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VK3ZWI > IARU 03.09.00 12:56l 210 Lines 11508 Bytes #999 (999) @ WW
BID : 10286_VK3FRS
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Subj: IARU RIII Report #9
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Sent: 000820/1025Z @:VK3FRS.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC #:10286 [RINGWOOD VIC] $:10286_VK3
From: VK3ZWI@VK3FRS.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC
To : IARUR3@WW
An Interactive Internet Training Course For Amateur Radio
Introduction
During 1999, Ron Bertrand VK2DQ/4 commenced a new service via the Internet
aimed at providing a correspondence training course for people to gain the
necessary knowledge to be able to successfully sit their amateur radio license
exams. The aim of this paper is to introduce the work that Ron has undertaken,
to all Region 3 societies and to encourage all societies to consider either
becoming a part of the scheme, or setting up their own system along similar
lines.
Linking Amateur Radio via the Internet
Linking of amateur stations via the Internet has been growing in popularity
over the past few years. There are many reasons for this; some based in the
amateur's desire to experiment with new communications techniques, and others
in the desire to improve the communications services available to amateur
radio operators.
Why an Internet based course
The major advantages in an Internet Based course are:
Nil cost to the organisation providing the service except for man-hours - of
course the material has to be written but once this is done the work is just
administering the students. On average it takes between 15 and 30 minutes to
per week per student to administer the course.
Students can elect to do the course alone or with a facilitator
Students can work through the course at their own pace.
Being able to reach people in remote locations,
Enabling people to learn about amateur radio who don't have time to attend
classes Electronic distribution allows the information to be widely
distributed quickly where it can then be printed. It has been found that
students work better with printed material rather than straight off the
computer screen. Students who do not have printing facilities can often have
the material printed at most libraries and a number of other places for a
reasonable fee.
About this course
The course material is designed to cater for the beginner and ends at the
Australian Unrestricted Amateur Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency.
However, if there is enough interest it may go further to Commercial Class
licenses. Although the material is designed for Australian examinations, there
is no reason why it could not be used for exam preparation in other countries
as well, as the amateur syllabus is not that different between most countries.
The course is FREE. - The only cost is the student's willingness to learn.
The course is designed to be interactive with a tutor over the internet.The
student downloads readings (subjects). The readings are in Adobe PDF format
so you will need to download and install the free Adobe reader to view and/or
print the readings. (Adobe Acrobat was chosen because it is available across
multiple platforms, and produces relatively efficient file sizes). Assignments
are sent via e-mail and returned to the tutor for comment and suggestions if
necessary. This also gives students the opportunity to ask for clarification
or discuss something they may have trouble understanding.
Assignments are based on the readings and one assignment will usually cover 2
readings. An assignment consists of about 20 questions. This structured method
with feedback and assistance is the best way this course will work for
students.
If a student chooses, they can, as an individual, download the readings and
do the entire study course solo and sit the appropriate examinations. This
option is NOT recommended, however.
Non-profit clubs or organisations wishing to use the material are welcome to
do so and the assignments can be provided on request. However, you MUST obtain
permission to use the material, which is still free of any charges. The
purposes of this is to keep a record of who is using the material to keep them
informed of any amendments and updates and to comply with VK2DQ/4's conditions
of copyright.
Other clubs or organisations are free to run this course as VK2DQ/4 does, over
the Internet. Just advise Ron Bertrand and he will supply the set assignment
sheets and answers and assist where possible.
The course development is complete however the readings will be continually
improved over time. All care has been taken to ensure the readings are correct
and easy to read - However improvement is always the keyword. This will happen
as time permits. More online calculators and purpose written software for
training as well as short video clips of experiments are being considered for
the future.
Joining the online course
People wishing to start this course or require further information should feel
free to contact Ron at ronber@one.net.au or any of the course facilitators.
Just send an e-mail asking to start to any of the facilitators. Newcomers are
asked to tell the facilitator a little about themselves and where you are
located.
It is permitted to print and utilise this material in a face to face study
group or as a source of material for an amateur radio study group. The
material can be provided in limited quantities on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM contains
Adobe Reader and all of the course material including the additional tutorial
readings and software which is in the downloads section. This is a non-profit
service and costs $8AUS to cover the cost of postage handling and the CD ROM
media. VK2DQ/4 is not in a position to make large supplies of these
unfortunately. Clubs or study groups are welcome to make their own CD ROM
copies.
