CONDUCTING USER-FRIENDLY INTERNET WORKSHOPS Copyright 1992 by Urban A. LeJeune Urban A. LeJeune Department of Computer Science Stockton State College Pomona, NJ 08240 Phone (609) 652-4477 E-Mail: lejeune@pilot.njin.net ABSTRACT Internet is a gold mine for the serious academic. This observation is true not only for those whose primary interest is research, but additionally includes individuals interested in any phase of education. Notwithstanding, it is a sad fact that the facility is underutilized even in those institutions offering Internet services. An informal survey conducted in several educational institutions disclosed that less than ten percent of the faculty were using Internet, and of those who were, about seventy percent were only using the mail resource. Interestingly, a greater percentage of administrators were utilizing the network but again the preponderance were only using it for e-mail. This paper will describe my experiences with conducting Internet training sessions as well as a suggested workshop format that has evolved based upon many presentations. Participants in the workshop are presumed to have only nominal computer literacy skills. The model has been equally effective with faculty and staff. Based upon my individual experience the majority of the workshop participants commence using the Internet faculties almost immediately following the session and actively continue expanding their knowledge base. BACKGROUND When I first started using Internet facilities it seemed that I was meeting frustration every step of the way. Commands seem counter intuitive, instructions from incomplete tutorials created the illusion of bewilderment rather than friendliness. It was only after obtaining some degree of proficiency that I realized that things didn't seem confusing and bewildering, they really were. Borrowing from the old cliche stating that "if you really want to learn a topic, teach it," I started demonstration sessions for faculty and staff personnel early in my Internet journey. I would highly recommend this strategy to sharpen Internet skills. My first attempts at organized group training sessions were demonstrations using a phone-connected PC with a projector. I was substantially more impressed with the presentation than was the audience, given the results of the demonstration. Three months after the first group demonstration virtually the only people using Internet were the same ones that were using it before the presentation. In addition, they were only using e-mail, and sporadically at best. An evolution has taken place and a hands-on workshop has replaced the demonstration. Three months after the workshop approximately seventy percent of the participants are using Internet facilities regularly and over half use facilities other than e-mail. I believe the key to conducting a successful workshop requires participant involvement from the very beginning of the session. What has developed is a workshop format based upon two conceptual entities, discussion and participation. First start with a discussion on the general conceptual uses of Internet. Then bring the group on-line. To encourage actual participation make sure that each person attending the workshop has an account. Before starting the formal presentation have them log onto the system and do the things that are usually required of first time users. Ignoring this step will break the subsequent flow from which the trainer may never recover. This is especially important if the level of computer competence varies widely among those attending the workshop. Another major component for a successful workshop is a handout that includes, among other things, a printout of the actual step-by-step commands necessary to duplicate any real-time activity. Create the handout as if the readers were going to be entering the information, and interacting with the system, without the trainer looking over their shoulder. An example, using the telnet to Ohio State exercise, is included as Appendix A. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED INTERNET? Although Internet is certainly computers, fiber optic cable, communications satellites and legions of dedicated people, it is also a conceptual entity. Newer network users are typically attracted to the network's capability rather than hardware descriptions. For our current purposes let's concentrate on the service metaphor. We will not, at least for the present, be concerned with how things get from here to there. We'll leave these esoteric electronics topics for later. Internet may be looked upon as providing five major services, namely: Sending and receiving electronic mail, Logging onto a remote computer, Anonymously transferring files to and from remote locations, Archived file information, and Special interest and news groups. Let's look at the services one at a time. E-MAIL E-mail is arguably the most important use of the Internet. It is simple to use although there are a large variety of software programs employed for the mail facility. An explanation of addressing fundamentals and site-specific software is included in this section. Actual use of e-mail is initiated in this component. If possible send the participants a welcome message that will greet them when they read mail for the first time. To start the actual sending of e-mail briefly explain a listserv special interest group and have everyone subscribe to help-net at templevm.bitnet. Help-net, as the name implies, is a beginner oriented list. Within short order they will receive a piece of mail acknowledging their subscription to help-net. People who have, until this point, been very blase will break out into a smile when they receive their first piece of e-mail. Rarely does a day pass that help-net does not send out more than five pieces of mail, thus encouraging a daily system logon. LIBS and HYTELNET If your computer system is a VAX or Unix machine there is a superlative public-domain program available called LIBS. It is available via anonymous FTP from Sonoma.Edu. The VAX version is named LIBS.COM while the Unix version is known as LIBS.SH. The program is a very user-friendly menu-driven front end for accessing remote locations without explaining what telnet is. It also gives a preview