ASSOCIATES (vol. 4, no. 3, March 1998) - associates.ucr.edu
*THE WORLD WIDE WEB WORKBOOK
(OR HOW I LEARNED TO USE THE WEB WITH0UT BEING INSULTED)*
a website review by
Michael D. Brooks
Acquisitions Technician
St. Joseph's University
brooks@sju.edu
The World Wide Web is growing exponentially and so are the
people using it. The people who often need to know the most about it,
how to use it, and how to help others use it do not always have the
time or support to learn its intricacies.
Library staffers are one such group of people who often need to
use the Web. However, for one reason or another, library workers do
not always have the time to review Web sites unless it is a job
requirement or they do it for their own edification at home.
On the LIBSUP-L listserv for instance, Web sites are often
passed along to list members by address only. Unfortunately, just an
address is all one has to go on. Simply knowing of a site is not as
useful as knowing a little something about a particular site. Such
knowledge comes in handy when helping patrons with Web-related
questions or making recommendations.
The following Web site review is very short (for people with
limited time) and should prove quite useful to nearly anyone who reads
it. The site is most beneficial to library staff who cannot take the
time to show patrons how to use the Web. It is relevant to library
work and to personal use--like helping offspring with a homework
assignment. If you have never used the Web before or are new to
using it, then this site is for you.
It is perhaps one of the easiest ways to learn how to use the
World Wide Web. It neither insults your intelligence nor talks down
to you. To find out why and how, just point your Web browser to the
"World Wide Web Workbook" located at http://www.fi.edu for a
self-paced lesson in navigating the Web. The folks at the Franklin
Institute in Philadelphia have created a series of pages that keep the
average person in mind. And if you cannot point your browser to the
site, just point any patron to it. The rest is self explanatory.
The first thing you will notice about the sight is the large
print text. It is large enough to read and the pages are simple
enough to see without much effort. They are not cluttered with a
whole lot of pictures, advertisements, fancy icons and harsh colors.
The designers of this site have definitely kept the KISS (Keep It
Simple Stupid) principle in mind. Each of the pages has a plain,
white background with short, easy-to-read paragraphs and graphics that
compliment the text.
The sight is really bare bones. It tells you just what you need
to know to confidently "surf" the Web. Each page is a separate lesson.
There are numerous exercises you can try as you learn to navigate the
Web. It cannot be repeated enough that these lessons are easy to read,
and simple to understand.
Even the most inept computer user will have no problem
navigating this site. Why? Because it tells you how. But there is a
note of caution. You will need a program that runs movie clips. If
you already have such a program, then all you have to do is download
the example. If you have an older computer system, the images may be
jerky and sluggish, but this is a minor complaint of an otherwise cool
sight. It is a failing of your computer, not the site.
The site allows you to put into practice what you are learning.
You do not just read about what you can do. You are actually given
the opportunity to experiment. If there is something you are not
clear on, examples are provided and you are encouraged to apply what
you have learned with exercises that allow you to actually do
something and get a clearer understanding of what you just did and
why.
During your lessons, you can go back at anytime and review
something you are unsure of or want more practice in. Toward the end
of your lessons, you are given the opportunity of visiting other Web
sites and putting what you have just learned to the test. There is a
link called "Educational Hotlists." Clicking on this link will take
you to a list of links to other sites of interest that have been put
together to get you started surfing on your own. Simply click on
these links and you will be on your way to exploring the Web like an
expert.