---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | This is the KIDLINK GENERAL file. It describes KIDLINK and provides | | an overview of all the services we offer. Earlier versions of this | | file (before October, 1995) contained instructions for participants. | | Now we have too many services to include the instuctions in one file. | | This document explains how to get the instructions for each service. | | | | To get the current version of this file, send an email message with | | the command GET KIDLINK.GENERAL to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU | | It is on the KIDLINK WWW server: http://www.kidlink.org/general.html, | | as well as at gopher://global.kidlink.org/00/arc/KIDLINK.MASTER | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIDLINK (sm) is a grassroots project aimed at getting as many children in the age group 10 - 15 as possible involved in a GLOBAL dialog. The work is supported by 25 public conferences (mailing lists), a private network for interactive dialog ("chat"), and an online art exhibition site.
Since the beginning in 1990, over 60,000 kids from 88 countries on all continents have participated in our activities. The primary means of communication is electronic mail (email), but it may also be ordinary mail, fax, video conferencing, ham radio, or whatever.
KIDLINK is owned by a non-profit organization (1) named the KIDLINK Society. Membership in the KIDLINK Society is open to any person or organization wishing to support the purpose and goals of the KIDLINK Society. For more information, GET KIDLINK.SOCIETY (see "Instructions" below for explanation about how to do this). The dues paid by members helps keep all KIDLINK activities free for participants.
The mailing list for our official announcements is named KIDLINK. All participants in any aspect of KIDLINK must receive this list in order to remain aware of important information.
Participation in the KIDLINK youth dialog is limited to kids between the ages of 10 and 15 years. Class participation is limited to those grades in which students are within the age limits at the beginning of the school year. In the United States, this means that participation begins at the fifth grade level--fourth grade classes are not allowed.
The Global Dialog between the children starts with an exchange of personal presentations and views on the desired future of this world, by answering the Four KIDLINK Questions:
Send the answers to RESPONSE@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU.
The answers to these questions appear on our RESPONSE mailing list. For instructions, GET KIDLINK.QUESTION. After they have submitted their answers, kids are welcome to join and enjoy the rest of what KIDLINK has to offer.
Type of Place for Source for more info
Dialog Youth Dialog Coordination List and contact addresses
=========== ================ ================== ======================
Open Email KIDCAFE-TOPICS KIDCAFE-COORD GET KIDCAFE.GUIDE
Discussion KIDCAFE-QUERY Lars-Erik Nilsson
KIDCAFE-INDIVIDUAL len@svenshog.burlov.SE
KIDCAFE-SCHOOL
Organized KIDFORUM KIDFORUM-COORD GET KIDFORUM.SCHEDULE
Discussions Alenka Makuc
makuc@public1.noprmd.mail.si
Special KIDPROJ KIDPROJ-COORD GET KIDPROJ.PROJ96
Projects Patti Weeg
pweeg@shore.intercom.net
Real-time *KIDLINK IRC* KIDIRC-COORD GET KIDLINK.IRCWHAT
Chat (Private system) GET KIDLINK.IRCHELP
Hannah Sivan
hannah@environment.negev.k12.il
Art Gallery at KIDART-COORD GET KIDART.ARTHLP
Exchange Nodak and WWW Stephan de Haas
sdh@xs4all.nl
Dan Wheeler
Dan.Wheeler@UC.Edu
Type of Place for Adult Coordination Source for more info
Dialog Youth Dialog & Discussion List and contact addresses
=========== ================ ================== ======================
Email Dialog KIDCAFE-JAPANESE KIDLEADER-JAPANESE GET KIDLEADER-
in Japanese JAPANESE.INFO
GET KIDLINK.KANJI
Isamu Shimazaki
isamu@imasy.or.jp
Masako Furui
mfurui@tcp-ip.or.jp
Nobuo Hasumi
nob@sainet.or.jp
Email Dialog KIDCAFE-NORDIC KIDLEADER-NORDIC GET KIDLEADER-
in Scandinavian NORDIC.WELCOME
Languages Hanne Bentzen, Denmark
Hanne_Bentzen@fc.sdbs.dk
Email Dialog KIDCAFE-PORTUGUESE KIDLEADER-PORTUGUESE GET KIDLEADER-
in Portuguese PORTUGUESE.WELCOME
Marisa Lucena
mwlucena@ax.apc.ORG
Sonia Schechtman Sette
sss@di.ufpe.br
Maria da Luz Figueiredo
me1buarc@educom.fct.unl.pt
Email Dialog KIDCAFE-SPANISH KIDLEADER-SPANISH GET KIDLEADER-
in Spanish SPANISH.WELCOME
Sonia Fernandez
varelaks@varela.edu.uy
Eduardo Tornaria
etornari@VARELA.EDU.UY
Email Dialog KIDCAFE-HEBREW KIDLEADER-HEBREW GET KIDLEADER-
in Hebrew (not yet open) HEBREW.WELCOME
David Lloyd
boker@www1.snunit.k12.il
*** The KIDCAFE lists *** These lists are for an open email dialog including both individual exchanges (keypals) and group discussion or inquiry on topics introduced by the kids. These are on separate lists for the "primarily English" section of KIDCAFE but they are combined for the language-specific lists. KIDCAFE-SCHOOL is a special list for classroom groups; preregistration is required.
