News Release

Virginia Tech brings Alaska scientists to fourth through ninth graders using Internet2

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Virginia Tech




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BLACKSBURG, Va., Feb. 18, 2002 — Glacial geologists at Alaska's Chugach National Park are studying dendrochronology (the history of glaciers) and wildlife biologists at the Alaska Sea Life Center are investigating the Stellar Sea Lion’s eating patterns and how its body uses fat for energy. Using satellite and Internet2 technology, Virginia Tech’s College of Human Resources and Education (CHRE) helped bring these real-time scientific investigations to fourth through ninth graders in Virginia by collaborating with Internet2, Net.Work.Virginia, Virginia Tech's Jason Project, the Science Museum of Virginia, WBRA Public Television, Virginia Community College System, and the Virginia Department of Education.

John Wenrich, associate director of CHRE’s Institute for Connecting Science Research to the Classroom, represents Virginia Tech on the Internet2 K-20 Initiative Advisory Committee and helped coordinate the effort. "This was a test, an experiment, of Internet2 technology in the K-12 environment. It was very successful and involved a number of different individuals inside and outside the university," said Wenrich.

In early February, students throughout Virginia gathered around computer monitors and participated in this distance learning experiment where they were connected to the Alaska-based Jason Project. Virginia Tech took the satellite signal of the conference, converted it to a digital format, and funneled it via Internet2 fiber optics and along Net.Work.Virginia to the student sites. Net.Work.Virginia is an advanced, broadband network that connects the state’s colleges and universities, community colleges, K-12 schools, research facilities and state agencies. Communications Network Services on campus were instrumental in making the experimental link from satellite to network possible.

"The bandwidth available over Internet2 is 10 times greater then the everyday Internet people are across the state in real time for a learning experience," said Wenrich.

The Alaska researchers were broadcast live, allowing students in rural and remote locations to view the video conference and interact with other students who have been participating in the Jason Project, a nonprofit educational organization that conducts research internationally.

Several students from the Tall Oaks Montessori School in Blacksburg gathered in Virginia Tech’s Durham Hall to view the broadcast-quality interactive video with high fidelity audio.

"It was a very good experience," said Terry Cook, the educational director at Tall Oaks. "At each of the Virginia sites, local experts enhanced the learning and made it more real by taking the expedition topics further, engaging students in an interactive session online and applying the learning experiences locally."

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The Jason Project experiment was initiated by Hud Croasdale of Virginia Tech’s Internet2 Studio in Richmond.

Internet2 is a consortium being led by more than 180 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies. The Internet2 K20 Initiative brings together Internet2 member institutions, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, libraries, and museums to get new technologies — such as advanced networking tools — into the hands of innovators across all educational sectors in the country.

For more information, please see www.icsrc.org/I2K20.

PR Contact: Jean Elliott 540 231-5915 elliottj@vt.edu


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