Using the BOSCO Intranet
1 like1,180 views
This document provides training on using the BOSCO Intranet for site volunteers and users in rural northern Uganda. It covers browsing the Intranet, creating an account, posting on forums and blogs, and attaching documents. Users are guided through practical exercises to navigate the Intranet, create accounts, make forum posts, add attachments, and write blog entries to familiarize themselves with the tools and collaborate online. The goal is to train users on Web 2.0 collaboration through interacting with others on the Intranet message boards and blogs.
Using the BOSCO Intranet
- 1. Web 2.0 Training Manual For Site Volunteers and users employing the Train the Trainer Model (ToT) at BOSCO-Uganda sites in rural northern Uganda
- 2. Lesson 1: All about the INTRANET Goals of lesson: This lesson will familiarize the user with the workings of the BOSCO internal network, also known as the Intranet. • Browsing the Intranet as a way of learning how to use a web browser • Creating a BOSCO Intranet user account, enabling posting in the message forums
- 3. • Web 2.0 use: interacting with others via the Intranet message board and blog A. What is the Intranet? The BOSCO Intranet is a high-speed network that connects all BOSCO sites (e.g. Coope, Pagak, Pabo, etc) to a single server. This server can be accessed through an Internet browser. The BOSCO Intranet allows users to interact with each other online. We call this Web 2.0 collaboration. Users in Pabo can post a message on the Intranet forum. A user in Pagak may then sign online and view this message and respond. There is also a blog (to be explained in detail later) where BOSCO users can post information or documents for others to read. Some people use blogs as a public journal. Furthermore the BOSCO Intranet home page has a place for users to post photos to an album from their location. There are also educational links to typing assistance software where you can advance your typing skills. Finally the BOSCO Intranet homepage contains many links to educational resources on the web, including newspapers, search engines, and free email providers. Task: Please turn on PC now and open the Web Browser on the PC. B. Navigating the Intranet Task: If the homepage is not the BOSCO Intranet page, please type the following address into your web browser, exactly as shown below, and press enter: 192.168.2.1 You will now be taken to the BOSCO Intranet home page (shown below).
- 4. The first thing users should become comfortable with is the navigation of the page/site. You will notice that links appear highlighted in blue throughout the page. To go to a link simply click on it. Practical Exercise: Spend at least 10 minutes with a partner navigating the BOSCO Intranet page. Feel free to click on any links and get a sense for the content on the pages. This exercise will help you learn to understand the functions of a web browser. C. Creating a BOSCO Intranet account and username Creating usernames and passwords is something you will often do while navigating various Internet applications. A user name and password is often required for Internet content that involves your privacy such as blogs and email. It is important that you create a username that you can remember as well as a secure password that you can remember without writing it down. A username should be something that relates to your real name: For a man named John Smith he might decide to have his username be jsmith, for example. A password should be kept secret and should be at least 8 “characters” long. A character is any letter or number on the keyboard. For example John Smith might create a password with 4 random letters and four random numbers in it, or any other combination. It is extremely important that you always remember your password. Task: All BOSCO users should now create an Intranet account. Step 1: Go to the BOSCO Intranet homepage by entering the Intranet web address into your browser and pressing enter on the keyboard: 192.168.2.1
- 5. Step 2: On the bottom left side of the page you will see a link called “Create new account.” Click the link. Click the link “Create new account” You will then be taken to an account registry page. Simply follow the instructions listed directly on the screen:
- 6. • Enter a username of your choosing in the first box • Enter your email address in the second box • Enter your password in the 3rd box • Confirm your password by entering your password identically in the 4th box • Click “Create new account” at bottom of screen Practical exercise: Every user present should now spend a few minutes on their own creating a BOSCO Intranet username and password. Users should seek help from a partner. D. Making a Post on the Intranet forums Learning how to make a post on the BOSCO Intranet forums or blogs is very important for helping your fellow community members collaborate and interact. This section will first demonstrate the creating of a post and then users should be given ample time to try to make posts under their usernames. Task: Sign in to newly created BOSCO Intranet account on bottom left hand side of homepage (address: 192.168.2.1)
- 7. • After entering your username and secret password click “login.” You cannot make a post on the BOSCO Intranet site without being first signed in • After signing in, you will click on the link titled “Forums” near the top left of the page
- 8. You will see a page with three different forum subjects: The first is title “General.” This is for posting discussions related to a number of different topics of your choosing. Some people post about sports, others about politics, and others about the peace and reconciliation process in northern Uganda. The second forum subject is titled “Technical Issues.” This is the space for posting technical questions or reporting problems to the BOSCO technical team. For example, if you can’t figure out how to use the BOSCO phone at your site, you might post a question here. The third forum subject is titled “Agricultural Issues.” This is the forum for posting topics relevant to agriculture, which is such an important part of life in northern Uganda. You can ask other users at other sites “how to” questions. For example, you might post: “How do I grow cassava?” and hopefully a knowledgeable elder will reply to your request with an answer. Practical Exercise: Users should now spend 15 minutes browsing and reading the different forum topics Practical Exercise: Each user should sign in to his/her account and make a post under one of the forum topics • Sign in; click on Forums link on left side of homepage • Choose a forum topic to post in; for example, you might choose “General.” Click on the link.
