Tech Talk: OLRC Update
Web Replaces Gopher
OLRC is the Ohio Adult Literacy Servers Information System, designed and maintained by the OLRC. All OLRC information is now available on the Web, which is recognized as the way to access information on the Internet. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a hyper-linked, simple interface for accessing information available through the Internet. The WWW has become such a standard that after August 1, 1996, the OLRC stopped adding new information to the Gopher and is now concentrating on making its Web site comprehensive and extremely user friendly. (Most systems in Ohio that have access to a Gopher have access to at least a text-based WWW system. If you feel you will not be able access OLRC on the Web, please contact the OLRC.)
The OLRC WWW site contains a wealth of inform-ation for all literacy practitioners. Its simple navigation and layout allow users to access the information and resources they need.
- The administrator can find funding, demographic, and policy information.
- For the instructor there is a seemingly endless supply of resources including lesson plans and
classroom activities as well as information to enable the instructor to develop resources tailored to student's needs.
- Students are finding more and more activities developed for them and are also creating exciting student-to-student Web sites.
Midwest Regional Hub
The OLRC is also the Midwest Regional Hub in the National Institute for Literacy's Literacy aNd Communication System (LINCS). Designed to enable those in the field to easily access
information not only in their own state but across the region and country as well, the Midwest
Hub (Midwest LINCS) can be found as a link off the OLRC home page.
How to Access OLRC
To access OLRC, use the open location feature of your Web browser or a lower case g if you are using lynx, the text-based browser. The browser will provide a place to type in the address: http://literacy.kent.edu/ After you type the address, hit the enter key and you will be taken to the OLRC homepage.
Listservs
A Listserv (Internet Mailing List) is a tool to help simplify and expand E-Mail capabilities; it is generally designed around people interested in a common topic. Users sub-scribe to the list by sending an E-Mail message. Once subscribed, any message, question, comment, or reply sent to
the list is automatically sent to every subscriber. This means that with one E-Mail message, a practitioner can gain feedback or share ideas with hundreds of people who have the same interests. OLRC currently supports two lists that may be of interest to readers.
- 1) Ohiolit is designed for all literacy practitioners in Ohio; topics range from legislative policy and funding issues to classroom questions and ideas.
- 2) Technet focuses on topics relating to implementing technology into literacy programs and is
open to all literacy practitioners in the Midwest.
Technet and Ohiolit can be accessed by sending a message to: majordomo@literacy.kent.edu In
the body of the message type: subscribe "listname" "firstname" "lastnamev where "listname" is
the name of the list you choose (Technet or Ohiolit) and "firstname" "lastname" is the user's first and last name. (Do not include the brackets "".) After that, all messages for the group will be sent to: listname@literacy.kent.edu where listname is the name of the list the user wishes to contact.
Comments Needed
OLRC is constantly evolving, changing, and expanding. We rely greatly on the skills of the OLRC staff, but without the input and ideas of those in the field, OLRC will never realize its full potential. Please contact us through the comments selection on each Web page, or by E-mail or
phone with ideas, additional resources, comments, and suggestions.
Web Site Resources on the Internet for the ABE Teacher and Student
Surfing" the Web, trying to find a great site to use in the classroom? Here are a few sites listed by topic that have been discovered and suggested by many of you out in the field. Type the complete address (located after http://) into the "GO" box on your browser, then hit enter and explore!!!
Literature and Writing
Children's Literature Web Guide
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/index.html
- A site rich with resources ranging from actual on-line literature to on-line discussion groups for children's literature.
- An excellent site for teachers, parents, and children to use together.
Purdue University's On-Line Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
- Offers on-line help to students with their writing skills, with a special section for English as a Second Language students.
- Provides in-depth information on the mechanics of the English language.
Math and Science
Mega Math
http://www.c3.lanl.gov/mega-math/welcome.html
- Creative activities for use in the classroom.
- Great resource for teachers who want to incorporate mathematical concepts into their math curriculum.
NASA Quest
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov
- Very rich sites for other links to math and science resources.
- Good Resource for curriculum and examples on how to use the Internet in the classroom.
