If you haven't been a hermit in the mountains or haven't had your head stuck in the sand, you've heard of email, and blogs, and Wikipedia, and Facebook or MySpace and maybe even Skype, qq.com, instant messaging, text messaging and numerous other forms of comunicating and socializing using computers and the Internet. So let's start with that so we can actually use some of those forms of communications to communicate throughout this class. I assure you that your students will be familiar with several of these forms of socializing.

• Moodle
  This is imperative. This is the program we will use for our discussions when we are not in the classroom. --- When you arrive at the Moodle site, click on Education in the left column; then click on "ED421 Sax". It should ask you to Logon: use the same username and password that you use for most everything you do at Western. Click here for additional help. Or go directly to www.wou.edu/accountlookup. - Click on the Forums in the middle of the page and respond according.
  
• Email
  This is also going to be used through the course, but then essentially all of you use email. If you have never adventured into attachments, expect to do that this term and give it a try. Several assignments will be submitted using email. My email is saxowsd@wou.edu. Use it freely, I read it daily and I respond as quickly as possible.
  
• Blogging
  Blogging is of course web logging or jounraling. It has become a very powerful form of media and influence. And there are many options for setting up a blog. I will make one or two entries in my WOU blog and I ask you to comment on my entries. Also I ask that you set up your own blog, even if you only use it once for this class, and I will let you choose the provider: WOU, blogger, or any number of other websites which you can find by doing a google search on blogging.
  Email the address (URL) of your blog when you have set it up.
  
• Skype
  This is a form of instant messaging combined with replacing the phone. It's free to anyone who is connected to Skype anywhere in the world. I personally have found it very useful for talking to family when overseas, and very handy for quick little instant messages. I have in on constantly and use it for contacting people for personal and buiness reasons as I work on other computer tasks.
  Download the free software from the website and contact me. You may have to find me by searching contacts. My Skype name is "denvys." If you have a video camera connected to your computer and you make a phone call, you can see each other.
  
• qq.com
  qq.com is the Chinese version of Skype and is a very powerful and popular site. There is an English version but Mac versions are scarce. My qq id is 1018996124 but I'm on a Mac so I can't communicate with you. This one is just for fun or for your information.
  
• IM
  Instant messaging is available in many different forms from chatrooms, like in Moodle, to IM with Internet Explorer or AOL, to sites like Skype and qq.com. WOU has a straightforward and somewhat awkward version of Instant Messaging which you may or may not want to try. If not, see if you can get connected with a classmate through another IM site: AIM (AOL), google talk, MSN WebMessager, or more (your choice). If you don't find a IM partner, Skype me. Or email me if you have questions.
  
• TWiki and Wikis
  Wikis are an interesting animal. They essentially are online documents that anyone can change or edit. Scary. That someone can change my work or that I can invade someone else's work. But think of the possibilities of sharing ideas and improving on the document. WOU has a Wiki called TWiki but you can find many by googling on wikis, and you can set up your own Wiki. Try Wetpaint.
  
• Facebook
  Facebook and MySpace have become very popular with young people and more gradually older folks. Facebook seems to have become more popular as the reputation of MySpace has waned. Go to Facebook, if you already haven't and set up an account. You should be able to find me there (saxowsd@wou.edu). Make me a friend for this class. (PS And teach me how to use this site.)
  
• YouTube and more
  We won't do anything with YouTube now but it is another very popular center of socializing among Internet users.
  
  As you are doing this exploring remember and save all you usernames and passwords in a safe but findable location.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible through email, Skype, blog! See how many of these you can set up this week..