Sun shadow on a dull day

It was one of those days that can be best described as having sun at times. Our objective in assembling in the playground was to measure the shadow of the sun at true noon. We had come equipped with metre sticks, set squares, chalk, stop watches, pencils and paper. Ten minutes before the targeted time, In glorious sunshine, we commenced marking the shadow of the sun at minute intervals. All went well until the deadline was a little over two minutes away. For the next five minutes the sun hid its face and then burst forth again. Where exactly was the noon shadow point? The debate led to expressions of annoyance with the sun and the clouds. Could we do it another day? We were not alone in the shadow of cloud at the crucial time. A fellow partIcipating teacher at the Caecllenschule in Germany reported the same difficulties.

We were participants In a project that linked us with schools in other parts of the world. We were endeavouring to replicate the measurement of the north-south cIrcumference of the earth made originally by Eratosthenes of Cyrene in or about the year 200 B.C. With ourselves in St Marks were schools In Oidenburg, Germany; Champaign, Illinois; Irving, New Jersey; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Davis, California; Ann Arbor, Missouri; and Buenos Aires in Argentina.

We read about the project on the IDEAS board of FrEdMail. Kathleen Smith of Central High School in Champaign, Illinois proposed and outlined the project, set down the schedule and invited other teachers and classes to participate. Kathleen coordinated the project, keeping us in touch with each other by email. Each participating class emailed the coordinator with the length of the shadow of the metre stick at true noon along with, the date of observation, the longitude and latitude of the site. As she received the data from all the sites they were emailed to all the participants.

What Is FrEdMail?

FrEdMail is a dynamic, growing telecommunicatIons network for schools. it is made up of hundreds of centres or nodes such as ours in Dublin. During the day each node operates as an easy-to-usa electronic notice board system (Bulletin Board System or BBS) and as a means of exchanging electronk messages between teachers. At night the various nodes in the network link and exchange messages with each other so that a message can be sent along the network from Cabra In Dublin to Cabra in Sydney, Australia or between any two nodes in the network.

What Is needed to become a user of FrEdMail.

if you have a home or school computer all you need is a modem to connect your computer to the telephone system and communications software for your computer. Almost any computer used by schools will do. All of the popular computers are compatible with electronic messaging. (Previous issues of Primary Computing have offered guidance on this matter.)

A New User.

With the necessary hardware end software lInked to the telephone network it is an easy matter to become a FrEdMail user. It is free to teachers. There are no fees. The only cost Is the telephone call cost to an 01 number. Have your modem dial the FrEdMali number 01-597343. You will hear the number dialling followed by the sound of modems connecting. You should see the word 'CONNECT' appear on the computer
screen. Press the RETURN or ENTER key and you will see the screen fill with the FrEd introductory screen.

/
FAILTE 00

CilS FREDriRIL DUBLIN
300/1200/2400 BAUD

APPLE COMTPUTERS IRELAND
DONATED THE HARDUARE

EDHUR MAC HALE, DAMIAN CDX & tOll 0 BRIRIN
SYSOPS

TYPE NEW TD SET UP A USER ACCOUNT.
TYPE 'GUEST TO BADUSE RRDIJND.
DR TYPE YOUR USERHAIlE TO LOGIN.

USERNAME :

As a new user type NEW in the space after USERNAME. You will be asked to give your first name and then your last name. Your username will be formed by combining the initial of your first name and the first seven letters of your surname. For those of us with 'de', 'Mac', 'Mc', or '0', etc. at the beginning of the surname no space Is left in writing the surname. Thus my surname 0 Briain Is OBriain for FrEdMail

You will be asked to write a password to identify you at each subsequent call. The password should be of eight characters or less. it Is advisable that it be one which you can remember easily (the name of your cat or your favourite novel, etc.).

After some further questions you will be shown the main menu. (As a new user you will have limited access which will be enhanced within 24 hours of your first call.)

