Carroll 95-54206 We propose to create and evaluate an infrastructure for constructing and conducting experiments in a virtual laboratory. Our architecture will integrate existing and future Internet technology to support collaborative, highly interactive educational settings. Our prototype testbed will address physical science middle and high school students. The project represents a rational melding of existing technologies in new ways that we believe will do as much for active learning as the advent of World-Wide Web browsers such as Mosaic has done for passive browsing of information. Key elements of our proposal are: a participatory design approach involving teachers and students as design team members (in contrast to externally-imposed educational technology solutions). support for reuse of a wide variety of educational software available on the Internet (in contrast to requiring and assuming custom-designed educational applications). asynchronous extensions to interactive, collaborative environments (in contrast to the current dichotomy between non-interactive e-mail collaborations and strictly real-time interactions via MUDs and MOOs). multimedia extensions to interactive, collaborative environments (in contrast to teletype-style interactions currently supported by MUDs and MOOs). collaborative system support for heterogeneous platforms ranging from PCs to high-end workstations (in contrast to the assumption of homogenous computing environments). continuous on-site teacher support to help in selection and composition of project-oriented curriculum elements, community involvement in experimental projects, and evaluation of technology change, attitudes, and outcomes. This project seeks to leverage the technological and cultural opportunities of the Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV), a densely interconnected community in rural Southwestern Virginia. It exploits the availability of Tl network connections to the four participating public schools. It builds upon an ongoing NIE Planning Grant, our ongoing work on participatory design of educational network applications, our ongoing work with computer aided education systems and software, and working relationships with Apple Computer, a company with years of commercial experience in supporting K-12 education. This project will develop the technical infrastructure necessary for solutions to educational issues and concepns of national significance: mitigating logistic obstacles to peer-based learning in rural settings. facilitating broad community involvement in public school activities. empowering teachers through their use of instructional technology. promoting more active roles for students in using World-Wide Web technology. increasing access to peer collaboration and laboratory experiences for students. enhancing participation in school activities for all students.
