Transcript of the live chat session that took place Thursday, March 19, 1998. These sessions are normally scheduled for 12 noon-1 PM Eastern Time (GMT -5) every Thursday.
These sessions are hosted by Richard Seltzer. If you would like to receive email reminders of our chat sessions, simply send a blank email message to businessonthewebchats-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/businessonthewebchats and sign up there.
For transcripts of previous sessions and a list of future topics, click here .
For an article on how to make "business chat" work (based on this experience), click here .
Since the chat itself happens at a rapid pace, it's often difficult to note interesting facts in particular URLs as they appear on-line. Here's a place to take a more leisurely look. I've rearranged some of the pieces to try to capture the various threads of discussion (which sometimes get lost in the rush of live chat).
Please send email with your follow-on questions and comments, and suggestions for topics we should focus on in future sessions. So long as the volume of email responses is manageable, I'll post the most pertinent ones here for all to see.
Rik Hall -- Hi, I'm Rik and I am the
Program Director - Distance Education and Off-Campus Services at the University
of New Brunswick in New Brunswick, Canada.
I told Richard that I would not be on-line today - as I have a meeting
from 12:30 to :30 your time - but since I have missed lunch anyway - I
will be with you until 25 after.
It is now 7 minutes to one (my time) Rik
crocodile8899 -- I come from China
adm -- Hello, I'm Andy Mermell, with Digital's systems engineering group in Nashua, New Hampshire
Richard Seltzer -- Andy (adm) -- are you involved in distance ed inside Digital or in working for customers? Or is this mainly a personal interest of yours?
adm -- Richard, both a personal interest, and a current project to categorize DL solutions in the medium to high end space.
Donalyn Heise -- Hi, I'm Donalyn Heise. I am the Art and Technology Coordinator for a U.S. Dept of Ed Technology Challenge Grant. I'm in Omaha, Nebraska.
Richard Seltzer -- Donayln -- what are "Technology Challenge Grants"? Who can apply for them? And are there folks using those to start up distance ed businesses?
Donalyn Heise -- The Technology Challenge Grants were first awarded to K12 schools in Oct 1995 for education reform. We were awarded 6 million dollars to integrate art and technology in schools across Nebraska. As far as I know, these monies are not used for business. However our most important consortium partners are local businesses.
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- Hello all - Bob Zwick, independent consultant from Texas
Richard Seltzer -- Welcome Steve Ries and Bob Fleischer and Kathleen Gilroy and Rose Kimberley and crocodile and ChristianF and Jack -- It's great to see such a good turn out. Please introduce yourselves and dive in. We've got a lot of ground to cover.
hamill -- Hi, my name is Deborah Hamill, and I'm working with Analog Devices on a re-architecture of their Intranet. Distance learning is one of the features we hope to incorporate in the new site.
Bob Fleischer -- Bob Fleischer, with Digital's System Integration Internet team in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA
Kathleen Gilroy -- Hi Richard, I'm the CEO of a distance learning company focusing on international markets.
ChristianF -- Hi, I'm Christian Frosch, working as Secretary for the Globewide Network Academy.
Jack -- Hello
gqn6051 -- Hi all. Phil Goodrich from U of Minnesota. Teaching engineering to students interested in biological systems
Rose Kimberley -- Hi, Richard. Welcome back. I missed not having this opportunity last week. Introduction: I work on the distance learning team for the Army Reserve Readiness Training Center at Ft. McCoy, WI. Trying to learn all I can with the vast technology out there.
Richard Seltzer -- Welcome, Tom Dadakis. Haven't "seen" you for a while. Glad you were able to make it.
Tom Dadakis -- Sorry to join late. My name is Tom Dadakis. I am the web manager for the training dept for a large investment firm who is moving their training on line. I'll just lurk for awhile to catch-up. I have missed the last several weeks but have kept pace with Richard's summaries. I have used this discussion on DL as an example of how we could conduct a syncronous training session in which others could benefit from through the summaries even if they can't participate in the real-time discussion.