You have No New Msg Waiting

Time Now: May 18, 1992 3:33 PM
[Main cmd: ASCEFGHKMNOPSTUX?I

To see what these commands are typing '?' will reveal what these mean.

A Adjust termlnsi settings
a <B>ulletin Boards
c <C>all sysop for <C>hat
a <E>mail
F <F>eature Articles
0 <G<oodbye (Log Oft)
H <H>elp
K <K>nowisdgabie ussr (togg,e)
M >M>ap of FrEdMail Network
N >N,ews Bulletins -
0 >O>pinion poll (once only)
P Change <P>assword
5 >5>csn New Mags on Bulletin Boards
T >T,ime
U >U>sr Database
x File >x> fer system
? Menu

Tims Now: May 18, 1992, 3:34 PM
[Main Cmd: ABCEFGHKMNOPSTUX?]

Type the letter which Is the initial of your choice. The most frequent choIces are the Bulletin Boards and Email. To get back to the Main Command lIne type Q You may have to type Q again as the menus work on q branching system. if you wish to leave FrEdMali type 'G' at the Main Command menu.
The Bulletin Boards

If you wish to see the Bulletin Boards type 'B' at the Main
Command menu. When you do so you will be asked to select a
board.
Which Board (3 for Llst)
Typing '?' will show the following list.

A - IDEAS: Ides Exchange
B - KIDWIRE: Kids News Service
C . NEWS: system News
D - CLINIC: Computer Problems
E - HILITES: Beat of IDEAS
F - WORKSHOP: Workshop
Q . INSERVICE: Courses & Lectures
H - GAEILOE: Cursal Gaslige
I - KIDS.92: Board for KIds.92 uploads
J - BRIDGES: Disabled pupils
K - LOGO: Logo board
L - ORiLLAS: French Q Spanish prolects
M - xCOUNTRY: Student access open message board

The IDEAS Board

Selecting one of the letters will open that board for you. Select 'A' and you enter the IDEAS board. This is where teachers post IDEAS for shared classroom projects.

Load IDEAS:7959K left in IDEAS [IDEAS: 135 Mags: 1008 to 1175j You have 135 new Megs [IDEAS: ABEHKMRSTUO?]

S for Scan will show the titles of the messages on the board. (Only some are shown here.)

Last Mag Read: 0
RETURN Scsns From Msg.1166 or Type New Mag N To Begin
Search:
1168 IDEAS RGIBSON:KEYBOARDING PROGRAMS 05/GS/92
1187 IDEAS Snoose Survey put to bed 05/08/92
1165 iDEAS CMU Telecommunications 05/09/92
1109 IDEAS JSTCLAIFt:LogoWriter (2 flies) 05/11/92
1170 IDEAS soup labels 05/11/92
1171 IDEAS DHOLLAND:MACINTOSH APPLICATION 05/13/92
1172 IDEAS RSETTLES:TEACHERS 05/15/92
1174 IDEAS UkranIsn Pro)ect OS/18/92
1175 IDEAS YANDRES:Fossil Fuels 05/15/92
7889K left In IDEAS
[IDEAS: 135 Mags: 1008 to 117S]
You have 13S new Mags
[IDEAS: ABEHKMRSTUO?]
Select R for read and then the number of the message you wish to read. When you are finished with IDEAS Q will bring you back to the Main Command again.

Email

if you wish to send a message to another user select 'E' from the Main Command and you will see something like the following:

Load EMAIL:7885K left In EMAIL [EMAIL: 65 Megs: 4S87 to 4594] You have 0 Mags [EMAIL: BHKRSTUO?]

Again to see what these stand for type '?'.

<B>ulletIn Boards <E>Mail
<H>elp
<K>nowiedgabIe user (toggle) <R>ead messages <S>can message headers <T>ype a Message <U>pload a Message (Text File Upload) <G<ult (go to main level)

[EMAIL: ABHKMRSTUO?I

To send a message to another user select 'T' for Type. You will be asked to name the person to whom the message is to be sent. it is a good exercise to send the message to yourself as training in the first instance.