Social Studies/Current Events
CNN's Interactive Learning Resources for Teaching
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/index_cnnsf.html
- Current issues for the developing reader.
- Curriculum ideas for teachers.
- On-line interactive postings from students
New York Times On Line
http://www.nytimes.com/
- Register to receive the New York Times delivered on line.
- Great resource for generating discussions on current events about sports, international and national news, science, politics, the arts, and more.
Resources for Literacy Program Staff and Practitioners
The Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/
- A site dedicated to the dissemination of information about fundraising and grants.
- Of note is a special section on The Fundraising Process.
ERIC: Adult Literacy Information and Materials on the Internet
gopher://ericir. syr.edu:70/11/Ed/AdultLit
- Information on adult literacy via Laubach Literacy, State Literacy Resource Centers, Listservs
and Usenet groups , and more.
- Eric digests on adult literacy in full text.
These are but a handful of the excellent sites to be found on line. Please check out our web site for more links to excellent on-line resources. And please don't hesitate to inform us of sites that you discover. Just include the URL and a brief note on what you find of value about the site. Just send us an email at olrc@literacy.kent.edu and we'll try to incorporate it into our next newsletter. Thanks for your help!
Using the Internet in the Classroom: Success for Local Mini-Grant Recipients
Internet in the classroom" are just buzzwords for many ABLE students and teachers, but for eight Ohio programs and two Minnesota programs these words have special meaning. Through grant funding from the National Institute for Literacy that established the OLRC as the Midwest
Regional Technology Hub, these ten programs received a six-month mini grant to use Internet resources with ABLE teachers and students. Due to funding, technical support, and training, the staff at these programs have been able to incorporate Internet tools such as the World Wide Web (WWW), listservs, and e-mail into their curriculum with much success. Highlights of the projects include:
- Program staff located sites and compiled a list of the "Top 13 Cool Sites for Women on the Web" then posted it in the lab for students to explore.
- Students learned about bookmarks and created their own list of favorite ones.
- Via the LEARNER listserv a student began corre-spondence with an adult student in Australia;
the whole class has been consulting the atlas and other resources to learn about this country.
- One program published two Internet newsletters that shared WWW sites and different uses of the Internet.
- Key pals between several of the local projects in Ohio and Minnesota have given
students a more global view of the world, expanded their cultural awareness, and in-creased their electronic and written communication skills.
- Students, tutors, and teachers are learning together on the Internet--perfect for modeling the learning process, life-long learning, and the joy of learning.
- ABLE teachers have connected with other teachers and new teaching materials.
- Continuation of Internet service was guaranteed free for one year by a local service provider after the initial period.
The projects covered a wide range of programs such as large city programs and isolated rural programs, volun-teer programs, family literacy programs, and traditional adult education classes. The staff at these ten programs experienced their share of frustrations at the beginning of the projects--such as long waits for phone installation, difficulty correcting technical problems, a short grant period, and even frozen cables. Nevertheless, each program was able to move past these obstacles and introduce teachers and students to a whole new world via the Internet!
Congratulations to the ten programs, their students, and staff.
Please note: These phone numbers are current for 1996.
- A Better Way of Life Learning Center, Akron; (330) 535-1271; Contact: Angela Fleming
- Canton City Schools Even Start, Canton; (330) 588-2148; Contact: Jane Meyer
- Euclid City Schools ABLE, Euclid; (216) 261-2900 xt 244; Contact: Sue Galandiuk
- Gallia-Jackson-Vinton JVSD, Rio Grande; (614) 245-5335; Contact: Michael McPherson
- Hamilton City Schools ABLE, Hamilton; (513) 887-5021; Contact: Judy Scherrer
- Lakes Area Learning Center, Detroit Lakes, MN; (218) 847-9794; Contact: Elaine Graf Madison
- Local Schools ABLE, Madison; (216) 428-9370; Contact: Mary Ann Williams
- Project: LEARN of Summit County, Akron; (330) 434-9461; Contact: Christine Gardner
- Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, St. Paul, MN; (651) 290-4822; Contact: Claudia Bredemis
- Wayne County Family Learning Center, Wooster; (330) 262-7323; Contact: Kay Ringley
