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WELL discussion list
WELL@mailbase.ac.uk This page is dedicated to a description of how the 'WELL' Discussion List works. It contains the following paragraphs:
The 'WELL' Discussion List, based on the Mailbase server, is open to anyone with an interest in Web Enhanced Language Learning (WELL), regardless of affiliation or location. It is for discussion and information sharing on all aspects of WELL - requests for and provision of advice, examples of successful applications and problems to avoid, information about conferences, etc. as well as postings about the WELL Project. To join the list, send a message with the following format join WELL your_first_name your_last_name
On joining, you will be sent a User Guide explaining how to post contributions to the list, suspend and resume email from the list, etc. All contributions are archived, and are searchable through the Mailbase Web pages. The service provided by Mailbase is excellent, and provides a model of clarity and ease of use. As a list member you do not have to contribute actively to the list if you prefer simply to read the postings. If you are new to mail lists, this strategy is a good introduction by giving you the 'feel' of how a list operates before active participation. The WELL Mailbase home page at http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/well/ gives access to List Information, the current members and the searchable list archives.Who is the WELL list for? It is for anyone who has an interest in using telematic resources - web, email, video conferencing etc. - for teaching and learning languages. This means primarily for teachers, researchers, and managers, but does not exclude learners. Learners with a critical awareness of the processes they are exposed to in their learning could potentially make a valuable contribution and certainly benefit from exchanges on the WELL list. The WELL Project is located in the United Kingdom (UK) and has a remit to support Higher Education (HE). The WELL Discussion List was launched in 1997 as part of this initiative, but in no way is participation limited either by geography or sector. Quite the opposite is true, and we are keen to emphasise the shared nature of the issues, potential and problems of the new medium regardless of location and learner groups. Indeed, we wish to promote a sense of identity for a new frontier-less community of language educators. A large number of the list members will be "near-beginners", and are particularly welcome. There are very few who can lay claim to "expert" status in an area which has developed so recently, so it is probably fair to say that we are all beginners, some slightly more so than others. Types of posting We do not want to be highly prescriptive about the types of posting, but wish to avoid the two extremes of "highbrow" and "chatty". Routine postings to the list fall into two main categories: 1. discussion issues 2. specific queries or announcements The discussion issues are open-ended questions of the type "What evidence is there to support.....?" inviting qualitative responses. A response to this type of question takes time to prepare, and the time-scale will be fairly protracted. The specific queries will invite a brief response to questions of the type "Does anyone know a site where...?" or provide information on resources and publications both electronic and paper-based, courses, events, conferences and calls for papers. These postings will invite a speedy and brief response. There is no such thing as a "silly question", unless it is one which is not asked for fear of seeming naive. All serious questions are taken seriously, regardless of their simplicity. This does not of course guarantee an effective answer! On the WELL Discussion List, there are mini-conferences where a particular topic is discussed for a limited period, with a "guest speaker" putting forward the subject, inviting feedback, co-ordinating the discussion and providing a concluding summary. There have been regular postings about the activities under the WELL Project, for example concerning the development of the WELL web site, as well as news about workshops organised by WELL in UK HE institutions, and other Project initiatives. The list may not be used for commercial postings or advertising without the approval of the list owners. Because the list is unmoderated, anyone who is a member may post directly to it. Anyone who uses the list for non-approved commercial postings or advertising is liable to be removed. Length of postings List members should try to keep postings as brief as possible. Most people have limited time to process email and a long message (meaning something over 100 lines) may simply be ignored. Attachments should not be sent as they may take a long time to download and can carry viruses. If you want to post a document which is lengthy or contains complex formatting, contact one of the list owners to see if it can be put on the web site for general access and then post the URL to the list. Acceptable behaviour Postings which are offensive or patronising are not acceptable. Otherwise, the norms of standard communication apply. "Lurking" on the list - reading what is posted rather than contributing - is perfectly acceptable and new members are encouraged to lurk for a while on joining to get a feel for how the list operates. Language Postings may be in any language, with English preferred as being most widely understood. Please avoid highly idiomatic or colloquial language - many members are not native speakers. Responding to a message Please use Re: in the subject line so that the thread can be followed on the list and tracked in the archive. List owners There are four list owners:
List Web site The WELL Discussion List has its own web pages on Mailbase. They provide a permanent home for a number of items which the list generates: details of list members, how to... help pages, archives of messages sent to the list, etc. Important Email Addresses 1. mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk This is the Mailbase program. You send commands to this address. 2. WELL@mailbase.ac.uk This is the address of this list. Any messages sent to this address will be automatically forwarded to all the members of the list. 3. WELL-request@mailbase.ac.uk This is the address for the list owners who look after the list. If you have a problem with the list, send a message to this address. For example, - if you have problems leaving the list - if you have problems sending a message to the list 4. mailbase-helpline@mailbase.ac.uk This is the Mailbase Helpline. If you have any questions about or problems with Mailbase use this address. How to... 1. To send a message to everyone on the list, send an email to: WELL@mailbase.ac.uk 2. To leave WELL, send an email to: mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk with the message: leave WELL stop Problems The list should be of interest to a large number of people, but a large list has the disadvantage of generating a lot of error messages as individuals move, usernames change, servers and connections give problems. In cases where user accounts are generating persistent error messages, the list owners will remove the subscriber concerned. If this happens to you and you are still interested in being a list member, please re-join, and accept our apologies for the inconvenience. o Never send commands, or requests to join, or administrative queries, to well@mailbase.ac.uk - your problem will be broadcast to all our members! o If your mail address changes, send a message to WELL-Request@mailbase.ac.uk o If something goes wrong - perhaps you get two copies of every message - send a message to WELL-Request@mailbase.ac.uk o If mail from WELL to you is regularly rejected for some reason (perhaps because you have run out of file space or your computer mail service has been renamed) the list-owner may eventually delete you from the list. o If you get no mail, you may have been deleted from the list - see above. Either send a message to WELL-Request@mailbase.ac.uk, or resubscribe. last updated 26th December 1999 Authors:William Haworth and Eric Bel
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