of the magnitude and diversity of resources available. The main menu leads to several submenus. Selection of a particular library will result in the display of pertinent information and the question, "Do you want to connect." Answering yes will result in the connection be automatically being established. If the workshop is conducted using IBM PC type machines have HYTELNET previously loaded on the machines. HYTELNET, which is also in the public domain, is a terminate and stay resident (TSR) program that contains telnet information on over 500 sites. Most of the sites, although not all, are libraries. I find it helpful to tailor this part of the presentation to the audience. Point out libraries, or other remote sites, of special interest based upon their academic interest. As an example, the Environmental Protection Agency Library for natural science types is always greeted enthusiastically. This part of the workshop is an excellent place to set the "I got ya" hooks. TELNET Although telnet is the name of a program used for remote logon to a computer network the word is most frequently used in the sense of what it does. The long distance aspect of Telnet engenders substantive interest. I have found that a good example of telnet is the "whois" program at Ohio State. Entering telnet osu.edu gets you there. The database is large and several workshop participants have found former classmates or colleagues at Ohio State. FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTP) There is much information on the Internet that is available just for the asking. FTP is a means of anonymously transferring files to and from remote locations. Anonymously simply meaning the ability to transfer information from a network on which you do not have an account. I find it useful to have a group of small test files, in archie format, as part of the workshop handout. The excitement here is a direct function of transfer distance. Use foreign sites with all your file examples. If your participants are from an IBM or VAX environment make sure that you emphasize that most machines to which they will FTP are Unix machines and that case counts. I remember the consternation associated with my first attempt to FTP a file. I did a dir and saw PC, which was the directory I wanted. When I attempted to change directories by entering "cd pc" I received the message directory not found. I sat there immobilized while I uncomprehendingly stared at the screen with the PC clearly listed. It took a while to get the connection that this was a Unix machine and I had to enter CD not cd as I had been habit on DOS and VAX machines. To add insult to injury, I have the nerve to call myself a computer person. ARCHIE You may know that the information that you need is out there somewhere, but it can be difficult to find. Archie software will come to the rescue to help navigate these waters. Archie is a pair of software tools: the first maintains a list of about 600 Internet FTP archive sites. The second allows outsiders to log onto the archive server host to query this database. Again have an actual on-line example as part of your handout. Give them a few file names and let them do an archie "prog" search and subsequently FTP the file to imprint the connection between archie and FTP. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS There are literally thousands of special interest and news groups available directly or indirectly through the Internet. These include listserv and news groups. Since these two groups are conceptually different it is important to dichotomize the differential. Groups, and their diversity, are always an area of substantial interest. Wrap up the formal part of the workshop by having participants search the Syracuse University special interest list database and select a listserv list in their area of interest. Have them subscribe to the list using e-mail. This is another real hook. If they know they will have mail specific to their interest automatically forwarded to their terminal they tend to start using the system. This lookup is a double edged sword. Not only will the participants find a pertinent list they will be gaining familiarity with remote logins and system navigation. The specifics of using the excellent Syracuse database are listed in Appendix B. WORKSHOP FORMAT The general format of a workshop works well when scheduled to last about ninety minutes. Allow at least another thirty minutes for questions. A handout, which is essentially an Internet survival guide, is essential. The productivity of workshops is substantially enhanced when there are site-specific playbacks of each of the operations described. I will be happy to share my version of a workshop handout, including on-line session recordings, which you can then tailor to the requirements of your specific installation and audience. Emphasize the point that entering "?" or "help" at any prompt will usually bring you assistance. EPILOGUE I hope that you have found this presentation of value. If you have any suggestions or questions please send me a message and I'll respond as soon as possible. I have specifically not included details on how to obtain cited resources since their names and locations tend to be fairly volatile. When you are ready to download the files let me know and I'll e-mail you the current information. Urban A. LeJeune lejeune@pilot.njin.net Appendix A OHIO STATE WHOIS Ohio State University has a special computer network running a user database called "whois". When we have accessed this database we can obtain information, including e-mail addresses, on people associated with the school. To try it enter the following from your system prompt: "telnet osu.edu". Ohio State is the home of Jerry Martin, who authored a paper titled There's Gold in them thar Networks! The following is a telnet session to osu.edu trying to find Jerry's e-mail address. Anything beginning with a "!" is my comment. telnet osu.edu Trying 128.146.10.72 ... Connected to osu.edu. Escape character is '^]'. The Ohio State University WHOIS service - Authorized use only *** Please note: Current status = Unknown is the normal status for students and some employees. Connected to The Ohio State University WHOIS service, Tue Apr 7 17:34:45 1992. To