This was published in the August 1998 issue of the Monitor, the monthly
magazine of the Capital PC User Group, Inc. I thought list members and
local groups would be interested in an end-user account of distance
learning materials. An agency for the blind is no longer necessary.
<grin>
kelly
Ziff-Davis University (ZDU) Upgrades
by Scott Mohnkern
Online education promises to revolutionize the way we think about
learning. Instead of spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars
to attend a seminar, online education offers the possibility of
acquiring the same skills from your office (or home), at your own
pace, for a lot less money. If you've heard me speak, either at
an Internet special interest group (SIG) meeting, or at the class
I teach, you've probably heard me praise Ziff-Davis University
(ZDU at http://www.zdu.com) as one of the best online education
sites on the Internet. I've completed over a dozen courses at ZDU
in the last year, and am always taking a ZDU course.
Recently, ZDU went through a major site-wide upgrade and now
offers additional options that previously weren't available.
These changes have made ZDU even more valuable than it was in
the past.
The Cost
ZDU is one of the best online education values I've seen, with
an "all you can eat" pricing structure. For $4.95 a month (or
less, if you prepay for a year's service) you can take as many
(or as few) courses as you want. You have to provide a credit
card number, and an authorization to charge to it every month,
or mail a check for a year's service. ZDU doesn't offer a
month-to-month contract when you pay by check. I found it
easiest to go the automatic charge route, because the amount is
so small. I figure that if I don't order in lunch one day a
month, I've paid for my service. When you consider the cost of
other online resources (such as online games, which average $10
to $20 per month, or other online education sites where you pay
by the course), I think you'll find that the $4.95 a month is
money well spent.
There is, however, one "hidden" cost. Almost every course I've
taken requires some kind of textbook. Most of the time this
text is written by the course instructor, and it can run $20 to
$40 dollars, depending upon the textbook. ZDU, in its
introductory material, isn't as forthright as I'd expect about
it being essential that you purchase the textbook for each
course. I have seen occasional complaints from students who
don't want to buy the book. So, before you sign up for the
course, make sure you are also willing to pay for the book, and
other required materials.
Some of the "textbooks" to be purchased may be Adobe PDF files,
so you'll need the current version of the Adobe Acrobat reader,
downloadable from http://www.adobe.com. Don't worry, this
program is free.
I've found the textbooks I've purchased (with one exception) to
be excellent reference material that I used after completing
the course. So, most of the time, the book you are buying isn't
going to end up in the closet (or worse, the trash) after
you've completed the course. You'll probably end up keeping it
nearby, and continue to use it for reference.
Signing Up
Before you can take any classes, you'll need to join ZDU. When
you go to http://www.zdu.com, click on the Join Now link. You
can either sign up for a free trial period, or pay for your
membership right away. ZDU currently offers two payment
options, a month-to-month option, or a year- long option. After
selecting how you want to pay, you'll be asked to fill out a
short form, in which you provide your basic information (name,
address, telephone number, e-mail address, and so forth), and
you'll pick your userid, which will be used when you log in.
After you've completed the signup process, your password will
be sent to you via e-mail.
Registering for Online Courses
After you've signed up for ZDU, and received your password, go
to http://www.zdu.com and log in. Then go to the course
catalog, and sign up for your first course. Announcements for
new courses are generally made at the beginning of the month,
and the courses themselves start sometime during that month.
ZDU currently offers courses in eight subject areas:
- Programming -- Courses in Java, C, C++, and Visual Basic
- Databases -- Microsoft Access, SQL, and so forth
- Networking -- NT System Administration, Microsoft Network,
and so forth
- Business -- Internet Business Strategies, Internet
Advertising, Investing on the Net, and so forth
- Webmaster -- HTML, JavaScript, DHTML, FrontPage, and VRML
- Design -- Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator,
and Web Site Design
- Net User -- Searching the Internet, Introduction to the
Internet, and so forth
- Desktop -- Computer Construction and Maintenance,
Windows 98 Installation, and Hardware Troubleshooting
As you can see, these cover a wide variety of subjects! When
you select a subject, you'll see a list of courses, including
when they are offered. Some courses are currently going on, but
you can still sign up for them. I do not recommend that you
sign up for a course that's been going on for more than a few
days, as you'll spend most of your time "catching up." It's
much better to look for a time where you can join at the
beginning, and start then. This may mean that even though
you've already signed up for ZDU, it will be a week or two
before you actually start taking your first course. That's OK,
you can spend time using the tutorials while you wait, or, you
can just be patient.
When you select (by clicking on) a course of interest, you'll
get a list of dates that are open for registration, courses
currently in progress, and plans for future offerings. You will
be unable to register for courses far in advance, so,
hopefully, you've selected a class that is open for
registration. If you currently cannot register for a course,
you can ask ZDU to notify you when this course is open for
registration via e-mail. Go ahead and click on the link for the
dates you want to take the course.
