has
stopped ...
Godzilla [to Mike [Guest]]: Of course, it's a great idea, but it IS a bit
complex...
Mike [Guest] says, "right... i ude\nderstand... "
Markus says, "you can try out the interactive quizzes too... we made them
with personalized feedback and even sounf files if you have a soundcard...
the link is in the section examples"
Gregor says, "I'm looking at the
Please send comments to youngerg@spot.colorado.edu.