Richard Seltzer -- Marshall Wick -- I see your name on the list of "occupants". Are you still there? Hope you can join in today.
Sudha Jamthe -- Hi Richard, How are you doing? Sorry I am late, but couldn't miss the chat for anything.
Richard Seltzer -- Welcome, Sudha, glad you could make it. I'm hoping that we can, along with wrapping up this topic, talk about whether and how this discussion might be able to continue separately. It feels rich and important enough for that. But I couldn't do it -- not enough time and energy. And we need to move this one on to other aspects of Business on the WWW.
Rik Hall -- Thanks Richard. In 95 we hosted the first web-based learning conference in North America. It was an off shoot of our WWW Developers listserv (1400 members from 25 countries) This October will be NAWeb #4 Full details are at http://www.unb.ca/wwwdev/ Don't want to do too much "advertising"
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- My only concern is pulling it all together. So much is being done and with the diversity of the net there needs to be a central location, clearing house, consortium, standards committee et. al. to make ALL of the resources easily available.
Richard Seltzer -- Bob -- To me, it feels like there are two ends of the spectrum: from traditional colleges and schools extending their reach through Internet techniques, to startup entrepreneurial ventures. Both are using the same basic approach and technology. But at the one extreme credit and accreditation are extremely important; and at the other end all that matters is results and the reputation that builds from results. These two sets of people share some interests in common, but in other ways represent two separate communities, each of which could use a central place to get info and share experiences.
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- Richard - I agree strongly about the two separate communities between business and academia. However, academia exists to provide resources (workers) to business who is burdened with the re-education of what they get. Isn't it time that they collaborate to produce a finished product ? The Internet is the perfect catalyst for this type of collaboration between the two.
Richard Seltzer -- Bob -- Sounds like a great idea. There should be a place for that kind of interaction between academia and business. At the same time, I see that many folks connected with high schools and colleges are primarily concerned about issues of accreditation and measurement, with how to produce quantifiable, repeatable results, and how to give appropriate credit to students. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think those are issues that matter much to business/training programs.
ChristianF -- Bob&Richard, yes we have a weekly work session meeting on Saturdays where we discuss ed issues in general. Bob, you are welcome to join us. I could send you more information on how to connect, if you like
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- Christian - I would like to join in. Please do send me the information I need to connect.
Richard Seltzer -- ChristianF -- what's the address for your Saturday discussions?
ChristianF -- Richard,
http://admin.gnacademy.org:8001/uu-gna/text/moo/forum.htm
Each Saturday at, 17:00 GMT any of the 20 MOO systems can be used according
to the descriptions on that page.
Rik Hall -- Kathleen, Why do "they" (whoever "they" are) think they have to use highbandwidth items like Picturetel?
Kathleen Gilroy -- Rik, They are private and public universities, private education companies, and corporate customers.
Rik Hall -- Kathleen, Thanks - we have been "doing" de for about 25 years here at UNB [University of New Brunswick]. We use print based, web-based, teleconferencing, audio/graphics, PictureTel and face-to-face and each works well - and most are picked because of certain "perceptions" of the deliverer - but all works and for any given situation the "higher tech" is not always (but sometimes) a better choice.
Kathleen Gilroy -- I was just talking with our head of operations who mentioned that PanAmSat will be offering VSAT's with data channels that allow for highbandwidth delivery of data.
Rik Hall -- Kathleen, Have taken a degree by distance and have delivered by DE - would be glad to talk with you at your convenience.
Kathleen Gilroy -- Rik, We think value resides in "proximity" to the faculty of master teachers, so we are looking at course templates that incorporate several different versions of a course at different price points depending upon how close the student is to the "master teacher." I'd be interested in talking more with you about your knowledge and experience.
