9603387 Lownds The Digital Desert Library (DDL) project envisions a new kind of expanding library, available via the Internet and DC-ROM, providing both instructional materials and space for continuous scientific collaboration, communication, and development among diverse school, museum, and university participants. In addition to providing a means for teachers and communities, particularly those with traditionally under-represented groups, to share their own scientific "funds of knowledge" (Moll, 1993), other currently undigitized resources also will become available to schools. For example, The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History will contribute historical, scientific and cultural resources from its highly acclaimed The Seeds of Change program; and New Mexico State University will contribute scientific results and video clips from its experiment station and video productions (such as Survivors in the Sand). The project will build on other work already underway, such as The Desert Classroom, a laserdisc and instructional materials developed with teachers through New Mexico SIMSE (NSF-funded Systemic Initiative in Science and Mathematics Education); and Los Ninos y La Tierra (The Children and the Earth), with cultural and gardening resources from small villages in Northern New Mexico gathered by a non-profit group to support cultural traditions in science education. Collaboration will be the key method employed, meaning teachers will work with, not for, university and museum multimedia developers and educators to create exciting resources and spaces for learning science, including well-developed models, accessible through this digital library. The Objectives can be summarized as: 1) creating top-quality electronic library resources through collaboration among diverse students and teachers, with nationally recognized specialists in information, multimedia, video, science, and education; 2) creating digital and real-world environments for asynchronous and synchrono us learning across time, location and cultures; 3) modeling adaptation of exemplary curricula with local, real-world learning in multicultural classrooms through the power of digital technologies; 4) distributing both the library resources and successful development and implementation models; and 5) institutionalizing the Digital Desert Library, the developmental process, and the implementation strategies to ensure sustainability. The numerous expected outcomes focus on both creating an outstanding digital library of resources from scientific and multicultural communities, and also on modeling a process for integration of these products into meaningful learning. The DDL, its development process and implementation strategies will be institutionalized within the Smithsonian's Natural Partners Initiative, the systemic change initiative programs, and NMSU's Extension and 4-H programs to ensure sustainability and expansion of the processes after this funding is completed. ***
