• Made introductions
• Reviewed the goals of the task force
• Heard a presentation about the history of networked communities from Alaina Kanfer, University of Illinois National Center for Supercomputing Applications
• Began discussion about a vision for what purposes we would like the Pekin learning community network to fulfill
• Visited the pekin.net web site on the Internet
• Made an assignment to increase everyone's knowledge about community networks

Listed is a summary of the future work of the committee with a timeline:

January 23 First meeting of the whole committee

Jan-Feb Assignment of gaining more information about networked communities by securing access to the Internet and browsing the sites and resources listed on the resource page of www.pekin.net related to LC2000 resource page.

Feb.-Mar Assignment for each committee member to select one site to visit with a team from the committee to talk with community members responsible for setting up their community network.

March 25, 1997 Second meeting of the whole committee at 7:00 PM in the District 108 board of education conference room. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss what we have learned through on-line browsing and site visits that we feel are important to include in the vision of what we would like the Pekin networked learning community to strive to accomplish.

April 22, 1997 Third meeting of the whole committee again at 7:00 PM in the District conference room to continue the discussion and to begin to develop actions necessary through a long range plan to make the vision come alive.

May 22, 1997 Final meeting of the whole committee to review and refine the long range plan and to discuss next steps to communicate with others in the Pekin community to enlist their support and participation.

Instructions for the on-line assignment:

If you do not have access to the Internet and would like the district to arrange access for you, please contact Brian Abeling at 346-4745.

If you do have access to the Internet you will find the assignment at the following location:

LC 2000 resource page (http://www.pekin.net/pekin108/lc2000/resource.html)

There are three categories for you to review:

1. Illinois Community Networks
2. Community Networks in other states
3. Other resources

Each item is linked to provide you with direct information about the community site or to give you copy of an article that will provide information to increase your awareness of what a networked community can be like.

Your assignment is to jot down features you like or dislike and to be prepared to discuss with the whole committee on March 20 your findings.

We are in the process of making arrangements for site visits. You will be receiving in about 7-10 days a list of the sites with dates, times, and other information.

Call Brian if you need any assistance. Until then, happy browsing!!