Richard Seltzer -- crocodile -- where in China are you? how is the bandwidth there? what are your interests regarding distance ed? (As Kathleen Gilroy just mentioned, her company is setting up to deliver training by distance ed to Asia.)
crocodile8899 -- I can't catch the speed, Richard
ChristianF -- Kathleen, if I may ask, for which countries do you intend to produce your courses? I'm asking since I would be interested in hearing something about the countries' access to high bandwidth lines (incl. the potential students.)
Kathleen Gilroy -- Our initial markets are Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Japan, and mainland China. We also will distribute soon in Latin America as well.
crocodile8899 -- Can you give me your http?
["I'm interested in the "cosmic" consequences of what we're talking about. I'm tempted to look at this realm from the perspective of "future mapping" (a technique used by Northeast Consulting in Boston). In that mode, you postulate possible end states 5-10 years in the future and then work backwards considering what real world events are likely between now and then and what their impact would be in terms of moving us closer to or away from these possible outcomes. You can come away from that experience with the sense that your day-to-day choices and activities can have a significant impact on the shape of the future.
"Anyway my first cut at possible outcomes 5-10 years from now:
hamill -- We're not considering multimedia at the moment, although it is what most of the users think of when we talk about it. Do you know of good sites for low-tech distance learning?
Kathleen Gilroy -- Another issue for folks to consider is how institutions and faculty view low-end solutions. Many of the graduate schools who are our partners are not comfortable with broad distribution of their curriculum at the low end.
gqn6051-- I am surprised that we will have to use so much bandwith to deliver courses. I hope to expand my course to those outside the US, but at the moment I do not plan to do it interactively beyond chat and email and perhaps a few clips to download. Will I be accepted in that mode?
ChristianF -- gqn, yes, it's no problem to do courses this way. We have been doing many course using this format and they worked perfectly.
Richard Seltzer -- gqn6051 -- I am an avid fan of low-tech, plain text approaches to distance ed. I believe that that is how you can get the most benefit for the least expense and how you can reach the widest possible audience today.
Deborah Hamill -- Richard -- how much time do you spend moderating and editing this chat? I'm interested in basic level of effort estimates for chats that we'd like to run on the Intranet.
Richard Seltzer -- Deborah -- I wrote an article with details on what I think it takes to do "scheduled business chat" well. You can see it at http://www.samizdat.com/events.html
Richard Seltzer -- All -- my personal opinion is that text-based distance ed -- with lots of interaction with the instructor and among students -- can be far more effective than ordinary classroom instruction. Not that it always would be better, but that motivated teachers and students can make it better. Does this ring true to you? If so, then what is the added benefit that might come from relatively high-cost multimedia additions to that model? Is the added cost likely to be justified by added benefits?
Kathleen Gilroy -- Richard, the higher cost additions allow for a couple of key things to happen: group learning, where students congregate in electronic classrooms (this is cited as very important/key by the students themselves) and visual contact with the faculty (as well as visual contact with the presented materials).
ChristianF -- Richard, I think that was a very interesting and important point. I think that Internet-based courses will change a lot regarding the way people are going to interact. Not only that they will use totally new technology, but they will also have a chance to communicate with people from the other 'end' of the world. That's a chance which has not been there before and which has a great potential, since it allows for getting to know different cultures at a click.
gqn6051 -- I agree that interacting with people from other places and other backgrounds is a great way to broaden our own perspectives. I plan to get some other facilitators to help me too since they will have different ideas.
ChristianF -- gqn, are you teaching online courses? What type of communication and/or tools are you using?
gqn6051 -- I am teaching a course for the first time this quarter. Title is Environmental Impacts of food production. Am using a lot of links to different sources and a forum as well as email. Only have a few students and they are graduate students and quite motivated.
gqn6051 -- Sometimes it is fun to include some of the cutting edge stuff and let those that can use / accept it try it and hope that it does not frustrate those who cannot. Sometime they upgrade. I do that myself.