*** KIDFORUM *** Participants on this list discuss one topic at a time with about 6 weeks per topic. The adult moderator for each topic works closely with the participating students and their teachers. A schedule of the topics for the year is available.
*** KIDPROJ *** There are a wide variety of special projects supported through discussion on the KIDPROJ list. Most are relatively long-term efforts involving specific activities or topics.
*** Real-Time Chat *** KIDLINK's private IRC system allows kids all over the world to type back and forth to each other with responses within seconds. In addition to the opportunity for open chatting, special events are organized in connection with KIDPROJ and KIDFORUM activities.
*** Art Exchange *** Kids can submit their artworks by email to the KIDLINK Gallery of Computer Art. Works are automatically submitted to the annual KIDLINK Art Exhibition held each spring in Stockholm, Sweden.
*** Language-Specific Dialog *** Each of the language-specific areas consists of two mailing lists. The KIDLEADER-xxx list serves both as a friendly meeting place for teachers and other adults and for coordinating the youth dialog on the KIDCAFE-xxx list.
In addition to the coordination lists for each of the youth dialog areas, KIDLINK runs two general discussion lists for adults who are involved in facilitating the KIDLINK Global Dialog. The KIDLEADER list is for informal discussion among teachers and other adult leaders of KIDLINK youth. The KIDPLAN list is for discussing policy matters and major changes in the operation of KIDLINK services.
In the text above, the names in all capital letters, like KIDLEADER and KIDCAFE-INDIVIDUAL, are mailing lists (except *KIDLINK IRC*). You can subscribe to those that interest you. Participants send messages to the list and all of the messages are then distributed to the subscribers. When the text says "GET something" (like GET KIDLINK.QUESTION or GET KIDART.ARTHLP) it is giving the command to retrieve a file containing further information.
The subscription lists and information files are maintained on a computer
at North Dakota State University. The address for commands is:
LISTSERV@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU
This is the only address that will work for commands. Please be very careful not to send commands to the addresses for the lists. You will be embarrassed if your command is distributed as though it were a message to the people on the list.
If you are interested in having your students participate in any of our
dialogs, you should retrieve the information files and subscribe to the
coordination lists. You can do this with a single email message containing
all the commands. For instance, if your name were Mickey Mouse and you
were interested in having your students participate in both KIDFORUM and
the Japanese dialog, you would send an email message containing the
following commands:
SUBSCRIBE KIDLINK Mickey Mouse
SUBSCRIBE KIDFORUM-COORD Mickey Mouse
GET KIDFORUM.SCHEDULE
SUBSCRIBE KIDLEADER-JAPANESE Mickey Mouse
GET KIDLEADER-JAPANESE.INFO
GET KIDLINK.KANJI
Be sure to substitute your real name. We will not believe you if you say you are Mickey Mouse.
Information can also be obtained from our web server at:
http://www.kidlink.org/
or from our gopher at: global.kidlink.org
Note: We are an all-volunteer organization. It takes time for our files
to get updated properly. This is one reason we ask everyone to subscribe
to the KIDLINK list--so you will have the current information. Please be
understanding if you retrieve a file and find that it is out of date.
If you want to help out or participate, write to kidlink-info@kidlink.org
Welcome to KIDLINK!