There are three types of addresses used on FrEdMail.i. (a) to a user on the local Node. You simply type that person's username e.g. SCITIZEN.
(b) to a user on another node. Type the username with the pathway to the other node. PHILL YISDCOE!SYDNEY!SCITIzEN. This will go to Philadelphia and then to Sen Diego, California and from there on to Sydney, Australia and all this for the local telephone cost.
(C) to a person on another network. (see the Map file at the Main Command for guidance in using the INTERNET service)
Send Msg4895
To: SCrnZEN
Subj: sample message
[Attach a file?: YN]

Attaching a file allows you to send, for example a wp file of pupilsÕ writing or a Logo program, etc. to another teacher.
Type mag (100 lines, 50 Chra) Type 3 RETURNS when done
1:SIie/Sesn This is a sample message demonstrating email.
2:Type three returns when you are finished the mesasge.
3:
4:
[Edit: ACDEFHIKLSUM?j

Typing S wIll save the message. You will be told when the message has been saved.
Msg.4895..Saved!
7885K left In EMAIL [EMAIL: 68 Mags: 4S87 to 4895] You have 0 Mags [EMAIL: ABHKMRSTUO?j

Within a day of logging on for the first time you should receive full access to the system.
What use can one make of FrEdMail?

FrEdMail's primary function Is to transmit pupils' writing from one place to another, thus opening up distant audiences for pupils. While FrEdMail can be seen as a training tool in electronic messaging It is more properly thought of as a writing tool, one which can be used effectively at any level in school, primary or second-level, and in any subject. The purpose, and emphasis behind, FrEdMail is to provide real audiences and real purposes to motivate writing and research. For the most part, pupils do not correspond directly with each other. Most activities grow out of teacher-developed projects and are implemented through teacher to teacher contacts. As with any educational project constructive and appropriate email projects will only occur within the context of a purposeful, structured programme.

Most of the work Is done away from the modem, away from the telephone line, it is not necessary to have a dedicated line for FrEdMail. When the pupilsÕ work Is ready for transmitting a few minutes on the school phone will be sufficient to send the files of their work to the FrEdMail Node.

The philosophy of FrEdMail is to share and help. if you encounter any difficulties In the operation of FrEdMail you will find many users who are willing to help you. Just send a message and the solution will almost certainly be on hand.

Who pays?

The network is free to teachers because of sponsorship. We are enabled to run FrEdMail in Dublin due to the generosity of Apple Ireland Limited. Our transatlantic telephone costs are covered by the Education Authorities in Montgomery County in Pennsylvania. Some school districts fund the network in the U.S. Many TeachersÕ Centres in the U.S. offer FrEdMeil as a service for teachers in their catchment ares. Some Education Authorities have sponsored full-time operatives to help run and develop the network as is the case in California. There are some Universities which give
technical and financial support such as, Azusa Pacific University and the University of Michigan, School of Education (Ann Arbor, Mi). FrEdMali is a part of the INTERNET community which in no smell way is funded by the Universities worldwide. Apple Australia finances iiiuch of the operation in that country. All of this enables the network to grow and flourish and to give a great service to over 3000 teachers and their pupils worldwide.

Come and Join Us.

If you are not one of the SO users of FrEdMail Dublin come online and join us in networked learning activities with your colleagues here and overseas. Collaborative activities
can involve cultural exchanges, statIstical data collection and analysis, science experiments and observations, exchange of creative writing, and any other activity which creative minds can invent for shared learning and teaching.

if you era outside the 01 erea you may like to set up another FrEdMail node for your area. if you wish to know more about setting up such a node you can contact me at one of the addresses listed below.

Tom 0 Briain, St Marks SNS, Springfield, Taliaght. Dublin
24
FrEdMail: tobriain (call 01- 597343 not a voice number)
INTERNET: tobriain@dublin.cerf.fred.org
NITEC: 7S901820