Every Teaching Needs a Multimedia Internet Computer

Teaching English in the Network Age is an ongoing series of articles written by Edward Tanguay for the English Language Teachers' Association Berlin-Brandenburg. The purpose of this series is to alert English teachers of the exponential growth of the Internet and the coming impact this will have on the profession of English teaching, and to give English teachers specific advice on how to develop habits now which will allow them to improve their effectivity in an increasingly networked world.

Every English Teacher Needs a Multimedia Internet PC
By Edward Tanguay, M.Ed. TESOL
Berlin, Germany

February 6, 1998

Article No. 2

If you are an English teacher and do not yet have daily access to an E-mail account and to the World Wide Web, it is time you made serious considerations about getting such access either at home or at work.

The next generation of teachers will assume Internet literacy. I recently read that 25% of American teenagers today use the Internet to "meet people, chat with friends, find information, and get help with homework." By the year 2000 I expect this to double. As this generation of computer-saavy kids grows up and begins teaching the next generation, they are going to have new paradigms of how teaching is done. These new paradigms will include the following:

The teacher is only one of many experts who is at the student's immediate disposal.

Teaching goes on everywhere, 24-hours a day, and most of it is free.

Hyperlinked reference materials and up-to-the-minute news reports from any part globe are available on demand.

Information on almost anything is well organized and accessible not only from the desktop but from hand-held devices.

Finding a group of people with similar interests anywhere in the world is fast and easy and extremely effective for learning purposes.

The various ways which students and teachers can interact with each other online through multimedia devices makes geographical location almost meaningless as far as education is concerned.

Small groups of students and teachers have printing, recording, publishing, and broadcasting capabilities known in past decades only to multi-million dollar media corporations.

You need access to a multimedia PC with Internet and E-mail capability. The majority of the above statements are true today, which makes it an exciting time to be an English teacher. However, in order to understand and incorporate these paradigms into your teaching, you need convenient access to the Internet. I suggest that you buy the following computer for your home or office:*

The Computer
DM 2500

Pentium

166 or 200 MHz

32 MB RAM

Sound Blaster sound card with speakers and microphone

CD-ROM 24-speed

15-Inch Monitor

2 GB or 4 GB hard drive

33K U.S. Robotics modem (or IDSN card if you have ISDN)

HP Deskjet printer

The Software
DM 1100

Windows 95 (DM 350)

Microsoft Word 97 (DM 550)

Frontpage 98 (DM 200)

Internet Explorer 4.0 with Outlook Express (FREE)

You can save quite a bit of money if you get the above software included with the computer.

The Internet Connection
DM 60 / month

Berlin Snafu Account (40 DM setup, DM 25 per month)

Telephone bill for Internet use (DM 35 per month)

With this you get 15 hours online and 1 MB of web site space.

Shop around but buy soon. Shop around before you buy and make sure you get a good warranty and a service contract. The best place to buy a computer is from someone you know and trust and who will help you out when you have questions and problems. The time to buy a computer is always now. They continually get cheaper and faster and better but don't let this make you wait to buy. Prices will never stop falling.

If money is an issue. The purchase of a multimedia Internet PC today is a long-term investment in your career, your continuing education, and for your future job security. However, if money is simply not available for such an investment at this time, there are many ways for you to get access to Internet computers and education on how to use them. All universities in Berlin have ongoing courses on Internet topics, often open to the public. Volkshochschulen offer a less expensive opportunity for computer and Internet education. Telekom and Tagesspiegel have been promoting Internet education in schools recently. Thousands of computers sit around on desks unused in the evenings and on weekends in Berlin--see if you cannot work out a deal with someone so that you can work on a computer for a couple hours a week to check your email and get information. If you have access to the World Wide Web but do not have an E-mail account, you can get a free E-mail account from Microsoft at http://www.hotmail.com. It takes about 10 minutes to set up and it is free for life. Why not stop in the Internet Cafe at Adenauer Platz once a week, drink a beer and check your emails? Read, talk to people, and look around for opportunities for free access to the Internet.

Learn to learn. The Internet is not something that you learn about in a couple classes and then you are finished. It is something that you get into the habit of learning about. There are significant developments each week. Just as you regularly read professional literature in the field of English teaching, you should also regularly read news about developments in the Internet. The best place, of course, is the Internet itself. Once you get online, you can find a million helping hands to guide you along and point out the way. One of these helping hands is going to be the ELTAB-B web site which will serve as an information center and support facility for ELTAB-B members. As well as being the online source of information for ELTAB-B in general, the ELTAB-B web site will feature advice and help columns for members and others who are both new and familiar to the Internet and computers. Watch for it soon.

