During the week of February 21-25, the class will meet virtually in small groups using the Microsoft NetMeeting tool. This is a type of "groupware" that enables a team of people to share a common workspace; in our class, we will use this for the purpose of shared design and discussion. The workspace includes interactive media such as Chat and Whiteboard, plus you can share applications such as Microsoft Word to accomplish joint editing. With the appropriate peripherals, small numbers of users can interact using digital audio and video (doing so is not a requirement for this small group meeting). In class on February 14th, we will discuss the use of NetMeeting and help you divide into groups of three. We recommend that each of you practice using NetMeeting once before your team has its virtual design session, perhaps by arranging a time with some other team member when you can both interact briefly across distance using this tool.
NetMeeting is a Microsoft product and only works on a PC running Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 (i.e., it will not run on Macintosh computers, on Unix workstations, or on Intel machines running DOS or MS Windows 3.1). Internet Explorer Version 4 or higher must also be installed on the machine. If you cannot get access to such a computer, please ask your group to meet between 4:45 and 6:00 pm on Monday, February 21st, then come to Robinson A101 to use a computer in that lab, with our assistance. Unless you want help in using NetMeeting, your group is welcome to hold its meeting anytime during the week that is mutually convenient.
While using NetMeeting, each team will accomplish a shared design activity, which your group can select. One possibility is "synchronous writing": collaboratively writing and illustrating a story (see Synchronous Writing for examples and ideas). Another is developing an architectural specification (for example, sketching an ideal distributed learning classroom configured for all the ways of communicating, expressing, and learning we are exploring in this course, and writing some text that complements this diagram). The readings for March 6th on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) linked on the course syllabus will help you prepare for this assignment. As instructors, we are open to various design ideas as long as the activity involves all members of the team collaboratively interacting using text and graphics tools to develop a shared product. If you like, you can save an archive of the text and graphics you develop and send it to us afterwards.
Instructions for downloading and installing Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01
Microsoft Netmeeting 3.01 is free from the Microsoft web site.
Download NetMeeting 3.01
You need to download the latest version of Microsoft NetMeeting. There have been reports of compatibility problems between versions, so it's important that everybody have the same version. If NetMeeting is already installed on the machine you plan to use, please check the version number and if necessary download the current version from the Microsoft web site. Unless NetMeeting was recently updated on this machine, it is likely to be an older version and will not work properly--so checking this is very important
Install and Set Up NetMeeting 3.01
Run the file you downloaded to initiate the installation process. The installation only takes a couple of minutes and is very intuitive, requiring only a couple of user confirmations. When given a choice, please select the default option.
Please then follow the CTDepot online tutorial to configure and use NetMeeting. NetMeeting itself also has limited help capabilities to let you get started. If you are having difficulties or want to learn more about NetMeeting, the following sites have more information:
Please let Walt or Chris know if you are having difficulties. Also, if your small group meets between 4:45 pm and 6 pm on Monday, Feb 21st, you are welcome to come to the Lab in Robinson A101 for hands-on help. When your small group has finished its NetMeeting, be sure to post individual comments about this experience in the WebCT discussions we will create.