Welcome to Volume 1 Issue 1 of the e-mail companion to the Adventure and Experiential Education Directory of Web Sites Editor: Roger Greenaway roger@reviewing.co.uk Copyright 1998 Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training This free monthly ezine will include news of: • the latest new entries to the directory • site reviews and awards (and how you can contribute) • searcher-friendly improvements • other directories of 'experiential' web sites CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> WHY THIS DIRECTORY? 'S I T E . F I N D E R' (for short) simply arose from my own frustrations while searching the net for inspirational web sites about 'adventure-based learning' (one problem being the vast array of 'non-unique' keywords that describe our field). I wanted to know ... 'HOW and WHY are people using outdoor adventure for learning, growth, development, empowerment, education, training, therapy, reflection, inspiration, etc.?' I was slowly finding some great sites via search engines and discussion groups and recommendations. But the pace (and effort) of searching was more like an archaeological dig than the speed I expected on the 'Information Superhighway'. I now find that some great sites are coming to me (and you) - via 'SITE FINDER'. But the process has only just begun. There must be lots more interesting sites out there! With your help they too will be finding their way to the directory. CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> WHY THIS NEWSLETTER? How many websites have you visited, then bookmarked as a 'favourite' and never returned to? Retracing your steps does not come easy, especially if you have an adventurous spirit and an enquiring mind. But that's exactly the kind of person that will gain from using and supporting this directory!! As a subscriber to this ezine you will get a gentle monthly(ish) reminder about the existence of the SITE FINDER directory - plus a few tasters (such as site reviews) to help you on your travels in cyberspace. CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> COMMENTS, REVIEWS AND AWARDS There are many clever schemes on the internet for attracting people to websites, but I am old-fashioned enough to believe that 'word of mouth' works better than 'click of the mouse'. In any case, our main 'mouthpiece' on the internet is still e-mail (which some call 'chat' anyway!). So let's get 'chatting'! If you have found a site that you want to recommend (or comment on) to other surfers, then write in to this address: roger@reviewing.co.uk Your comments may well appear in the next ezine or in a (new) comments section within the directory - though publication is not guaranteed. To help you get started (sending in comments about sites that interest you) I am suggesting some special topics to look out for over the next few issues: • Issue 2: Sites with pages about research, evaluation or with background articles. (eXperientia plus ...?) • Issue 3: Sites with interesting things to do (Christian Itin's chat room? The Ropes List message board plus ...?) • Issue 4: Sites with great stories or insights. (...?) • Issue 5: Sites that smell of creativity, innovation, new approaches (Footbag Peace Initiative plus...?) • Issue 6: Sites that make you want to borrow their designer to make a site for you. (...?) • Issue 7: Sites that ... [Please suggest topics that interest you!] As a true adventurer, you won't know in advance what you will find interesting about a site, so ANY comments on ANY topics are welcome at ANY time. But the above list may help prompt you to action. [If you have a site in the directory, why not start by visiting the other sites on your page?] Please send your review comments (between 3 and 10 sentences in length) to: roger@reviewing.co.uk NEW! To encourage ALL visitors to the directory to comment on sites (and not just subscribers to this ezine) there are now comment forms on every page of the directory. You may use them too! Watch this space in future issues for comments and reviews! CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> TRACKER'S TIPS TRACKER'S TIPS is for surfers and site promoters. The tips that appear here will mostly be about searching for sites specifically in the 'outdooradventureexperientialeducationtrainingdevelopment' sector! (And will not just be general surfing tips.) This directory exists because it is difficult to track down sites in this sector that you want to visit. Even if you are an expert with search engines, there are still many great 'outdoor education' sites that will not show up in your searches - because it usually takes a lot of dedicated hard work to get a site noticed in search engine or directory listings. And over 40% of web sites are not indexed at all in ANY search engines! CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> ROPES WEB RING (TRACKER'S TIP No.1) There are many weird and wonderful 'Webrings' on the internet. Rings link similar sites together. You can tour these rings at random, in sequence or by selecting interesting looking sites from a list of ring members. There's an 'Education and Training' Web Ring and a 'John Dewey' Web Ring and lots more that may interest you. A new ring has just begun: the Ropes Web Ring. You can get onto the ring at ropesonline.org where you will find more details from Jeff Anderson if you have a website and want to sign up too! You can search for ANY ring at: www.webring.com or start your own! CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> '404 FILE NOT FOUND' If you come across any messages like this while browsing the directory, please let me know. 3 sites in the directory have recently 'disappeared' without trace. There are many reasons why this can happen. It usually means that the website has moved to a new location. If the site-owner's e-mail address still works then I can send them an e-mail to find their new web site address. CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> PROMOTION: 3 WAYS TO DO IT If you want to help promote this resource, here are some ideas you can use, adapt or just copy and paste: 1) Forward this ezine to a friend or two, but ... 2) ... if you want to tell a newsgroup or discussion group, just drop them a very BRIEF note with a personal recommendation. (Please don't forward the whole ezine to such a group as it may be seen as spam.) 3) Here's a short ad ready to copy and paste - anywhere! . . . . . ====>> . S I T E . F I N D E R . ====>> . . . . . Find the best web sites for experiential learning in the Adventure and Experiential Education Directory. Find reviews of new and cool sites in the free monthly newsletter at: www.reviewing.co.uk CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> END BITS The NEXT ISSUE will feature sites with articles about their work or about research and evaluation. If you know of such sites (or have such a site yourself) be sure to let me know and it will get a mention - and even a review - especially if can write 3 -10 sentences about it!! :-) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Did you know that you can sign up for TWO monthly ezines on the same web site? • You can sign up for both the 'Experiential Education Directory' (this ezine) and 'Active Reviewing Tips' at: www.reviewing.co.uk ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Copyright, 1998. Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training. Feel free to copy or forward this newsletter in its entirety to your friends and colleagues (and thanks for doing so!). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Comments and Contributions always welcome. Please write to: roger@reviewing.co.uk

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