When you click on the link, you'll be given all the information
about the class, including a description, course requirements,
and a syllabus. It's extremely important that you read the
course requirements, to make sure that you are going to be able
to understand the course material, and be willing to buy the
necessary "supplies" for the course, including textbooks, and
software if necessary. Sometimes you'll be required to have
specific software (including specific versions) installed on
your computer, or be running on a specific operating system.
Make sure that you check these requirements, and are willing to
fulfill them. Also, make sure that you've read the
prerequisites regarding skills, and that you've got them.
Many of the "complaints" you'll hear in class are from students
who aren't prepared for the course, and aren't willing to
devote the time to catch up. This is especially true for
"higher level" Webmaster courses (such as JavaScript, CGI, or
Dynamic HTML) and the programming courses.
Now, you've found a course you like, you've read the
prerequisites, and decided to sign up for the course. Go ahead
and click on the Register for this Class button. You'll be
presented with a short form, with three options.
Full Student or Auditor?
When you take a ZDU course, there are two options: full student
or auditor. Full students post questions and answers to
problems in the classroom, and receive a certificate (that you
download and print) at the end of the course. Most courses have
a limit on the number of full students, so you may find that it
isn't possible to register as a full student. If you decide to
audit a course, you can enter the classroom and "listen" (that
is, read) all you want, but you can't "talk" (by posting
messages). To get the most out of a class, I recommend that you
become a full student. However, if you just want to read what
other people are talking about, or see if you might be
interested in taking the course as a full student, go ahead and
audit the class.
Receiving Information From Vendors
I read this option to mean, "Do you want to receive spam?" That
probably isn't fair, but I have my biases. If you check Yes to
this question, ZDU may distribute your e-mail address to
vendors related to the course you are taking. I always check
No, but, if you want to receive commercial e-mail about
information related to your course, go ahead and check Yes.
(But don't say I didn't warn you!)
Continuing Education Units
It's possible to receive Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for
courses that you take at ZDU. If you pay an additional $15.00
per course, you can receive credit from the American Council on
Education. However, you'll have to make sure that you attend
the class once a week, and complete all the assignments. The
number of CEUs you'll receive depends upon the projected time
requirements of the course. For example, an Introduction to
HTML course offers 2 CEUs, while a basic C++ course offers 8
CEUs.
You've filled out the registration form and clicked on the
registration submission button. Now you'll get a page telling
you that you'll be notified via e-mail about a week before the
course starts. Don't count on it! Most of the time I didn't
receive the promised reminder. When I did, it arrived just a
day before the start of class. With ZDU's site renovation, this
may improve, but I wouldn't rely on receiving an e-mail
reminder.
It's best to put a note on your calendar, or in your personal
information manager, indicating when the course starts, just in
case.
Class
The first day of class arrives, so you go to http://www.zdu.com
and log in, and then you click on Your Classes. A Web page
comes up with a list of your classes, including links to the
Classroom and the Class Caf_ for each class for which you are
currently registered. The classroom is where class discussions
occur, and the caf_é is where you can "socialize" with your
classmates. Go ahead and click on the classroom for your
course.
Mechanics
ZDU classrooms are bulletin boards where instructors and
students can post and reply to messages. When you enter the
classroom for the first time, you'll see several postings
already up, including --
-Welcome from the sysops
-Please read me first
-Please read me second
You may also see the first week's assignment.
If you haven't taken a course before, I recommend you read all
of these messages so you can learn how courses work and, more
importantly, how the bulletin board works. These classrooms use
Proxicom software, which takes some getting used to. However,
once you've learned how things work, you'll really grow to
enjoy this interface.
Rather than try to go into extensive detail about how the
bulletin board works, here are a few quick tips:
- If you see a + sign next to a subject, it means that there are
new replies to that subject. You can click on the + sign and
"expand" that subject to see what's there.
- If a subject is bold, it means you haven't read that subject
before, and you should probably read it.
Only instructors and sysops can start new subjects. All student
postings are replies to one or more of the subjects started by
the instructor or sysop. This is done to avoid "subject
overload" on the bulletin board. At first you'll find this an
annoyance, but after a while you'll discover that you can
always find a subject related to the question you are posing.
When posting messages, you have three options: normal, HTML
formatted, and plain text. I recommend that unless you've got a
specific reason for choosing otherwise, you use the normal
option. However, if you know how to code HTML manually, you
can choose this option. If you have a specific reason for not
using automatic formatting, you can use the plain text option.
One warning about the plain text option: You must put in your
own carriage returns. Just because the text wraps in the form
when you fill it out does not mean that it will wrap similarly
when it is posted. In fact, it won't.
