Spanish-American Institute

955 Using the Internet 80 Classes

Prerequisite(s): None

Textbooks: Don Mayo and Catherine Skintik, Learning the Internet: Fundamentals, Projects, and Exercises, DDC Publishing, 2000 (or comparable text).

Course Description: While developing English language skills, this course introduces students to the structure of the Internet and provides direction and practice in using the Internet correctly to obtain valid information for personal, for business, and for academic use. The course emphasizes good searching skills and includes practice in developing a personal web page.

Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able:

• to read about Internet basics and understand what is being discussed or described;
• to read and follow directions when practicing textbook exercises;
• to ask questions concerning concepts and implementation;
• to explain procedures used or results obtained;
• to understand the basics of Internet searching that produces valid information for personal, for business, and for academic use;
• to understand how to create a personal web page; and
• to understand how to use other World Wide Web features.

Instructional Methods: Classes include language development and critical thinking sessions followed by hands-on practice and drills. Students will complete periodic summary exercises that require application of all skills learned to date. Each student will create a portfolio of finished output.

Grading: Each student's final grade will be based on an average of grades for class participation, for assignments (including an individual final project), and for examinations.

Course Outline:

Week	Topics	Assignments and Tests
1	Mapping the text and course: introduction to the course and the book, including learning aids. Vocabulary log guidelines: write two complete sentences for each word, one that describes its meaning and one that gives an example of its use. Language preparation: basic direction words Introduction to the Internet and WWW: Internet history; Internet ethics and netiquette, establishing an Internet connection, Web page basics	Vocabulary log. Read Lesson 1 and Appendix C Write at least five complete sentences beginning with direction given to you. Write what you know about the Internet and would like to know more about. Exercises: 2. Use complete sentences to answer each question. Create a set of guidelines for working on the Internet.
2-3	Using the Internet Explorer Web Browser: opening, navigating, and closing web pages; storing links to favorite web pages; moving between links and web pages; finding text on a web page, using Explorer tools and menus; saving and downloading Web pages in a variety of formats; etc. Using enumerating transition words in giving directions.	Vocabulary log. Turn any list of 5 or more sequential directions in the text into a paragraph, using ordinals: first, second, third, etc. Read Lesson 2 text. Do Lesson 2 exercises. Write a paragraph or more in which you explain the purpose of the Quicken portion of exercise 6 and explain what information can be found on the Quicken.com web site.
4-5	Searching the Web: using search engines and choosing appropriate search engines; choosing keywords and narrowing and expanding a search; creating search strings; using natural language queries; finding and using different advanced search options; &developing other search techniques. Using other transition words in giving directions. Individual oral reports: results of Internet search. Viruses and Trojans. Plagiarism. Individual oral reports.	1. Vocabulary log. 2. Turn any list of 4 or more sequential directions from Lesson 2 into a paragraph, making use of some or all of transition words like: first, next, then, after, last. 3. Read lesson 3 and Appendix B. 4. Lesson 3 exercises. 5. Choose a subject you explored in the exercises and write a brief report about it. Be prepared to give a brief oral report, as well. 6. Write a brief summary in which you define "viruses" and "Trojans" and explain ways to deal with them. 7. Look up the dictionary definition of "plagiarism." Write a paragraph or more in which you report on what you have learned about plagiarism and ways to avoid it.
8-9	Using Outlook Express: using e-mail effectively; enabling HTML formatting, applying stationery, inserting a picture and/or links; using the address book; etc. Individual oral report—the most useful thing learned so far about the Internet. Review for exam.	Vocabulary log. Read Lesson 4. Complete Lesson 4 exercises. Write a short essay describing everything you now know about the Internet, following the guidelines in exercise 4. Be prepared to give a brief oral report. Exam, week 16.
10-11	Information literacy: searching automated library catalogs and periodical databases; constructing a valid search; narrowing and expanding your search; applying criteria to distinguish valid from invalid information. Obtaining a public library card (handout).	1. Vocabulary log. 2. Go to the Spanish-American Institute web site and complete the 4 Institute tutorials on the Library homepage. 3. Explain in writing three shared features of Internet, electronic library catalog, and periodical database searches. 4. Now go to one of the college library links on the Institute Library homepage and conduct a search for books on a certain topic. Explain in writing three features shared by the external library search software and that used by the Spanish-American Institute Library (include bookmaking 5. Show it your public library card to your instructor or apply for one immediately and show it to your instructor. 6. Define a search topic that you will use for your individual final project. Write a brief search design explaining the topic you will research using one public library automated catalog, a full-text periodical database, and one or more Internet sites. (Your teacher will give you guidelines for the individual final report.)
12-14	Creating a Web page: authoring & publishing a web site; using Work templates; inserting pictures & other items, designing, formatting, & saving a document as a web page; etc.	Vocabulary log. Read Lesson 5 Lesson 5 exercises. Create and publish a personal web page.
15-16	Complete the final project using on-line library, periodical database, and Internet sources. Review for test.	1. Write a report in which you explain your topic and how you constructed your search. Describe how you refined your topic. List the titles of at least two books you located for your topic, explaining why they should be useful. Do the same for two on-line periodical courses and two Internet sources. 2. Make sure that you have demonstrated the following to your instructor: a public library card, a personal web page, and the search results in 1, above. 3. Exam, week 16.

rev. 6/03