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Tutorial
for using iEARN's WWW-based Forums
Posting
New Discussion Topics
We will introduce
the process for posting new discussion topics in theTeachers Forum,
part of the iEARN Interactive Discussion Forums. If you are able and
would like to actually work directly on the forums during the tutorial,
open http://foro.iearn.org
in a new window. You will need to Register and
log-in before this will be possible. If you have not yet Registered,
see www.iearn.org/tutorial/database.html
We will start
with the Teachers Forum.
You will see
a list of discussion topics similar to the one below:
At the top (and bottom) of
the window is the naviagation line to indicate where you are in the
forums. To return to the Main iEARN Forum page, click on "Interactive
Forums" at the top of the window. "Index" is a list of
all iEARN forums.
This is a recent page of
the list of Discussion Topics in the Teachers' Lounge Forum. Each item
in this list is a "Discussion Topic," followed by the date
on which it was last updated and the User Name of the person who posted
the topic originally. Under the Discussion Topic is the number of responses
that have been posted to the topic.
At the bottom of the page
(you may have to scroll a long way), you will see the following options:
To add a new Discussion Topic,
click on the"Add Discussion" button. You will see the following
window:
You can give
your Discussion Topic any "title," but make it as descriptive
as possible so that a reader might know the general content before they
click on it. If you have not yet introduced your school, class and community
with a response to the "Windows on the World" discussion topics
(you may have to go to the very end of the Teachers' Lounge index of
topics to find the Windows on the World"), you can introduce yourself
with a new discussion topic.
In the larger
box you can type the substance of your message (or paste from another
application). We recommend that you ask questions in your message so
that others around the world can provide feedback/responses to your
message. ("We feel ...... How do you feel about this issue?")
When you are finished with your new Discussion Topic, you can "Check
Spelling" and "Add Discussion."
Make sure the box is checked
"Show your name in the discussion heading."
We encourage you and your
students to post 3 RESPONSES for every
new TOPIC. Everyone is waiting for a response
to their topic. Similarly, your students will also want to receive responses.
So, the key to a successful interactive network is for everyone to post
RESPONSES! The responses can be as simple
as "I have read your message and I like the issues you raise."
Everyone wants to know that their message has been read!
iEARN discussion forums can
be quite large. There are some techniques you can use to focus on specific
forums and topics in which you have a special interest. Click HERE
for a continuation of the Tutorial to look at how you can "bookmark"
and "Subscribe" to specific forum
discussions. We also have a "Search"
function, which will be covered in the Tutorial.
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