The HTML option is similar. In HTML, just because you have a
carriage return in your document, does not mean that it will be
used when displaying. You must use a <br> or <p> tag to start a
new line or paragraph, respectively.
I've found the plain text option to be totally useless, and
primarily use the normal option. I use the HTML option when I
want to do something fancy.
Substance
We've talked about how you navigate in the classroom, now let's
talk about how courses are "conducted."
Generally, at the beginning of each week, the instructor posts
a reading assignment, a field trip (when appropriate), and an
exercise. Sometimes the instructor will post two assignments,
if the course is conducted quickly, due to the amount of
information required to be covered. I recommend that you read
first, take the field trip, and then complete the exercise.
Reading Assignments
Reading assignments vary in length from a few pages to several
chapters in the textbook, depending upon the difficulty of the
material. For example, in the VRML course, the first reading
assignment is the preface of the book, plus the first three
chapters. When I first read that, I began to wonder if I'd
have time to complete the course. However, the first three
chapters were a narrative on the history of VRML, and an
extremely fast read. By the time we got to week two, reading
assignments were one chapter, because we were getting into some
fairly technical material. You may feel the urge to skip the
reading, and try to jump straight to the exercises. Don't do
it! Even if you think you know enough to complete the
assignment, reading through the text will reinforce what is
being covered, and may give you information you would have
missed.
If, after reading the assignment, you have a question or
comment about what you've just read, post it as a reply to this
subject. The instructor (or other students) will probably
answer your question if you pose one, and you may post
information that's useful to others. ZDU classes are definitely
a "joint learning" experience!
Field Trips
Field trips tend to be Web sites that have information related
to what you are discussing during the assignment. These field
trips can be interesting, and often you will learn about
resources that you can use in the future (such as HTML and VRML
specifications). The field trips may seem like a waste of time,
but have fun, and try them!
If, after taking the field trip, you want to comment on the
trip, or have a question about it, post it as a reply to this
subject.
Exercises
Generally, with each reading assignment there is an exercise
for you to complete. These assignments are designed to have you
apply what you've learned. The instructions will tell you what
to do with your work. You generally either post your answers as
a reply to the exercise or, in some cases, you may post them to
your Web space.
When you go through this section, there will be lots of
replies, with everyone's answer to the problem. This can be
useful, or an annoyance, depending upon the course. Sometimes
there are so many messages (all containing exactly the same
solution) in the section that I get annoyed reading them all.
However, occasionally you'll read an answer containing a
solution you would not have discovered.
If you have any questions about an exercise, or are having
problems completing it, post your question as a reply to this
subject, and someone will reply to you.
Keeping Up
It's fairly important that you keep up with your reading
assignments, and reading the postings on the bulletin board. I
recommend you set a time aside each week (an hour or two,
depending upon the class) to complete everything. If you skip a
week, you're likely to fall behind, and then it becomes
difficult to catch up. I set aside Friday mornings (our slowest
time at work) to go through everything. It's worked out pretty
well.
Now you've got all the information you need to complete your
first course at ZDU! However, there are some added features
that are worth noting, and some worth skipping.
Tutorials
This is probably the most significant improvement to ZDU as a
result of its upgrade. ZDU now offers tutorials on a variety of
subjects, and instructors are not required. You can find the
tutorials when you go to a list of your classes.
Each of the tutorials focuses on a specific application,
allowing you to teach yourself, at your own pace. All the
Microsoft Office applications, plus Netscape Communicator, have
tutorials. If you already have worked with a prior version of
these applications, or have previous experience with similar
applications, this may be the perfect solution for you. Instead
of having to drag yourself through an introductory course,
where you have to slog through exercises that are too easy, you
can go straight to the lessons you need.
These tutorials use the LearnFlow plug-in, which is free. Once
you've downloaded and installed the plug-in, you can simply go
to the tutorial you want, and the lessons will come up
automatically. This plug-in opens a window that carries you
through the course, just like an instructor would!
However, I found the current version of the LearnFlow plug-in a
little buggy. It didn't crash my computer, but it didn't always
act as expected. In particular, you'd be told to click on a
given menu item, or something similar, and when you did, it
told you that you didn't click in the right place. So you'd
have to figure out where it wanted you to click, or have it do
it for you. I imagine that as future versions of this plug-in
are developed, these problems will be solved.
Don't let the bugginess of the plug-in keep you from trying
these tutorials. I've completed several of them, and learned
something with every one.
The Learning Advisor
ZDU has so many courses that it's easy to get really distracted
and take a series of courses that aren't related to each other.
