CAETI Project Abstract
Title: On-Line Learning Academy (OLLA)
Wind Energy Unit
Performer(s):
Dr. Suzanne Taylor
Loral Defense Systems
70 E. Swedesford Road
Paoli, PA 19301-0517
Steve Baumann
The Franklin Institute Science Museum
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Cluster: SNAIR
Contact Information:
Phone: 610-648-2009
Fax: 610-648-2288
email: suzanne@vfl.paramax.com
Phone: 215-448-1206
email: baumann@fi.edu
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1. Instructional Focus:
Content areas/topics: Would like to encourage cross-disciplinary, cross-school participation, including earth and space science, language arts and potentially fine arts.
Process skills: Inquiry-based learning activity; group-collaborative projects.
2. Target Population: Grades K-6.
3. Summary Description: The Wind Energy Unit is a major Franklin Institute effort in educational programming and outreach with an emphasis on inquiry-based teaching and learning in science. We believe that telecomputing and the use of the World-Wide-Web (WWW) will be essential tools that teachers will rely upon as they facilitate student investigations. "Wind: Our Fierce Friend," is an on-line unit of study that illustrates the ways in which telecomputing will support hands-on, inquiry-based teaching and learning. "Blustery Beginnings" contains multimedia resources, wind hotlists, bibliographies, and classroom activities which are available to prepare teachers and students for a study of wind. "Investigating Wind Energy" outlines a series of hands-on investigations that culminate with students designing windmills. Students then publish the results of these investigations on-line in "Current Creations" and share their multimedia productions with interested wind enthusiasts all over the WWW. If teachers and students want to do more, "What Next?" provides an opportunity for classes and students to design new projects and collaborate on additional explorations.
The introduction, implementation, and culmination of this activity will take place during a 6-8 week time frame.
4. Training and Staff Development:
- Teacher prerequisite skills/knowledge needed: Familiarity with the basic operation of WWW browsers, email, word processing, and platform operating systems.
- Student prerequisite skills needed: Not specified.
- Training needed/provided: One day for training in use of the Wind Kit (6 hours); one day for training in use of on-line component (6 hours). If all participating teachers are not able to attend the same training sessions, then two days are required at each training site.
- Technical Support needed/provided: Through the use of web pages, email, video/audio conferencing, and other on-line structures, the TFI/Loral SNAIR staff will mediate and support the activities in the wind unit.
5. Technological/Resources Needed: Large classroom space with tables and chairs for training in use of the Wind Kit. Performer provides the kits. Computer lab area for group training for on-line component. We will need computers, Internet connectivity, Netscape browser, and access to a server.
6. Intended Outcomes:
Students: Students will learn science through conducting investigations in an information-rich environment supported by telecomputing. They will publish the results of their investigations to a broad audience through the WWW. Students will demonstrate skills in problem solving and group cooperation.
Teachers: Teachers will implement inquiry-based learning activities using telecomputing in the classroom. They will value telecomputing as an effective and exciting learning tool. Teachers will share information and projects beyond the classroom boundaries via telecomputing.
7. Instructional Time Required: Not specified.
8. Role of the Pilot Teacher(s): Pilot teachers meet with Loral representatives in early January so that the Wind Energy activity may be explained. Interested participants will spend more time with the Loral team to plan classroom activities and coordinate collaboration with other teachers. The performer will encourage multi-disciplinary and multi-grade level participation. [Desired number of participants for experimental activity (January 1995): 5-10 teachers, 2-3 schools. Desired number of participants for full activity (September 1996): 15-25 teachers, 4-6 schools.
9. Example(s) of Use of This Product (Scenario):
- A language arts class writes poetry about their experiences with Wind and shares it via the web with other participating classes.
- A 4th grade science class makes a video tape of their windmills, explaining the differences of each, and shares it via the web with other participating classes.
- A 5th grade science class is able to visit a real windmill. The class composes a WWW page describing their visit and shares it via the web with other participating classes.
- Teachers are able to access an experience base of other teachers who have used the Wind Unit in the classroom for generating lesson plans and activities.
- Teachers are able to exchange ideas on projects via email related to the Wind Unit.
