"604 Connect!" Basic Skills Training - Outline

1. Introductions: a round, the trainers and our approach
2. Reminder: no food and drink in lab. washrooms . . .
3. Program: VolNet, "604 Connect!", applied skills training later
4. Training materials: package, VolNet booklet and module
5. Hardware: computer, modem, server etc.
6. Software: operating systems like Windows and communication like Netscape
7. Windows: how the mouse works, open file, minimize, maximize and close
8. How to connect to the Internet: Dial-Up Networking and Netscape

Industry Canada's The Internet Guide is a very comprehensive online training resource. Each "604 Connect!" group is allowed to register under its own name and choose a password at the registration page.

A glossary of terms for words related to the Internet that you do not understand.

Summary of Industry Canada Module I

A. Segment 1 - Introducing the Internet

1. What is the Internet? network of computers; a community of millions of users
2. What is the Internet used for? sharing and exchanging information - collaboration; publicity, promotion and marketing; acquiring knowledge, research; personal communication; fundraising; advocacy and e-commerce
3. Three major components of the Internet:

• E-mail - the Internet is used to transfer your e-mail message to anyone else who has a computer hooked up to the Internet.
• World Wide Web (www) - a network of computer documents arranged and posted publicly for anyone to access
• Newsgroups - large "bulletin boards" for reading and posting messages from and to people all over the world

B. Segment 2 - Introducing E-mail

1. What e-mail can do for you: save time; save natural resources; prevent confusion; and save money
2. Anatomy of an e-mail: the header; e-mail addresses; cc and bcc; subject; body
3. Internet Etiquette Basics - netiquette
4. Introduction to e-mail programs: part of a web browsing program (Netscape Messager, Outlook Express); standalone programs (Eudora and Pegasus)
5. Common features: a folder or program for composing; a folder for outbound mail; a folder for in-bound mail
6. Introduction to Web Mail Servers: programs designed to provide e-mail addresses independent of your own computer
7. Further reading: Introduction to Email - from an online training module. Netiquette - a guide from ONE/Northwest

• Send a new e-mail, with Netscape Messenger to two of your neighbours
• Check the Sent folder to ensure the message has gone
• Get new messages and read any sent to you

Summary of Industry Canada Module 2

A. Segment 1 - Advanced E-mail Management

1. Netscape address Lists � new card for each person, can make groups
2. Mailing lists: messages to one address get distributed to everyone on the list, can be public, private or moderated. Here are the five important steps to using one:
   • Find a list - either using a search tool or by recommendation
   • Identify the administrative address
   • Send a subscribe message to the administrative address
   • Reply to welcome message if required
   • Keep the welcome message (it has important information - including how to unsubscribe!)
3. Attaching files to email � name program, version and plain text
4. How to attach files to email
5. Signature files: appear at the bottom of every message you send
6. Further reading: "From Workplace to Workspace" - Maureen James and Liz Rykert's guide to using email lists

• Take the addresses of anyone who has mailed to you and add them to your address list.
• Create a group of these addresses and send a message to them
• Send an email Introducing yourself and group to [email protected]
• Write a short document in Word and attach it to an email message to your partner.
• Email [email protected] and just put "help" in the text of your message. Try some other commands (please unsubscribe!)

B. Segment 4 - Introducing Newsgroups

1. Definition: newsgroups are groups of Internet users with similar interests who post relevant information to a communal site
2. Anatomy of a Newsgroup Address - the most general area of the name on the left and the name gets progressively more specific as you move right. i.e. soc.org.nonprofit or soc.rights.human
3. Why are newsgroups useful to you - finding a newsgroup specific to your organization's interests: search, word of mouth
4. View a newsgroup - soc.org.nonprofit
5. Charity Village Newsgroup List for a small number of useful discussions
6. Further reading: Introduction to Newsgroups - from an online training module.