The whole purpose of this online course is to promote Amateur Radio and the
general interests of Electronics and Communications. Reporting of any errors,
typos, or general suggestions is appreciated. If there are new volunteers to
be a facilitator of this course, they should contact Ron VK2DQ/4. Lots of
support and help is provided.
A well-trained facilitators can handle up to 30 students on a part time basis.
Some facilitators only handle 2-3 students, and it is up to the individual
facilitators to determine how much time they can make available. One of the
hard jobs is choosing facilitators and ensuring the standard is kept high
without offending some whom volunteer to be facilitators who are perhaps not
up to the job. This is overcome through having an overall coordinator who
monitors and assists new facilitators when necessary. New facilitators are
initially only given 1 or 2 students to bring them up to speed.
To cope with the numbers, enrolments have now had to be restricted to VK and
ZL, although currently there are students in Argentina, Indonesia, South
Africa and a number of other countries from the original intake. The
restriction to just VK and ZL is purely a result of limited manpower
resources.
How the course works
The student downloads the readings from the Web site at there leisure. Most
are not very big. Students will need Adobe Reader to view the readings
(subjects) and can also print them if they choose. The readings are under
continuous revision for the purpose of improving them.
A facilitator will send to the 'group', of which a student is a part of an
assignment sheet by e-mail. Typically an assignment sheet will cover two
readings and will contain about 20 questions. Alternatively students can do
this course alone with a facilitator rather than in a group depending on the
availability of facilitators. The student answers the assignment sheet and
e-mails it back to the facilitator for review and comment.
The facilitator is there for students to communicate with at any time
regarding the course content and any troubles they may be having. Students
are also encouraged to communicate with other members of their group. There
are other ways to communicate with facilitators in
real time such as ICQ (keyboard) and FireTalk (voice and keyboard). Students
should check with their facilitator to see if they use these facilities.
FireTalk is particularly good as it allows multi-way group voice
communications over the net and is simple to set up and use.
Discussions via a message board with other group members allow all students at
all levels to communicate with each other. Its been found that this was
important for a sense of "togetherness". Part of undertaking the course with
a facilitator is that all students are subscribed to a message board. They
receive e-mail from students talking to students and students talking to
facilitators and can choose whether or not to participate in any conversation.
The message board used by the VK2DQ/4 course is fully moderated, though little
trouble has been found to date in the way of 'improper' messaging The
download section of this web site contains many other resources such as
programs and other readings which you may find useful - check this area
regularly as new material is often added.
More information
Students are placed in groups and the group will start the course as soon as
possible depending on the availability of a facilitator and the necessary
group numbers. Groups from 3 to 20 have completed this course.
Facilitators have total control over the number of students they have and the
rate at which their group progresses. Facilitators have at their disposal
other facilitators and Ron VK2DQ/4 for any assistance in running the course,
or if they have any questions about the assignments or readings.
Conclusion
This course is meant to be pleasurable at not a chore - there is no race to
get it finished or competition with others doing the course. Facilitators will
work to assist students however at all times students are expected to put in
a reasonable effort first. Having said that, students are not expected to
'strain' themselves either and if they find that they are doing this they need
to be asking for more help. The secret of a successful course is communication
between the student, facilitator and other group members while pacing
themselves to suit their needs.
Recommendations
Noting that it is the aim of all member societies to increase the ranks of
amateur radio operators worldwide, and that the Internet is becoming a large
part of people's lives in many developed countries as well as many developing
countries, that the IARU Region 3 societies endorse the following action
points in respect to this endeavour:
(1)Where possible, societies should seek out people who can act as
facilitators/tutors to provide Internet training course facilities in their
own countries. This may be to either extend the current service based here in
Australia, or through setting up of alternate facilities.
(2)Where practicable, member societies are encouraged to look at providing
their own web based training courses, to spread the workload around. Some
support for setting up such a service is available from the VK2DQ/4 service.
(3)Member societies should publicise this unique way of obtaining the
necessary training for an amateur radio license in their respective countries
once suitable services are available, presenting the marriage of Internet and
Amateur Radio in a positive way and providing a positive result for amateur
radio in particular.
APPENDIX - Contact Details for Ron Bertrand VK2DQ/4
Ron. Bertrand - VK2DQ/4
9 Idaho Place
Oxenford QLD
Australia 4210
E-mail: ronber@one.net.au or
ronb@w3.to
Web site http://w3.to/ronb
This IARU RIII Conference Report was issued courtesy WIA Victoria
www.tbsa.com.au/~wiavic
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