IRC Virtual Course

IRC Virtual Course - Lesson 1

Last updated on 13-May-1997

Introduction
This course is meant to introduce you to IRC, and provide you with a fairly good working knowledge of this tool. Since many of you are relative new-comers to the Internet, I will attempt to avoid using "Internet terminology" in order to explain the Internet. For instance, if I began my explanation of IRC by stating that it is a multi-user, multi-channel network, some of you might already be looking for the exit. So, I will try to state things clearly without the usual Internet jargon.
This first lesson will be made up out of two parts:
In the first part (this first email message) we will discuss the following:

What is the IRC?

What is IRC good for?

Can I connect to the IRC?

What is the difference between "global IRC" and "local IRC"?

Getting started.

In the second part (second email message), you will be told where to find and download the MIRC program (IRC client for WINDOWS) and how to set it up.
The first email message will be sent late Monday night (May 12) and the second email message sometime during Tuesday morning (May 13).
The next IRC lesson will be sent out on Thursday (May 14).
This first lesson will be more of an overall approach to IRC in order to provide you with an adequate background in the subject matter and in the next few lessons we will deal more with the actual working tools.
I will attempt to include a number of assignments in these lessons, from simple questions and answers, to actual on-hands activities. You will not lose points for not doing the assignments, but the assignments are constructed to help you "internalize" the various points.
What is IRC?
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. People usually think of "chatting" when they think of IRC. This is because it allows you to "speak" with other people from all over the world in "real-time" (real-time means that you immediately see what others are writing and they immediately see what you are writing). IRC "users" do not see any irony in using the word "speak" to express their communicating through writing. The world of IRC has taken on its own use of English terminology, clearly reflecting the nature of the communication going on there. We will be discussing in detail the culture of communication on the IRC in coming lessons.
IRC is very simple to use. Your computer screen is split into two parts. In the upper, larger section of the screen, you see what everyone else is writing. There may be anything from one user (only you, yourself) to over a 100 users on the same IRC channel. So at times, things appear "slow", whereas at other times there is a flurry of "activity" on the screen and it is hard to keep up with what everyone is writing. When you want to write something for all others to see, you write your message in the smaller, lower section of the screen. When you press your message is displayed in the larger upper section.
Each person using IRC has his/her own "nickname". You can use any nickname you like (although there are some IRC areas, such as KIDLINK IRC, where your nickname must be based on your real name). You see all types of nicknames - "sandstorm", "happyfellow", "lonely", "Paul", "greengiant" and many many others. When a message appears on the screen, it appears beside the person^Òs nickname. This is how you identify who is saying what.
At times you may find that there are just too many people "talking" at the same time. This is why we have "channels". Channels are different areas on the IRC where you can go to talk, something like different rooms - each room dealing with a special topic. You can "join" any channel you like (although at times you may discover that some channels are "invite only" - if you don't receive an invitation, you can't enter. You can open up your own channel by simply "joining" a channel which does not yet exist. In this way, you can agree on a "meeting place" at a predestined time with friends, co-workers.... on IRC and carry on a fairly private conversation (if you want to make it completely private, you need to make the channel "invite only" - more about this later).
What is IRC good for?
I mentioned above that IRC is usually associated with "chatting". Because of this, most English educators consider it to be a "trivial" English tool at most. In most books dealing with education and the Internet, you will find a one paragraph mention of IRC. Something like - "IRC can provide interactive messaging across huge distances .... For more information, consult the newsgroup ..."
However, it is a powerful tool and can be used for much more.

Chatting - this in itself is a valuable tool for the English student, especially for the weaker student. In "chatting" the students are practicing real communication skills, in an authentic language environment. They are also exposed to "real language". Although we sometimes look down on the type of language they are being exposed to, in learning to "communicate" students should learn to deal with all types of register and language types. The weaker students especially benefit from IRC, for when they write something that is not understood, they receive immediate feedback and are required to "reword" their message until they are understood.

Distance education - Students can learn about subjects through the "eyes and ears" of the people actually involved, instead of reading about it in books. This may be in the form of an interview with an "expert" on the subject. For instance, if the students are learning about the "French Resistance" movement during World War II, they might interview someone over the IRC who actually took part in this struggle. They may learn about an earthquake which recently took place in California by speaking with students whose lives were directly affected by this quake. Students in northern Israel may be asked by other students from around the world (and in Israel) what it is like to spend most of their time in the shelters during a prolonged Katyusha attack

Staff Meetings - teachers can meet together on IRC and carry on actual staff meetings where they can discuss together working practices, devise new projects, etc. We have used this option as a successful tool in developing a number of international projects with teachers from around the world.

Student Work Groups - students meet together to work on special projects. For instance, as a part of our present "21st Century Schoolhouse Project", an editorial board comprised of students from six different countries, meet together online to discuss editorial policies, edit articles, etc., in composing their "Global Echo" magazine for the project.

