Moving at the speed of Youth! Using technology to make the best 4-H club better! Elizabeth Wells,...

Moving at the speed of Moving at the speed of Youth!Youth!

Using technology to makeUsing technology to make

the best 4-H club better!the best 4-H club better!

Elizabeth Wells, Ottawa County 4-H Youth AgentDoctoral Candidate in Ag and Extension Education

scott@msue.msu.eduElizabeth Scott's Home Page

616-846-8250

Technology can provide:Technology can provide:

• Fast communication with members

• Efficient communication

• Access to information for club projects

• Convenience for you and your members

• Fun new ways to explore the world

Types of technology for 4-HTypes of technology for 4-H

• E-mail leaders and club members

• Discussion group learning

• Web based research and learning

• CD Roms for learning

• GIS and GPS for environmental clubs

Getting a free e-mail addressGetting a free e-mail address

You will need:

• A computer

• Modem or network connection to the Internet

• An email software program (Eudora or Pegasus)

Getting free e-mailGetting free e-mail

• A World Wide Web browser

Netscape

Explorer

• Internet connection

via an Internet Service Provider (ISP)

by modem or direct network connection

Older ComputersOlder Computers

• With Windows 3.1 or 95 and a modem you can access free e-mail with Juno

• 1-800-654-JUNO

No Computer??No Computer??

• Schools

• Libraries

• County extension office

• Local college or university

Free e-mail accountsFree e-mail accounts

• http://www.hotmail.com

• http://www.lycosemail.com

• http://www.mailcity.com

• http://netaddress.usa.net

• http://mail.yahoo.com

Before You DownloadBefore You Download

• Eudora or Pegusus to download onto your computer Welcome to Eudora!

• Be virus and worm smart

• Update your anti virus program

• Update your windows

• Don’t open attachments

Before You DownloadBefore You Download

• Consider purchasing a family filter for a cost of less than $5. per month

• Your virus protection software may provide this also for additional fee

American Family Filter Internet Filters

http://us.mcafee.com/

Before You SendBefore You Send

• Use nicknames to send to a group

• Send to yourself and a bcc to the group

• Ask before you send pictures

• Limit attachment size and use rich text format or check with recipient for best software type and match

Before You SendBefore You Send

• DO NOT SHOUT

• Spell and grammar check

• Think twice, send once

Technology as a ResourceTechnology as a Resource

• Search Engines

Google, Ask Jeeves, Metacrawler

• White pages, yellow pages, reverse number look up

• University web pages

• Discussion groups and list serves

Discussion GroupsDiscussion Groups

• Almost any subject has a discussion group

• Subscription may be regular or digest

• Lurking

• Posting

• Netiquette

• List owner

• Monitored vs non monitored

Finding a groupFinding a group

• Google your favorite topic

• Ask friends and fellow workers

• Start your own

Groups.yahoo.com

For your own Web PageFor your own Web Page

• Computer

• Internet access

• Domain (space)

• Software for creating web pages

• ftp (file transfer protocol)

Free web sitesFree web sites

• http://www.geocities.com

• Your Extension 4-H staff have free space through the university (can include 4-H clubs in their space)

Purchase web spacePurchase web space

• Cost less than $100. per year for do it your self web site

• Often free with your purchase of e-mail or isp account

One example:

Homestead - your web site company

Software or HTML Editor Software or HTML Editor

• Netscape Composer – free if you get an older version (one page)

Netscape Composer

Software or HTML EditorSoftware or HTML Editor

• Macromedia Dreamweaver 4.0 or MX– cost is between $100. and $300. depending on the version

Macromedia - Dreamweaver MX 2004

• Adobe Acrobat – to create pdf files

HTMLHTML

• Hyper Text Mark-up Language

• Home page is usually “index”

• No page breaks (use pdf for pages)

• No tabs or indents (use tables)

• Graphics (pictures)

.jpg (art or photograph)

.gif (line drawing or transparent color)

Web Page UsabilityWeb Page Usability

• Keep it simple

• Limit use of pictures, graphics etc

• Ariel 10 point is web standard for print

• High contrast for ease of reading

• Pages load from top to bottom so keep images near bottom

Web Page UsabilityWeb Page Usability

• Name each page

• Add back links and contact info on each page

• Consider slow connect users

Sample:

Elizabeth Scott's Home Page

4-H Club Web Pages 4-H Club Web Pages

• Do not post full names of club members

• Post pictures only with written permission from parents

• Update site frequently with club news, dates of events etc

• Insert e-mail link to leaders

4-H Club Web Pages4-H Club Web Pages

• Add hyperlinks to web sites pertaining to club projects

• Include phone contact information

CD Roms and CD RWCD Roms and CD RW

• CD Rom vs CD RW

Not all computer drives read CD RW

RW is slower to format and slower to write to

CD Rom when file is erased it becomes invisible so you may run out of space

Burning is just making a copy with laser

CD Roms for 4-H ClubsCD Roms for 4-H Clubs

• Create your own educational tutorial in PowerPoint

• Format your CD

• Copy file to CD Rom drive

• Eject CD

• Create Label for CD

CD Roms for 4-H ClubsCD Roms for 4-H Clubs

• Pictures of breeds of cattle, goats, dogs horses for notebooks

• Lesson outlines for review after club meetings

• Hyperlinks to outside resources for additional study i.e.

http://akc.org/

GIS and GPS TechnologyGIS and GPS Technology

• GlS = Geographic Information System

Computer program for storing, retrieving, analyzing and displaying data combining geographic referenced information and descriptive information

GIS and GPS TechnologyGIS and GPS Technology

• GPS = Global Positioning System

Twenty-four satellites orbiting at altitudes of 11,000 miles can give you your position within five meters anywhere on earth

GPS for 4-H ClubsGPS for 4-H Clubs

• Hand held GPS for about $100 at sporting goods store

• Bury treasure on property and have members find it using the GPS

Resource LinksResource Links

• Electronic Portfolios for Extension Staff

• Michigan Virtual University – Courses

• The National 4-H Web – Fourhweb

• National 4-H Technology Conference

• The National 4-H Web - Online Safety Guidelines

Any Questions?Any Questions?

Elizabeth Wells Doctoral Candidate Ag and Extension Education

Extension 4-H Youth Agent

Ottawa County

333 Clinton Ave

Grand Haven, MI 49417

616-846-8250

scott@msue.msu.edu

Products and services discussed or linked via this presentation are not intended to promote or endorse any particular brand or company. They are for the convenience of the participants.