DEFT:Using Internet Technologies

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Getting Internet access
Web browser
Platform compatibility - PC vs. MacIntosh
Email
Putting files onto a server - Using FTP

Understanding the different kinds of communication and development tools that are available will allow you to determine how best to present your content and structure your course on-line.

Getting Internet access.
Although most University of Florida students taking a course will have a Gatorlink account -- which provides them with Internet access, including the World Wide Web and e-mail -- students outside the local area may want to use a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) to avoid long distance charges. Using an ISP other than Gatorlink may affect students' access to your course, and may cause problems if you include password protection/user authentication on your course site. Commercial ISPs often provide users with an installation disk (as UF does) which might include software different from what you are using to access and communicate on the Web. This is often the case with Web browsers, e-mail clients and file transfer protocol (FTP) applications.

Web browsers.
A Web browser is software which allows a computer to display pages from the Internet that include text, graphics, and (sometimes with the help of additional software) animation, audio/video and other forms of interactivity. Browsers include navigation buttons, which help a user move around a Web site, and usually include such features as e-mail and basic HTML (hypertext markup language) page editors. Although there are many Web browsers available, the two most popular are Netscape Navigator/Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). Netscape is available for download, free for educational users; Microsoft makes Internet Explorer free for all users. Gatorlink and most commercial ISP's give users the option of using either Netscape or IE. Commercial on-line services such as America Online (AOL) distribute a proprietary browser which a majority of their customers use, although they also provide users with the option of using Netscape or Internet Explorer.

In all these cases, the type of browser your students use can affect how your course pages display, and sometimes, whether particular features "work" or not. It's therefore a good idea to design your course so it looks the same no matter what browser is used; sometimes, though, certain features require different coding techniques, depending on the browser. In this case, you might want to either specify a particular browser that your students should use, or include a page of instructions in your course overview that will explain what the differences are for different browsers.

Tip: Since earlier versions of all Web browsers do not support some of the HTML tags that the later versions do, generally, the more complex and interactive your course, the more important it is to view it in the latest available version of your browser. Since some of your students may be using an earlier browser, you may want to determine what your students are using, and make sure your pages work in those versions.

Platform compatibility - PC vs. MacIntosh.
The type of computer your students use will also make a difference. IBM-based personal computers (PC) and Macintosh computers handle color display, screen size and resolution and file directory structures differently; consequently, some specialized Web development software will only work on one platform. The good news is that most of these differences are slight, and your pages can usually be adjusted to accommodate both Macintosh and PC users.

Tip: Some shareware programs let you see what your Web pages will look like in various browsers and system configurations. And some new releases of commercial HTML editing applications also let you check your page design as it will look in the most commonly used browsers. But it's still a good idea to physically check your pages on different systems and platforms.

E-mail.
E-mail is a basic form of communication on the Internet. Because it is text-based and accessible at any time, you and your students can use it easily, day or night. E-mail is particularly good for dealing with student questions, announcing events or making changes to the class schedule, or setting up appointments with students. Students can also use it to communicate with peers, conduct class group or project work and submit assignments via an attachment. Another advantage is that if you use e-mail, you and your students have a dated record of the communication that has taken place. Popular e-mail packages include Eudora Pro and Eudora Lite, Pegasus Mail, and the mail packages such as Netscape Mail or Microsoft Outlook included as part of a browser.

Putting files onto a server - File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
When you 'publish' or put your course pages on-line where your students can find them, the files reside on a server. A File Transfer Protocol program allows you to 'upload' or transfer your files to the server. FTP is used not only to publish Web pages, but also to transfer files of all kinds from one machine to others via 'uploading' and 'downloading' (transferring a file from a server to a client machine).

Tip: Although you can transfer files using DOS or UNIX commands, there are freeware programs available, such as WS-FTP for the PC or Fetch for the Macintosh, which automate the process of establishing a connection with your 'server host' (the machine where your files reside). If you have a PC and are connected to a Local Area Network (LAN), you can also access the server as a virtual drive on your computer if you obtain permission from the network administrator. This will allow you to simply 'cut and paste' your files from your computer to the server. The staff of the IFAS Information Technology unit can assist you with this process.

Move on to Video-based course production, and learn how video courses differ from web-based instruction

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