I will be providing links to a number of interesting uses of IRC in education in future lessons.
Can I Connect to IRC?
This is the big question. Almost everyone who is connected to the Internet has email. And in Israel most Internet users can also "browse" the Internet with a "graphics browser" (such as NETSCAPE or EXPLORER). However, IRC capability is not something that can be taken for granted.
In order to connect to IRC, you need to have access to an IRC "client". A "client" is a program which allows you to connect to an IRC "server" (more about the serverlater). You may run the client directly off of your own computer, or you may find it on your Internet provider's main server. If you are connected to a commercial provider, such as Netvision, IOL, IBM ... you will most likely be connected directly to the Internet through a PPP/SLIP connection. This means that you can run Internet programs directly off your own computer and save programs/files/pages directly from the Internet to your computer without going through a "third party". Therefore, all you need to use IRC is to download and setup a popular IRC "client program" on your own computer.
However, if you are connected to the Internet through a university, you may or may not have a direct connection to the Internet through your computer. Some universities offer only "textual dial-up access" for their students. In this case you are limited to the Internet programs available on the University server (for instance, you need to connect to the University server to check your mail through a program like PINE and browse the Internet through a textual browser like lynx). If the University has its own IRC client or server (as does Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University), you should still be able to connect to IRC. However other universities, such as Ben Gurion University, do not have an IRC client or server. And Hebrew University blocks IRC use, even if you are connected through a direct PPP connection, because of "security reasons" (although Snunit provides an IRC client for its users).
The problem of being able to connect is probably the most complex part of this lesson.
How then do you know if you can "connect"?
This is assignment number 1.
CAN YOU CONNECT TO IRC?
If you are not sure after reading the above explanation, try to check with your Internet provider as to whether or not you can connect to IRC. If this point is still not clear and you are connected to a provider which never answers the phone, you can contact me and I will try to provide an answer.
What is the Difference between "Global IRC" and "Local IRC"?
I mentioned above that you connect to an IRC "server" with your IRC client. The way this server is set up determines whether or not you are on "global" or a "local" IRC. The "server" is simply an IRC program running on an Internet server (a computer connected to the Internet 24 hours a day and offering certain services to the Internet public). There are a number of IRC servers around the world to which you can connect. Some require prior registration. You cannot connect to the University IRC servers (that of University Tel Aviv or Bar Ilan) unless you are connected to the Internet through the University Network. Some servers will let anyone connect to them through an IRC client.
If the IRC server is connected to the global IRC network of servers, you will be able to converse with people on a channel even if they are connected through another server. However, some servers, for a variety of reasons, are locally based, meaning that they are not connected to the global network. For instance, the KIDLINK IRC server requires prior registration and is not connected to any other IRC server. This is because KIDLINK is an organization for kids aged from 10-16 and KIDLINK wishes to set up a "secure environment" where kids can converse with each other without being exposed to uninvited outside negative influences. KIDLINK IRC has its own special rules of conduct.
We have also set up a "private IRC server" at the Ramat-Negev FREENET, called "lizard". Having a private server is convenient when wanting to use it for special projects between schools and enable "private conversations". We will be using this server for some of our assignments later, and hopefully also as a place for teacher meetings after this course.
Getting Started
So, after reading all of this you're asking - "Nu, when do we start already?"
Now is the time.
I will be sending a separate message as to where to download the MIRC IRC client for WINDOWS and how to set it up and connect to an IRC server. If you are connected to a University network which has its own IRC client or server, you can simply connect to IRC by connecting to the university server and writing "irc" at the UNIX prompt (where you usually write PINE or something similar to check your mail). If you do not have the possibility of IRC access at this time, but want to still learn about IRC, you will miss the hands-on assignments, but can follow the rest of the explanations through email.
Assignment number 2

CONNECT TO GLOBAL IRC. (Many of you will only be able to do this after reading the next email message - part 2 of this lesson.)

JOIN A CHANNEL.

You join a channel by writing -
/join #channelname
(all IRC commands begin with the slash / )
I will explain in the next lesson how you can see what channels are available and how many people there are on each channel (there are hundreds of channels available and a general listing takes quite a long time - but this can be controlled).
In the beginning try joining one of the following:
/join #israel
/join #funfactory
Join in a conversation. At this point you have only learnt one IRC command
/join
You will be learning many more, but see how far you can get on IRC with just this command.
TRY FINDING OUT THE NAME OF ANOTHER CHANNEL TO JOIN.

JOIN OUR FIRST IRC MEETING.

On Wednesday, May 14, at 22:00 (Israeli time) we will meet (if you can make it) on global IRC on the channel "etni" -
/join #etni
The first person there (who joins this channel) will probably create this channel, as this channel most likely does not already exist.
That is it for the first part of the first lesson. You will receive the second part tomorrow morning.
If you have any questions about anything written here so far, contact me at: david@ramat-negev.org.il or david@environment.negev.k12.il
David