__     __ __     __ __     __      web's eye view (August 28, 1998)
| | /| / /| | /| / /| | /| / /      alan levine
| |/ |/ / | |/ |/ / | |/ |/ /       Maricopa Center for Learning & Instruction
|__/ |__/ |__/|__/  |__/|__/        http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/eye/
==============================================================================


Welcome back, if you have been away, or just asleep at the keyboard. We're
looking for a few good URLS, to share by this list... just drop them into
our handy "Bag of URLs" form at:

  http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/eye/bag/drop.html

and they are automatically compiled into a web page and the announcement
sent via this listserv.

The freshest bag of URLs is ready for pickup at

   http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/eye/bag/curr.html


iVisit Ho Hum
--------------
A handful of folks made an attempt to connect during our this week's "webs
eye view" internet video conferenice. Details are at:

   http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/eye/ivisit.html

Once we get over the thrill of seeing and hearing via th enet, what do we
want to say? We'll give this a few more attempts and we are always open to
suggestions. We do think it has enourmous potential for bringing in expert
opinions,  live.


Cliff Stoll, the skeptic?
--------------------------
This is from EduPage:

STOLL PREPARES NEW CRITIQUE OF COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS
Iconoclastic computer security expert, astronomer, and fierce Internet
critic Clifford Stoll, who authored the best-selling book "Silicon Snake
Oil," is working on a new book critical of the use of computers in primary
and secondary education.  Stoll told the Dallas Morning News:  "I became a
computer expert in my freshman year in high school, writing Fortran,
Assembler, machine language and developing programs.  Along the way, I've
discovered that using computers . . . was a great way to make it look like
I was doing wonderful academics when, in fact, I'm just screwing around.
And for all the many, many hours that I've spent online and on computers,
seems to me that most of the important work that I've done has happened
independent of the hours that I've spent online.  When I think of the
skills that I need as an astronomer, they're skills like knowing
mathematics, understanding physics, being able to manipulate a telescope,
being able to write a paper, being able to read analytically and understand
what someone else has written.  Being able to poke holes in arguments.  To
be able to stand up in front of a meeting and present my ideas.  These
days, the computers are loaded with programs to guide the kids through
things. Do they spend more time playing and learning . . . rather than just
doing the rote work as you were doing?  The main thing the computer is
teaching . . . is that if you want to learn, you sit behind a screen for
hours on end, that you'll accept what a machine says without arguing, that
relationships that develop over e-mail, Web pages and chat rooms are
transitory and shallow. That if you're ever frustrated, all you have to do
is pull the plug and reboot the machine."  (Dallas Morning News 24 Aug 98)


US News Ranks Colleges
----------------------
from a correspondent at the US News ".edu" web site:

SNEAK PREVIEW -- U.S. NEWS ONLINE 1999 COLLEGE RANKINGS
U.S. News Online invites you to view the 1999 U.S. News Best
Colleges rankings, available online at .EDU:  The Colleges &
Careers Center (http://www.usnews.com).  (The top three national
universities, liberal arts colleges, and public universities are
at the bottom of this email.)


WebTV resources
---------------
I am learning that people can do more than just surf with webTV; we do get
email indicating that people "out there" are figuring ways to create web
sites from webTV. I don't know how, but the answers are likely in a
compendium of webTV resources at:

  http://www.angelfire.com/me/fromaway/help.html