Richard Seltzer -- Have any of you tried combining Webcasts (audio/video) with text chat? When I was doing Webcasts for Digital from Internet World last week, it occurred to me that there could be some value to that. Broadcasting audio/video is one-way, and to my mind dull. But there is some value to hearing voices and seeing images. Given today's technology/bandwidth constraints, I thought it might be useful to hold 10-15 minute Webcast interviews and follow immediately with text-based chat, so the audience gets a chance to ask questions, etc. Have any of you seen that model in action?
Kathleen Gilroy -- There is a group in LA called ITV.Net. They have come from the entertainment business and done web-broadcasting. They are moving into learning. We are looking at them as a means of webcasting (combined with all of the asynchronous features of the internet).
Donalyn Heise-- Richard, I agree that motivated teachers and students can benefit from text based technologies. However, our k12 students seem to react more positively with multimedia. I think we need to find more ways to provide affordable solutions that integrate the interactivity, along with visual imagery and sounds. I think students need this to help develop effective online communities.
Richard Seltzer -- Donalyn -- I agree that there need to be ways to combine these techniques, while at the same time enabling folks with low-tech setups to participate. Perhaps what I mentioned in one of my other messages -- Webcast followed by live text chat, and that followed by posting of complete edited transcripts, with opportunities to post followup messages, might be a reasonable approach today.
ChristianF -- Richard, re webcasts. Yes, Realaudio has done that for an educational conference last year. They made also interviews of some people which are now available from their pages. You could install a realaudio server for doing this. The other thing for doing this could be powow. They have whiteboard, text-chat, audio and video altogether in one product.
Tom Dadakis -- MS Netshow and RealAudio's Publisher are a step the direction of combining audio with slides or presentation graphics. They are as 'hard to use' as powerpoint. What is most powerful is that you build-up a library of previous presentations. This way others can listen and watch your presentations at their own schedule in their own location.
adm -- Richard, I'm currently taking a course which uses this: 1-way AV followed by live text chat, and that followed by posting of unedited transcripts, with opportunities to post followup messages. Its a large class and its broken down into a dozen 'sections' each moderated by a TA. The Prof's webcast intro to each topic adds a lot.
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- adm - who is giving the course you mentioned ?
Richard Seltzer -- adm -- yes, is there a URL where we can see something about the course you mentioned? I see from your email address that you are at Digital. Is the course connected with Digital? Or is it offered outside?
adm -- "Privacy in Cyberspace," the first cybercourse offered by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School. at http://www.berkmancenter.org/welcome.html
Richard Seltzer -- adm -- regarding that course -- is it for credit? about how much does it cost? is it part of a regular degree program or can individuals sign up for it separately?
adm -- Richard, it's an initial trial, so it's free, non-credit. Registration is closed, although they may add guests. Anyone can view a lot of the course. I can show you anything you'd like to see about this course.
gqn6051 -- Christian, Can you recommend a MOO that has VRML ( I do not know what that stands for but will find out) I am on DU Moo but I am not sure they have it.
ChristianF -- gqn6051, yes they have VRML. You could contact Jeanne, she is most helpful with all aspects regarding the MOO ;-)
Rose Kimberley -- Deborah: We're trying to learn ways of using audio conferencing (we have a "bridge" at Ft. McCoy, WI with which to connect several sites). We're also using a number of authoring tools to create CD-ROM, and, as I mentioned, have an audio graphics conference software package called "Telewriter 2000" which we're hoping to get up and running soon. Also looking into how we can piggy back on the backbone network for satellite conferencing which the National Guard already has wonderfully in place.
Donalyn Heise -- Deborah, We too are using web-based technologies, such as email, electronic forums, and web links. We would like to move towards desktop video teleconferencing, but again, the bandwidth is the problem. We haven't yet used online chats, but we may do so in the future.