- 9. • Click on the link near the top called “Post new forum topic” • You will be given a “form” to fill out in order to make your post o Fill out the subject and then write the body (main portion) of your text below in the large box o I wrote as an example subject: “Which is the best Acholi village to live in?” o In the body I wrote in more detail: “I want to know what village is the best and why it is the best. Does anyone have an opinion?”
- 10. Subject is entered above. You can use the toolbar below to adjust the fonts in your message or to add links to other web pages Enter main body of text, your message post, here o Click “Submit” at the bottom of the page when you are done typing your message. You have now successfully made a post on the message board forum! Practical Exercise: Users should spend 10-15 minutes with a partner posting on a forum topic of their choosing. Be creative! Task: Users should add an attachment (a document) to their forum post.
- 11. • First begin to make a post in any forum as described above • Before pressing submit, click on the link directly above submit titled “File Attachments” • A popup window will emerge; click on the “Browse” button to begin choosing which file you want to upload. • After clicking browse, a folder or folders will appear on your screen, asking you to choose a file to upload. Open various folders to find the previously saved document that you would now like to upload. Once you have found it, click on it and press the “Open” button. After this, click the “Attach” button; your document will begin uploading to the Intranet forum post. • After the document has finished uploading, simply press “Submit” near the bottom to submit your post with the document attached to it • Now when others read your post they will be able to open the document you have attached as well; attachments also are used commonly when sending
- 12. emails; you can also use the attachments feature in the forum to attach photos to your message post Practical Exercise: Users should find a partner and make a post with an attachment E. Making a post on the BOSCO Intranet Blog A blog is a “Web 2.0” application that allows you to make posts about anything you want. It is your personal journal or web log that is public and viewable by anyone. Many people use blogs to update others on what is happening in their life. Others use it to make journal entries on politics, sports, or other topics relevant to their life. Most blog posts are between 1 paragraph and 1 page in length. Task: Users should make a blog post on the BOSCO Intranet • Follow, essentially, the same steps as making a post on the forum message boards • First the user must sign in • Second, click on the “Blogs” link on the left side of the BOSCO Intranet homepage
- 13. • Every BOSCO user, once signed in, can create their own blog entries; After clicking on the “Blogs” link on the left side of the home page, click on the link “My Blogs” • Next, Click on the link titled “Post new blog entry” Follow, essentially, the same steps for making a forum post in order to complete your blog post. Fill in a title and write your message in the “Body” Section. When you are finished typing, press “Submit” at the bottom of the page
- 14. Practical Exercise: Users should spend 15 minutes together posting a blog entry. Feel free to add links to other webpages or photos to your post Practical Exercise: All users should spend good time browsing as much of the BOSCO Intranet page as they possibly can. Begin from the homepage and browse the links for: Forums, Contacts, Education, Links, and Classic Texts. You might also begin to explore the “Gallery” link on the left side of the homepage to view photo galleries from your own site. Feel free to add photos from you location to the site.