• Note a current information message from one of the Charity Village list of newsgroups
• Post a message to misc.test - check that it appears

C. Segment 3 - Introducing the World Wide Web

1. Web Site Addresses - URL's - universal resource indicator. Broadest area of the address is on the left and it becomes progressively more specific as you move to the right
2. The web browser's four main components: a menu bar; a navigation bar, a location bar, and a display window
3. How the Mouse works on the Internet: hyperlink - leads to a new page; new page - leads to a new page within the same web site; e-mail addresses - leads to an e-mail composition page; hot spot - produces special functions such as animation, music, etc.
4. Bookmarks (or favorites): keep a record of the URL � bookmark everything you may want to revisit!
5. Further reading: Using and Understanding the Internet - a guide from PBS

• Type the URL www.vcn.bc.ca/web into the location box to view some search tool alternatives. Bookmark it!
• Use the navigation bar to go back and forth between pages.

D. Segment 2 Module 2- Advanced Navigation Techniques and WWW Features

1. Web Guides (catalogues or subject indexes): choose a subject from a list, and burrow down to your exact topic of interest
2. Search Engines: type a specific word or phrase into a box and submit it - the engine will return all pages with a match
3. Further reading: Search Tools and Techniques

Web Guides:

1. Selected sites organized for easy access, like a TV guide; not the whole Web; search box often only searches the site
2. Often by going to related sites you can find links to your interest

1. Use VCN's Community Pages Index to find:
   Legal Services Society ____________________
   Information Services, Vancouver _____________________
2. Use Yahoo to find:
   The weather at Banff Mountain _____________________
   The University of British Columbia _____________________
   Their top news stories for today

Search Engines:

1. General guidelines: be as specific as possible; ensure proper spelling; use accurate descriptive words
2. Operator Introduction - tools that search engines use to help you refine your searches; introduction to "", +, -, *
3. Preset parameters - drop down boxes i.e. country, language, file extensions

Use Altavista or another search engine to find:

• The Industry Canada VolNet program ____________________
• An image of Vancouver Public Library _________________
• A page about Wind Power (not sailboats, but as an alternative energy source) ____________________
• A reference or address for your community group ____________________
• Your family name ____________________
• A headline from today's newspaper ____________________________

• A mailing list that discusses the underlying issue of the above headline _________
• A newsgroup that discusses issues related to volunteering ________________
• A street map of your community

B. Segment 3 - More Advanced Concepts

1. Internet Browser Options: allow you to customize your web space; are different depending on the browser used; personal preference dictates how you want to set them (eg. font size, servers, cookies,)
2. On-Line Forms
   1. why and how e-commerce is done
   2. numerous ways of inputting information
   3. information is sent and converted by the server
3. File Extensions: .exe, .html, .htm, .pdf, .zip

• Explore the preferences menu to find mail and news server addresses
• Change the font on your screen and enlarge it for easy viewing

Summary of Industry Canada Module 3

A. Segment 1 - Where and How to Download files & Software

1. Downloading files: in order to handle specific files such as GIFs or JPEGs; freeware vs. shareware
2. Example: Download an image and a web page to your "a:" drive
3. Where to download: TUCOWS - Collection of Winsock Software www.tucows.com and Cnet's www.download.com
4. Executable vs. zipped files
5. Unzipping a File www.winzip.com (file compression)
6. Installing Software - guidelines

B. Segment 2 - Browser Plug-ins

1. What are plug-ins: programs designed to expand the capabilities of another program
2. Where are they available: most common plug-ins are made available for free download from many websites including Netscape's or Microsoft's official web sites. www.netscape.com and www.microsoft.com
3. The Powers of Plug-ins - deliver interactive animations and virtual reality
4. Common Plug-In examples
   1. Progressive Networks' RealPlayer
   2. AppleQuickTime and Quick Time VCR
   3. Macromedia's Shockwave and Flash
5. Installing Plug-Ins - make sure you install in the location of your browser's plug-in folder. ie. c:\program files\netscape\communicator\program\plugins

C. Segment 3 - Other Internet Applications

1. Alternative Browsers and E-mail Clients: Opera, Mosaic
2. Communication Tools - when you and people you know are online and running these programs, the programs can alert you as to when each other are online
   1. Mirabilis ICQ
   2. AOL Instant Messenger
   3. PowWow
3. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Clients - allow you to view, copy and transfer files from FTP server to your own harddrive.
4. Anti-Virus Scanners - Protect your system
5. Parental Control - Cybersitter

For more information, e-mail: [email protected]
tel: 604.257.3806
fax: 604.257-3808

"604 Connect!" home page