ChristianF -- Deborah, we have been using regular mailing lists and web pages for asynchronous communication and MOO systems for synchronous meetings either as class or small work group meetings. Together, both provide a great and efficient way to communicate, so I fully agree with Richard in this respect. Currently we are moving towards using VRML1.0 and 2.0 based tools for visualization of more compley topics in biology and biochemistry.
Rik Hall -- Deborah, We use "Smart 2000" audio/graphics solutions
Rose Kimberley -- Would the individual who stated he was using "Smart 2000" please explain how it works? Have you heard of "Telewriter 2000", a product of Optel?
ChristianF -- Deborah, we gave Powow a try for some of the officers meetings. Its whiteboard capability was very convenient to use.
Rose Kimberley -- Deborah: We've purchased Optel's Telewrite 2000 which works with POTS to deliver training. Has whiteboard capability. Also, NetMeeting (free through Microsoft) offers whiteboarding.
ChristianF -- Bob, WGU is a consortium of many universities in the western states, they might compete within certain topics, but in general they work together to have a uniform accreditation system.
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- That's great Christian. I think everyone benefits from that. Now I'd like to see the same effort Global.
ChristianF -- Bob, there is a similar global effort via GATE and the LC.
Richard Seltzer -- ChristianF -- can you please provide URLs for GATE and LC. I'm not familiar with those. Thanks.
ChristianF -- GATE= Global Alliance for Transnational Education http://www.edugate.org/ LC= Learning Corps http://x3.ieee.org/lc/
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- Jack M. is there any interaction between your page and the viewers ?
Jack Miller -- Bob, We want to add a lot more interactivity on our site.
Jack Miller -- Does anyone work in the area of online continuing medical education?
Donalyn Heise -- Jack, what type of interactivity are you planning?
Richard Seltzer -- Jack -- Are you considering using distance ed-like techniques (chat/forum/email) to do on-line counselling? Do you know anyone who does that today? Or are you mainly interested in interacting with your peers in the field?
Jack Miller -- We would like to add continuing education
Richard Seltzer -- Jack -- who would be the target audience for your continuing education? would it be professionals in the field? or would it be patients learning self-help techniques, etc.?
ChristianF -- Richard, yes I'd definitely be interested in that. Maybe this could be built as a joint effort with the virtual community workshop that we have running at GNA?
Richard Seltzer -- Christian -- let's talk further, and please get in touch with Sudha at sudha@web-net.org
ChristianF -- Richard, ok !I'll send e-mail later.
Richard Seltzer -- All -- if we get the right volunteers to run a separate regular distance ed chat here at Web-net, how would you segment the topic? What subjects would you want to cover?
Deborah Hamill -- At Analog Devices, we use newsgroups, email (not mailing lists, yet), primitive document sharing, and Intranet Web pages for the kinds of collaboration which I hope will develop into genuine distance learning.
gqn6051 -- We have some older models called user groups and clubs. Are they germane? Special interest groups often are very active especially if there are some rewards. Our Mac user group is one group that has been very successful for many years. New and neat tools for people to try sure helps. Answers to questions helps too.
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- Richard - I get the feeling that you are heading towards how to sell a product by creating a "community" of people interested in a product. I would rather see the direction go towards the nuts and bolts of building and administering a business based web site.
Richard Seltzer -- Bob -- The idea, right now, for Digital, is to build broad technology communities -- around NT, OpenVMS, UNIX, AltaVista, etc. -- rather than specific products. There are people who are very committed to those classes of software and who have a lot that they can share with one another. At the same time, we need to examine what "nuts and bolts" will make such communities work smoothly and effectively. This is somewhat different than a community of people with similar casual interests. It also presents new challenges because we're talking about potentially very large audiences. And we'd probably span the range of technology -- from all the latest and greatest glitz for NT Wizards, all the way to simple plain text interaction. I believe that many of the issues we've discussed here in the past can come together in thinking about the issues related to this project. (It's an enormous undertaking.)