By using the Learning Advisor, you can develop an "Intelligent
track" for your coursework. Take, for example, its HTML and
JavaScript track, which recommends that you take the following
courses (in order):
1. Create Your First Web Site With HTML and/or Introduction to HTML 4.0
2. HTML Workshop: Frames
3. Introduction to Web Style Sheets
4. Introduction to JavaScript
5. Dynamic HTML With Internet Explorer 4 and/or Dynamic HTML with
Netscape Communicator 4
But what if you are just interested in becoming a really good
Net user? Then they suggest you take the following:
1. Introduction to the Internet, Part 1
2. Introduction to the Internet, Part 2
3. Internet Search Techniques and/or Netscape Communicator 4.0/4.01
Introduction and/or Internet Explorer 4.0 Introduction.
Here they've recommended three courses and two tutorials, so you
can mix and match!
By using the Learning Advisor, you can develop a long-term,
meaningful track of courses to take at ZDU.
Class Cafes
With each class you take, there are class cafes. These look
just like the bulletin boards that you use in the classroom,
but they are more "social" and are designed for "out of class"
discussions. Here you'll find a variety of subjects related to
your class to which you can post (and answer) questions and
comments. You'll find fellow students introducing themselves
here, including their backgrounds. ZDU's plan for these cafes
is to develop some type of networking among students. I'm not
sure whether it's really effective, but I do have to admit that
there are some people I know now because of these caf_s. If you
have the time, stop by. But if you don't, you won't be missing
anything of substance for your class.
Live Chat
Occasionally an instructor will offer a "Live Chat" session
during the course in which he or she will be available for
questions. Each of these chat sessions is a little different,
and the instructor will provide you with the information you
need. Most of these chat sessions are in the evening hours, and
I've yet to attend one. However, if you are the kind of
individual who likes live chat, and want to interact in a
real-time environment with your classmates, here's your chance.
Graduate Lounges
After your class is over, you'll be notified that a "Graduate
Lounge" is now available to you. These "Lounges" are similar to
the class caf_s, except they contain all the "graduates" in a
given subject area. After you've completed a course, if you
have any questions, stop by and there's bound to be someone
willing to give you an answer.
Campus Store
Normally you'll buy your textbooks, and other supplies, from
the Campus Store. If, however, you are buying a printed
textbook, make sure you comparison shop at your local
bookseller, and at amazon.com. There are other items for sale
that you may want to consider as well. The Campus Store offers
additional books, software, and magazine subscriptions. To be
honest, I thought most of the items were a touch pricey.
(FrontPage98, for example, was $133, and I found it locally for
$100.) The store did have, however, some resources that I'd
overlooked, and might consider buying. It's probably worthwhile
to stop by once in a while to see if there's anything new.
Student Union
The Student Union is a chat room that requires you to download
a program called Virtual Places. The idea of live chat rooms to
socialize in is intriguing but after experimenting with the
Virtual Places software, I found it cumbersome, and difficult
to use. Unless you've got a lot of free time on your hands,
skip it.
Resource Library
This is an expanding list of resources for students. From CGI
scripts in PERL, to FAQs on a variety of topics, to software,
you'll find it here. Make sure you stop by here and see what's
available, especially if you are writing HTML pages.
Some Tips and a Final Word
When I first registered at ZDU, I signed up for four or five
courses, all to be offered at the same time. Unless you've got
time on your hands, avoid this practice. I quickly found myself
bogged down in too much work, and fell behind. Unless there is
a course you must take today, or there's a course that isn't
going to be offered again, be patient. Sign up for one or maybe
two classes at a time. By devoting your time to just one class,
you'll be able to absorb the material better, and won't feel
like you are giving short shrift to anything. If you feel a
course is moving too slowly, then try to expand your knowledge
in the subject by asking questions of the instructor and fellow
classmates.
Remember, this isn't a "real time" class, so it may take a day
(or even two) to get an answer to your question. Don't expect
to post a question, and have it answered an hour later, because
that's unlikely to happen.
Make sure you understand an assignment completely before going
to the next one. Most of these courses have assignments in
which one exercise builds upon the previous exercises. If
you've become totally lost in any given exercise, it's unlikely
that you'll be able to complete the next one. Take the time to
work through any problems you have, and ask questions.
Keep motivated! No one is going to be leaning over your
shoulder, reminding you to do your homework, and if you stop
working, you don't receive a failing grade (unless you've
signed up for Continuing Education Units). The learning is
entirely up to you. The instructors won't contact you if you
stop going to class.
But most of all, remember that ZDU is about learning. You are
there to learn. If you aren't learning because the course is
too easy, drop out and take a harder course. If you aren't
learning because it's too difficult, try an easier course. If
you are asking questions that aren't getting answered, let the
ZDU staff know, so they can solve your problems. In the one
course I found disappointing, I let the ZDU staff know, and the
subsequent offering of that course was restructured and
improved.
Scott Mohnkern is President of Millkern Communications, Inc., and
can be reached at [log in to unmask] Scott is looking forward
to resuming his Capital PC User Group class on Searching the
Internet. Check out his Web pages at
http://www.cpcug.org/user/mohnkern.
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