Instructors can use a web site to publish course descriptions, reading lists, assignments, and schedules. This later form of online publishing benefits students through easy access to documents and benefits instructors through savings in photocopying time and cost. Individual students and instructors may request personal web space too. Each person receives 10 megabytes of space, and retains access to the space until they leave the University. Computer Conferences Other networked services support class work through online discussions or computer conferencing.
Mailing lists use traditional email and a single address to distribute class messages.
This type of online discussion is probably the most accessible, because most everyone is familiar with email and the messages simply arrive once one joins a list. Web-based conferences improve upon mailing lists by making it easy to follow a discussion topic. One can read a discussion message by message, because this service organizes messages according to topic like a bulletin board. Finally, FirstClass conferences combine the best features of email and bulletin boards with the flexibility to customize conferences. Instructors can easily shape and manage the conference desktops of their students to promote collaboration and group work.