Kathleen Gilroy -- Richard, One way to get people motivated to join these communities is through adding education as one feature of the community. There is a large market in IT training in these areas, well described in the Barron's article 3/2/98 you sent me. If you can work out some kind of certification, you can use that as a draw.
Richard Seltzer -- Kathleen -- Yes, I'd very much like to include distance ed as a component in the communities we're trying to form for Digital. Seems like a natural in concept. The tough part will be to actually implement it -- to figure out if it's free or for a fee and who does it and how...
Kathleen Gilroy -- Richard, I think one of the key issues in creating online communities is the role of people in developing and managing these communities. Is this a whole new class of jobs (like coaching which has come into vogue)? Who is best qualified to do these jobs? How does one become educated to do such a job? I think these are rich topics.
Richard Seltzer -- Kathleen -- amen. it takes people who are dedicated, who are motivated, and who have experience. We'll be starting with a core of people who have been very active in internal Notes file and newsgroup and forum discussions, and who have participated also in related face-to-face meetings, like our DECUS (users group) and NT Wizards programs.
Donalyn Heise -- Kathleen, I agree with you. This is a concern in public education. The schools don't have the funds to hire someone to develop and manage these communities. And our teachers are not educated yet to do these jobs. For the moment, it is left up to the few who donate their precious little time. Which brings me back to business on the web. Are there ways that education can support some of these systems through offering online courses to the public? Maybe this could aid in sustainability.
Kathleen Gilroy -- Richard, another area of interest for me: what kinds of tools are out there to handle the back office aspects of creating communities--registration, payment, database management, etc.
ChristianF -- Kathleen, the Globewide Network Academy, offers everything that is needed for the administration of web courses. registration, payment management and uses a db for the catalog system it has.
ChristianF -- Kathleen, the underlying software is available via the website under the GPL, so you could set it up at yours site.
Jack Miller -- Well, I got a taste
of online chat. I have a patient waiting, so must run.
Hope to join you next week. Thanks for your patience!
Richard Seltzer -- All -- time is quickly running out. As usual, I'll post the edited transcript in a few days. Check http://www.samizdat.com/#chat Also please send me followup messages for possible inclusion with the transcript. seltzer@samizdat.com In particular, please indicate whether you are interested in participating in or helping to run a separate chat program dedicated to distance ed. Also, Please let me know your preferences for future topics in this session. (the notion of technology/product-based communities is an interest of mine; that doesn't mean it has to be the next topic. I want to hear from you).
gqn6051 -- By Folks Have to run. Thanks for all the great ideas. Will check the transcript to see if chats on this topic will continue in the future.
Tom Dadakis -- Have to sign off. Good job Richard. Catch you when I can.
Richard Seltzer -- All, before you sign off, please post your email and URL addresses so we can keep in touch (don't count on the software to have captured that info).
Richard Seltzer -- Thanks to all for joining us today. Hope you'll be able to come back again next week. And please, please let me know your preferences for future topics and your interest in continuing distance ed as a separate regular chat program.
sam weinstein -- Greetings from a 1st-timer in New Jersey
Richard Seltzer -- Sam -- We're just winding down now. We run from noon to 1 PM Eastern Time. Please check the transcript, which I'll post in the next few days at http://www.samizdat.com/#chat and please join us next Thursday, same time, same place.
Bob@CottageMicro.Com -- Thanks
all ! Bob Zwick bob@cottagemicro.com
Cottage Micro Services, 103 Vinyard Drive, Waxahachie, TX 75167,
PH/FX: (972) 435-2446 http://www.cottagemicro.com
Donalyn Heise -- I benefitted from participating in this chat. It was very interesting. I look forward to joining again. my email is dheise@esu3.esu3.k12.ne.us http://communitydisc.wst.esu3.k12.ne.us/HTML/donalyn/bio
ChristianF -- It was a very interesting meeting. Christian Frosch, Globewide Network Academy e-mail: secretary@gnacademy.org http://www.gnacademy.org
Richard Seltzer -- Lucian Grozav from Romania -- Looks like you just connected as we're winding down. We have these sessions every Thursday from noon to 1 PM US Eastern Time (time zones can be very confusing. Please send any followup messages you may have to me at seltzer@samizdat.com and please check the transcripts at http://www.samizdat.com/#chat The transcript from this one should be available in a couple days.
