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"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
Albert Einstein
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InterLink's IRC plans
It is our aim to facilitate IRC sessions between all twelve pairs of schools before the end of the project. Due to popular demand, we will be extending the project until near the end of the New Zealand Term 2 (July 4). This means that you need to download the software and practice using IRC as soon as possible before your official linkup.
There are three important things you need to do with your pair school:
- Make sure that you can both access the Undernet network. If either of you find you cannot, email me immediately and I'll help you find another network.
- Set up at least one "teachers-only" practice date when you can IRC with your pair teacher(s) and make sure that everything works
- Negotiate a time and date when you will link your two schools with IRC.
You need to give yourself plenty of time to download and test your software, so that you feel confident about using it. The first time you log on, it might be a good idea to join a channel and just "lurk" - just watch what's going on, without feeling the need to type anything yourself. If you do want to start chatting, you can start with Hi - does anyone want to talk to me? and you'll probably get a response from someone. Joining the #newbie channel is a good way to start - everyone's trying it out for the first few times on this channel, so everyone's feeling a bit like intrepid explorers in a new world!
I would encourage you to book a time to practice IRC with me before you practice with each other - then if you come across any glitches I can give you a hand. We can talk on the phone at the same time as IRCing if you get into difficulties. Alternatively, find a tech-dude or a geek and ask him/her to stand by while you do the download and the testing - they can then give you a hand if you get stuck. Contacting me by phone to book a time is probably best ++64 (0) 4 619 0434.
The most important thing to remember is that this is not difficult - it's just a bit complicated the first time you try it. But please do try to do the download and testing yourself - you'll learn so much more than if you just leave the IT person to do it for you!
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As you will see from the exact time in Britain and exact time in New Zealand, NZ is 11 hours ahead of Britain at the moment. So whatever time you choose will be early in the morning for one school and early in the evening for the other. For example, if it's 9am on Tuesday morning in NZ it will be 10pm on Monday night in Britain. If it's 9am on Tuesday morning in Britain it will be 8pm on Tuesday evening in NZ.
As every pair will have different needs as regards time and date, we are leaving the negotiations up to you, but the "window of opportunity" is basically as follows:
| Key: |
time to download software and practice outside class |
class IRC session sometime during this period |
| June 1997 |
| M |
T |
W |
Th |
F |
S |
S |
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1 |
| 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
| 9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
| 16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
| 23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 Scotland
end of summer term |
28 |
29 |
| 30 |
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| July 1997 |
| M |
T |
W |
Th |
F |
S |
S |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 NZ
end of term 2 |
5 |
6 |
| 7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
| 14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 Britain
end of summer term |
19 |
20 |
21 NZ
start of term 3 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
| 28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
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Milne's and Queen's - you will have to be a bit quicker than this so that you can get it done before the end of the Scottish term!
Please get in touch with your pair school as soon as possible and sort out times for your practice session(s) and class IRC session.
Complete your part of the table below and fax it to me as soon as possible. Please ensure you specify the time zone you are referring to:
| School names |
Name of server chosen and tested |
Date and time of practice session with me |
Date and time of practice session with each other |
Date and time of class IRC session |
| Tikipunga & Deanery |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Pakuranga & KES |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Piopio & Budehaven |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Opotiki & St Peter's |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Mt Maunganui & Ducie |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Lytton & Glantaf |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Colenso & Sir John Nelthorpe |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Heretaunga & Mereway |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Oxford & Passmores |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Rangi Ruru & South Bromsgrove |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Queen's & Milne's |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Cargill & Norham |
- |
- |
- |
- |
The CWA project managers (Jill Wilson and David Copeland) will also be attending as many IRC sessions as possible, as will Michelle McCormack from the British Council and Brendan Mosely from Victoria University.
I will be attending all the IRC practice and class sessions so that I can give you a hand if necessary, and so that I can talk to you and your class. I'm really looking forward to it!
It's therefore important that you all complete the form above as soon as you can so that we can plan our schedules and also because we will be inviting the media to attend class sessions, and need to give them specific dates as soon as possible. If the media will be attending any of your class sessions we'll let you know well in advance!