Edward Tanguay
Berlin, Germany
E-Mail: tanguay@rz.uni-potsdam.de
Personal Web Site: http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~tanguay

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* Here are explanations to some of the technical terms and some extended options:

HARDWARE

Pentium A Pentium is the result of a long development of IBM-compatible Personal Computers: the XT, 286, 386, 486, and now Pentium. Do not get a used 386 or 486, as they will be too slow as a full multimedia computer. It is possible to buy a "Pentium II" but you do not need this extra power. Of course, there is another line of computers, the Apple Macintoshes or "Macs" but I would advise buying one in Germany only if you personally know someone who can give you good support, as they are much less popular here than in the States. In addition, software for the Macs is limited compared to the PC and Internet software usually comes out 4-6 months later for the Macs.

166 or 200 MHz This is the speed of the computer. You are able to get speeds today 133, 166 and 200 MHz. For multimedia and Internet applications, it is best that you have 166 or 200 MHz. A computer with 133 MHz would also be fast enough and if a 133 MHz is significantly less expensive then get 133 MHz.

32 MB RAM RAM is the memory of the computer. Too little RAM causes your computer to be too slow. Since RAM is so inexpensive these days, be sure you get 32 MB of RAM or more. Do not skimp on RAM.

Sound Blaster sound card with speakers and microphone A sound card is an essential part of a multimedia computer. The Sound Blaster series are the most popular and most widely recognized. I highly recommend getting a Sound Blaster so that you do not have any compatibility problems.

CD-ROM 24 speed A CD-ROM is also an essential part of a computer. The speed of a CD-ROM counts, and the highest today is 24-speed. You can save money by getting a lower speed but do not go below 12-speed.

15-inch monitor Monitors can be very expensive. Your choice between monitors is between a 15-inch and 17-inch, as anything bigger is too expensive. Since 15-inch monitors are usually much cheaper than 17-inch monitors, and you hardly notice the difference, go with the 15-inch.

2 GB or 4 GB hard drive
(GB = Gigabyte) Everybody eventually runs out of hard drive space. One reason is that software is getting larger and larger (Office 97 takes up 233 MB. This means that if you only have a 1 gigabyte drive, then your hard drive is one-quarter full already). The other reason is that on a multimedia PC, videos and sounds are being stored more and more, which take up a lot of space. I recommend buying as big of a hard drive as possible within your price range. Do not get less than 2 GB and even get 8 GB if you can afford it.

33K U.S. Robotics modem (or IDSN card if you have ISDN) If you have an IDSN telephone line, then you must get an ISDN card in your computer. I recommend a Fritz Card by AVM. If you do not have an ISDN telephone line, then you must get a modem. U.S. Robotics is a very good name in modems. Your choices between speed are 33K and 56K. Get which one is cheapest as the difference in speed is not that noticable.

HP Deskjet Color Printer For home use, always get an HP Deskjet. Your choice is basically between a black and white or a color printer. Since color printers are not that much more expensive and the cartridges last quite a long time, I recommend paying the extra money for a color printer.

SOFTWARE

Windows 95 Be sure you get Windows 95 and not Windows 3.11. It is much easier to use for the average computer user (plug and play) and much software today will not run on Windows 3.11. You should be able to get Windows 95 included with the purchase of a new PC.

Microsoft Word 97 Microsoft Word 97 is part of the Office 97 package from Microsoft. It is the most popular and widespread software that exists for PCs. The 97 version is much easier to use for the beginner than the other versions. Make sure you get this and try to get it included on the whole price of the PC.

Microsoft Frontpage 98 This piece of software has yet to be discovered and appreciated. It is the Microsoft Word of web pages. It makes creating extensive web sites as easy as pointing and clicking, and you need absolutely no HTML knowledge to design web sites with it. If you are struggling through HTML in order to program a homepage, immediately whirl your HTML book into the trash can and buy a copy of Frontpage 98.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and Outlook Express This is the most extensive Internet browser and email program that I know. It also comes with Active Desktop which turns your Windows 95 basically into an Internet terminal, e.g. clicking on an icon on your desktop will dial the modem and run a program on a computer in California (a bit eerie, but very very powerful). It gives you the Internet interface that you need. Your other choice in browsers and email programs is Netscape, which simply doesn't integrate with your operating system as well. Netscape created the browser, Microsoft perfected it. Plus, Microsoft's browser is free.

INTERNET CONNECTION

Snafu Your choice in Internet providers are basically: T-Online, AOL, Compuserve, or one of the local providers in Berlin. If you know you want to do online banking, you should get T-Online. If you really want to be pampered and don't mind spending a lot of money, get AOL (they just raised their rates again). And compuserve is on their way out (in fact they were bought up by AOL and now AOL is laying off their employees). These three giants are popular because they provide their own online services as well as being a door to the Internet. I do not recommend going with any of these three simply because you end up paying for them to create their own online content. The point of the Internet is that online content is already out there, all you need is an Internet provider to give you access to it.
You need a Berlin Internet Provider as you want your phone call to the Internet to be a local call (Ortsgespr�ch). There are many Berlin Internet Providers to choose from, but the oldest and most realable is SNAFU. I have never had a problem with them, their rates are reasonable, and they are quick to reply to questions. They also send you a free install CD so that the Installation of your Internet account is very easy.