Sorry I missed it your chat wrap up. But not always easy to get on when I here in Malaysia. Based in Bangkok, with a multinational company, AND I myself am a real novice. But I am responsible for management development in our Asia-Pacific region and wonder if there might be some possibilities.
Have contacted NTU but as yet not started anything. I would appreciate a copy of your summary if you think it may be relevant.
Jack Cerva
Reply
I suggest that you contact Kathleen Gilroy. Her new distance ed company is about to start delivering management-related courses to your part of the world. Actually, I believe a partner of hers from Kuala Limpur is going to be visiting here in Boston over the next week or so to work out strategy. You can reach her at Kathleen Gilroy <kathleen@ottergroup.com>
Richard Seltzer
A good topic would be how to "strengthen the web".
Right now the Internet is extremely lopsided as far as business is concerned.
I am a tile contractor, and have had some very interesting things happen to me regarding my business. To be honest, I really needed a change of pace, a way to make my business more exciting. Well after winning 26 Internet awards and making a few "key contacts over the web. My business has truly been revitalized. Just yesterday I was asked if I'd like to write a special column in our major newspaper regarding business on the web.
An owner of a famous landmark motel restaurant browsing my web site. I made a lasting friendship and installed 10 bathroom floors and a large entry in very custom tile. The work as totaled $20,000. All because of the net.
The reason I am saying all these things, is that there is very, very, very little contractors on the net. I emailed a major hardware store owner in San Francisco. That increased my business as well.
The Internet and having a web site, really benefited me. But to tell you the truth there just aren't many contractors that want to get on the net.
I think it could be very valuable for them to do so. It really opens up tons of conversations with homeowners and possible clients.
So my main point is that, there needs to be more people like me saying in Colleges and Universities. Get The Business People On The Net!!!
They compose much of business in the USA. The net's not promoting them.
We hear lot of Bill Gates, the latest and fastest software, much of it not user friendly enough to get the average Joe and Jane on the net.
The words needs to be spread "Quit making the Internet lopsided". (As far as a business standpoint.)
No reflection on you:)
I'll bet there is not more than 10 small business (remodeling) general contractors on the net in the San Francisco Marin area:(. If there were more, I know I could increase my business even more.
Thanks for reading
Bill Furner http://www.pyramidtile.com
I posted the URLs to the chat so that you find them on the transcript. The URL for GATE (Global Alliance for Transnational Education) ishttp://www.edugate.org/
They have started to 'scare' some established universities since they act as their own accreditation body. The probably most prominent person behind GATE is Glenn Jones, the founder of Mind Extension University.
LC (Learning Corps) is available via http://x3.ieee.org/lc/
we shortly talked about them during the last chat, meanwhile they have signed a Cooperative Agreement with the US Army http://x3.ieee.org/lc/CRDA.htm and are working towards their goals.
Regarding the community in/for distance education. We would be very much interested in participating (I'll write to Sudha on this matter, too).
Sam Kritikos, who belongs to the GNA personnel, has run a Virtual Community workshop at the beginning of 1997 and this is being continued at http://admin.gnacademy.org:8001/./~napoli/VC/vcw.htmlhttp://admin.gnacademy.org:8001/uu-gna/text/vc/gna-vc.html
I would be interested in helping to moderate and run a DE community.
Thanks for all the recent Web Chats about Distance Education which have been very fruitful.
Christian Frosch, Globewide Network Academy, Secretary, E-mail: secretary@gnacademy.org, http://www.gnacademy.org
Previous transcripts and schedule of upcoming chats -- www.samizdat.com/chat.html
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