display information on an OSU person, enter their name in one of the following formats: lastname firstname.lastname firstname.middlename.lastname Abbreviations may be used. To leave WHOIS enter QUIT. ! Most sites provide help by simply entering "?" or "help" Whois> ? WHOIS Syntax_summary Names to be looked up may be entered as blank, period, underline, or comma delimited strings in the following formats: last first.last first.middle.last first.middle.last.number first_middle_last last,first,middle For detailed information on a certain person, type an equal sign (=) before their unique name. Whois> j.martin ! Although this produced a long list none of the people were not ! associated with anything to do with computers. Since Jerry is ! frequently a nickname for Gerald the next try was ... Whois> g.martin Matches by name: Martin, George Jeffrey (Martin.365) Martin, Gregory Edward (Martin.132) Martin, Ms. Gretchen Lynn (Martin.93) Residence Hall Martin, Mr. Gerald Lee, SR (Martin.66) University Hospital Martin, Mr. George G (Martin.37) Residence & Dining Halls Martin, Mr. Gerald Lynn (JERRY+) Academic Computing Srvs Martinez, Gustavo Arturo (Martinez.27) ! The above list has been shortened. Enter name (preceded by an '=') for complete information on a person. ! Mr. Gerald Lynn Martin looks like a good candidate so.... Whois> =gerald.lynn.martin Matches by name: Martin, Mr. Gerald Lynn Alternate first (nick) names = Jerry Handle = JERRY+ Unique name at OSU = Martin.34 Information about myself: Rm. 520 Baker Systems Eng., 1971 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210-1210 Email addresses: Email forwarded to = jmartin@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Published address = NIC@OSU.EDU Current status = Currently employed Department (College) = Academic Computing Srvs (Ofc Of Acad Affairs & Prv) Title = Senior Computer Specialist Address: 3192 Hiawatha Av Columbus, Oh 43224 Appointment: Academic Computing Srvs (Ofc Of Acad Affairs & Prv) 520 Baker Systems Engineering (614) 292-4843 Whois> quit Tue Apr 7 17:36:26 1992 Please direct comments about The Ohio State University WHOIS service to: postmaster@osu.edu WHOIS logged out at 7-APR-1992 17:36:27.43 Connection closed to osu.edu Appendix B SELECTING LISTSERV LISTS Since there are about 3,000 lists how do you find one that would interest you? A good place to start is the Syracuse University Campus Information System. SUINFO is a campus information system for with much to offer the internet user. In addition to course catalogs and local news, there is access to the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse) database, an information resource of great importance to a variety of disciplines including education, psychology, and libraries. Syracuse University is one of a small number of ERIC participants which make this access possible. In addition to ERIC, there are several well known BITNET listserv discussion groups included, such as Humanist and NOTIS-L (for NOTIS library system users). Also accessible is the Listserv lists file which includes information on all bitnet discussion groups. All BITNET groups are also accessible to internet users. To access SUINFO telnet to acsnet.syr.edu or 128.230.1.21. At the first prompt, type "suinfo" (no quotation marks). The SUVM logon screen will appear. Tab to the command line (skipping the logon and password lines) and type suinfo. Please note that if the "..MORE" or "HOLDING" message appears at the lower right-hand corner of the screen, press the "clear" key to bring up the next screen. With much software emulation the "home" key on the PC keyboard is the"clear" key. If your terminal emulation does not support function keys, then just type the command at the YOUR RESPONSE prompt. There is no charge for accessing PRISM. However, some selections require password authorization and are reserved for SU students and faculty. Exit: type "logoff" from the main SUINFO file selection screen. Example of SUINFO session: telnet 128.230.1.21 telnet> open (to) acsnet.syr.edu Trying 128.230.1.21 ... Connected to acsnet.syr.edu. Escape character is '^]'. ACSNET Thu Apr 21 20:17:00 1992 Port IDENTIFICATION: acsnet tty41 at 9600 baud >suinfo Connecting acsnet tty41 to suinfo (vmfd 128D) ENTER TERMINAL TYPE: vt100 VIRTUAL MACHINE/SYSTEM PRODUCT S U V M Fill in your USERID and PASSWORD and press ENTER (Your password will not appear when you type it) USERID ===> PASSWORD ===> COMMAND ===> suinfo RUNNING SUVM Welcome to SUINFO! You will now be able to perform online searches on all publicly available databases currently carried by PRISM. Before proceeding, the following may be noted: * This account may be used for PRISM searches only. * Certain databases cannot be searched because of licensing restrictions. You may search these databases by logging into SUVM the regular way. * PRINTing, SENDing to a userid or the WRITEing to a computer file of your search result(s) has been disabled. Numerous error messages will be encountered if attempted! * You must type LOGOFF to EXIT PRISM Would you like to continue? (Y or RETURN/N) Y VM READ SUVM Welcome to Prism 04/21/92 20:19 File selection 39 files available Select a file or service by typing its name below, or, press the Return key to see a list of all files, or, type a category number to see a list of files in that category: 1. General Interest 2. CWIS: SU Events, SCIS, Job Ops, JOBNET, Housing, etc. 3. WOT: Network Accessible Resources 4. Demonstration 5. Application Development 6. Testing New Applications Enter the name of the file you want. To see a list of files, choose a category or press RETURN. YOUR RESPONSE: 3 f1=Help f3=End Also: Setup, Lock, Pause, End Prism 04/21/92 20:20 File selection 4 WOT: Network Accessible Resources files available Choose a file or service by typing its number or name below. NAME DESCRIPTION 1. IRG Internet Resource Guide 2. WOT Discussion Groups Database of Electronic Discussion Groups 3. WOT LISTSERV Groups BITNET Discussion Groups [LISTSERV LISTS file] 4. WOT notes Database of Network accessible resources Enter the name or number of the file you want. Type HELP followed by the name of a file for information about that file. YOUR RESPONSE: 2 f1=Help f3=End Also: Setup, Lock, Pause, End