HARDWARE
Pentium	A Pentium is the result of a long development of IBM-compatible Personal Computers: the XT, 286, 386, 486, and now Pentium. Do not get a used 386 or 486, as they will be too slow as a full multimedia computer. It is possible to buy a "Pentium II" but you do not need this extra power. Of course, there is another line of computers, the Apple Macintoshes or "Macs" but I would advise buying one in Germany only if you personally know someone who can give you good support, as they are much less popular here than in the States. In addition, software for the Macs is limited compared to the PC and Internet software usually comes out 4-6 months later for the Macs.
166 or 200 MHz	This is the speed of the computer. You are able to get speeds today 133, 166 and 200 MHz. For multimedia and Internet applications, it is best that you have 166 or 200 MHz. A computer with 133 MHz would also be fast enough and if a 133 MHz is significantly less expensive then get 133 MHz.
32 MB RAM	RAM is the memory of the computer. Too little RAM causes your computer to be too slow. Since RAM is so inexpensive these days, be sure you get 32 MB of RAM or more. Do not skimp on RAM.
Sound Blaster sound card with speakers and microphone	A sound card is an essential part of a multimedia computer. The Sound Blaster series are the most popular and most widely recognized. I highly recommend getting a Sound Blaster so that you do not have any compatibility problems.
CD-ROM 24 speed	A CD-ROM is also an essential part of a computer. The speed of a CD-ROM counts, and the highest today is 24-speed. You can save money by getting a lower speed but do not go below 12-speed.
15-inch monitor	Monitors can be very expensive. Your choice between monitors is between a 15-inch and 17-inch, as anything bigger is too expensive. Since 15-inch monitors are usually much cheaper than 17-inch monitors, and you hardly notice the difference, go with the 15-inch.
2 GB or 4 GB hard drive (GB = Gigabyte)	Everybody eventually runs out of hard drive space. One reason is that software is getting larger and larger (Office 97 takes up 233 MB. This means that if you only have a 1 gigabyte drive, then your hard drive is one-quarter full already). The other reason is that on a multimedia PC, videos and sounds are being stored more and more, which take up a lot of space. I recommend buying as big of a hard drive as possible within your price range. Do not get less than 2 GB and even get 8 GB if you can afford it.
33K U.S. Robotics modem (or IDSN card if you have ISDN)	If you have an IDSN telephone line, then you must get an ISDN card in your computer. I recommend a Fritz Card by AVM. If you do not have an ISDN telephone line, then you must get a modem. U.S. Robotics is a very good name in modems. Your choices between speed are 33K and 56K. Get which one is cheapest as the difference in speed is not that noticable.
HP Deskjet Color Printer	For home use, always get an HP Deskjet. Your choice is basically between a black and white or a color printer. Since color printers are not that much more expensive and the cartridges last quite a long time, I recommend paying the extra money for a color printer.
SOFTWARE
Windows 95	Be sure you get Windows 95 and not Windows 3.11. It is much easier to use for the average computer user (plug and play) and much software today will not run on Windows 3.11. You should be able to get Windows 95 included with the purchase of a new PC.
Microsoft Word 97	Microsoft Word 97 is part of the Office 97 package from Microsoft. It is the most popular and widespread software that exists for PCs. The 97 version is much easier to use for the beginner than the other versions. Make sure you get this and try to get it included on the whole price of the PC.
Microsoft Frontpage 98	This piece of software has yet to be discovered and appreciated. It is the Microsoft Word of web pages. It makes creating extensive web sites as easy as pointing and clicking, and you need absolutely no HTML knowledge to design web sites with it. If you are struggling through HTML in order to program a homepage, immediately whirl your HTML book into the trash can and buy a copy of Frontpage 98.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and Outlook Express	This is the most extensive Internet browser and email program that I know. It also comes with Active Desktop which turns your Windows 95 basically into an Internet terminal, e.g. clicking on an icon on your desktop will dial the modem and run a program on a computer in California (a bit eerie, but very very powerful). It gives you the Internet interface that you need. Your other choice in browsers and email programs is Netscape, which simply doesn't integrate with your operating system as well. Netscape created the browser, Microsoft perfected it. Plus, Microsoft's browser is free.
INTERNET CONNECTION
Snafu	Your choice in Internet providers are basically: T-Online, AOL, Compuserve, or one of the local providers in Berlin. If you know you want to do online banking, you should get T-Online. If you really want to be pampered and don't mind spending a lot of money, get AOL (they just raised their rates again). And compuserve is on their way out (in fact they were bought up by AOL and now AOL is laying off their employees). These three giants are popular because they provide their own online services as well as being a door to the Internet. I do not recommend going with any of these three simply because you end up paying for them to create their own online content. The point of the Internet is that online content is already out there, all you need is an Internet provider to give you access to it. You need a Berlin Internet Provider as you want your phone call to the Internet to be a local call (Ortsgespr�ch). There are many Berlin Internet Providers to choose from, but the oldest and most realable is SNAFU. I have never had a problem with them, their rates are reasonable, and they are quick to reply to questions. They also send you a free install CD so that the Installation of your Internet account is very easy.