Teaching and Learning via the Network

National Teacher Enhancement Network

Project Number 33 - 1993

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Kim Obbink
Director of Distance Learning
Montana State University
304 Montana Hall
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717
(406) 994-6550
Fax: (406) 994-6546

rysp01@msu.oscs.montana.edu

Other Individuals And Organizations Associated With The Project

Gerry Wheeler
Professor of Physics
Director, Science/Math Resource Center
AJM Johnson Hall
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717
(406) 994-3580

rysp@msu.oscs.montana.edu

Abstract

Montana State University (MSU) has conducted a number of experimental projects over the past decade connecting science and math teachers and students via telecomputing networks. Recently MSU received a major NSF/Teacher Enhancement grant to create science and mathematics courses to be offered to igh-school teachers over the Internet. These courses will carry university credit and be offered during the academic year.

The telecommunication project couples MSU, Internet, and science and mathematics teachers around the Nation. Central to the project is a menu-based front end structure called the "Rocky Mountain Exchange" that controls access to the different courses and a variety of Internet uses. A conferencing software for the courses provides a dialogue interaction between students and professor that most closely matches what occurs in typical, non-electronic classroom situations.

Upon connecting at MSU via Internet, the users get the Rocky Mountain Exchange menu. Instructors can tailor the menu to include appropriate Internet resources that students can access directly from the menu. The users type in their requests and the menu driven program handles the local and Internet operations. This keeps all users in a "captured account" status at MSU that allows only for the coursework interactions -- access to the course conferencing system, and file transfer. Activities such as local access for science/math projects as well as distant Internet resource usage such as library searching capabilities and telnet access to resources such as NASA's SpaceLink will be accessible from the Exchange menu. The project creates local partnerships between NSFNET sites and teachers near those sites. The NorthWestNET Consortium is working with this project providing the necessary technical expertise.

The courses are designed with two major components: a kit that is sent to all students for on-site hands-on experimentation, and the conferencing system for the collaborative learning interactions. The benefits to the teachers are that they work free of the common time-bound, place-bound factors associated with summer institutes. The additional benefit is that it expands their professional network nationwide with other science teachers and active research scientists.

Current Status: The project has just passed its pilot stage and will begin additional course development this summer with full funding from the National Science Foundation's Teacher-Enhancement Division. In the pilot phase, four courses were offered: two graduate courses, "The Physics of Energy" and "Water Quality" ; and two upper division, undergraduate courses in Special and General Relativity. The relativity courses were taught by an MIT professor who accessed the system via the Internet. In the relativity courses, students were spread from Alaska to Hawaii to Massachusetts with many accessing the Rocky Mountain Exchange via Internet.

In its fully operational stage, the project will be a national, science/math teachers' virtual enhancement college, bringing scientists, teachers, and students from around the nation together on the Internet. Current course development includes Scientific Visualization, Snow Science, Genetics, and Chemistry.

With the backbone structure of Internet, the Rocky Mountain Exchange takes on a national character by potentially involving scientists and engineers from all Internet sites, including national laboratories, private industries, and universities. These researchers can become active users of the Exchange as easily as they now interact among themselves and with distant computing facilities. Initial use will be by scientists and engineers in courses; eventually it could be much more -- providing an ongoing connection with scientists and engineers for long-term mentor relationships with science and mathematics teachers.

This project is designed to provide high-school science and math teachers with a lowest common denominator (pc and modem) access to courses that provide graduate level science content as well classroom applications for the wealth of resources available through NSFNET, the Internet, and the future NREN. Teachers are currently aware that there are many resources available, but need coursework that will provide them with information on 1) how to access the resources, and 2) how to integrate these resources into their classroom and curriculum. The project also addresses the use of library resources available through the Internet in a distance learning situation.

It is intended that this project be replicable and have long-term viability. With the development of a National Teacher Enhancement Network it is possible for courses to be developed and offered from institutions throughout the country and that these courses would be available to teachers nationally, regardless of geographic location and time constraints. In addition, the courses become more cost effective by use of the Internet to eliminate many of the long-distance phone costs. The project will look at a wide variety of emerging technologies that can be coupled with the network courses (i.e. NSCA's Collage and Mosaic software and multi-media technology) while maintaining an emphasis on accessibility to teachers nationwide.

Audio-visual requirements

Overhead projector
telephone line that can dial an 800 number
(presentation could be done without the phone connection)

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