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Lesson #5 - Wireless Worlds
Storyboarding
Denali National ParkAlaska Standards
Technology

A student should be able to use technology to explore ideas, solve problems, and derive meaning.

A student who meets the content standard should:
1. use technology to observe, analyze, interpret, and draw conclusions;
2. solve problems both individually and with others; and
3. create new knowledge by evaluating, combining, or extending information using multiple technologies.

Skills for a Healthy Life

A student should understand how well-being is affected by relationships with others.

A student who meets the content standard should:
1. resolve conflicts responsibly;
2. communicate effectively within relationships;
3. evaluate how similarities and differences among individuals contribute to relationships;

Lesson Introduction -
This lesson is designed to help students learn about using technology to be, communicate, and work in two places at the same time. Using an 802.11 “wireless cloud” students will be able to explore science and personal interests in the natural world around Denali Park. Students will be asked to use low cost, high quality video-conferencing tools to investigate, collaborate, and communicate with other team members.

Key goals for this activity include:
1) students will learn to effectively use video conference tools,
2) students will use wireless clouds to bridge distance/time to communicate with other students in classroom and field-based learning environments,
3) students will operate within this wireless world to inquire, gather, analyze, and draw conclusions about research data,
4) students will use wireless video conferencing as another tools to gather or tell reflective stories about the uniqueness of wilderness areas such as Denali Park
5) student will be able to discuss ways in which wireless technology can allow “virtual visitors” to learn about and value Denali Park.

Time Learner
Outcome		 Topics Activity
10 minutes Student will become familiar with the use of some basic tools for creating outdoor- based distance delivery experiences. Introduction: Purpose of Video-conferencing Activity: Communication without Communicating: Translate a sentence with pieces that another group may have.
10 minutes Student will become familiar with the use of some basic tools for creating outdoor-based distance delivery experiences. Web Cameras
H323/H320 Units
Chat Rooms
Discussion Boards
Matrix of Distance Ed Communication		 Information: Power point with information about the various tools of VC.
30 minutes Students will explore and ponder the possibilities and limitations of communicating environmental experiences through wireless video-conferencing. Isight
Ichat		 Information/ Practice: Detailed lesson on how to work, set up and use, and trouble-shoot isight and ichat.
10 minutes Students will explore and ponder the possibilities and limitations of communicating environmental experiences through wireless video-conferencing. Senses
Sense of Place		 Practice using senses in order to incorporate all of them into the use of VC creating a sense of place.
*The Subtle Smell
*Secret Sight
*Hear it All
*Fantastic Flavors
*Tactile Touch
20 minutes Students will play with methods for putting it all together. How to use video-conferencing technology to express perspectives and experience. Isight
Ichat
Sense of Place
Perspectives		 Students use isight and ichat to achieve a goal. Perspectives and Sense of Place via VC. How do you translate and share a sense of place with someone at a distance place?

Collaborate
Students will work together at distant locations to communicate and gather information on research projects. The collaboration may include students at one location gathering data and communicating it to students in another location. It may also mean conducting interviews with Park researchers or Rangers to allow students from distant locations to interact with real time with the scientists “in the field.” The collaboration will also include making joint decisions between the distant locations on data gathered, quality of the process, and next steps needed to further the work. These collaborations will include picture, voice, and text-based communication via the wireless video conferencing.

Communicate -
The communication between the distant locations can be real time and therefore capable of adjusting depending on conditions, research goals, and data gathered. The key point is to make show students that wireless video conferencing allows us to lesson the lag time between field research and data analysis. Scientists in the field will gather (ie, the temperatures from soil probes) and be able to transmit data real time to other parts of the team in a place where analysis can occur. Based on that analysis, the researchers can adjust their gathering to better match the research directions and objectives.

This is a tremendous advantage in communication between the researchers in the field and lab allowing the science to move quicker and with greater flexibility. Students will need to learn not only how to communicate about the data being gathered and it's quality to answer questions, but they must also learn how to make research decisions “on the fly” as data analysis occurs simultaneously to the field gathering. Students must be able to quickly assess, prioritize, and collaboratively decide next steps with their team while being miles apart. All of these skills are very important and new due to the capacity wireless video conferencing provides researchers in Denali Park.

national park serviceThe other side of communication via wireless video conferencing is the more personal and fun aspects of exploring through new tools. Our observations with both students and adults is a great deal of fun and excitement over talking with friends through tiny cameras. Expect a lot of laughing and playful banter to happen. It can spawn some lighter moments that give students to see that part of the joy of science is getting to work with other people to discover, to learn, and to enjoy other scientists in teamwork. Conducting interviews, asking field researchers to point out unexpected or unique plants, or sharing stories about how bad the mosquitoes are can make the work productive and enjoyable.

Assessment
The assessment for this lesson focuses on the science as inquiry and environment and society standards. Students will be assessed for their ability to formulate and write hypotheses, as well as test their theories using the data collected during class and field observations. There is also technical and collaborative work in this lesson, which teachers may want to evaluate. Using either classroom evaluation tools or those in the Storyboarding Lesson Plan, it is recommended that teachers and students add to the assessment tool below.

Learning Outcome
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
Students will become familiar with the use of some basic tools for creating outdoor-based distance delivery experiences. Student will be able to list and choose the best tools for their school/ classroom for participating or creating a distance delivery experience. Student will be able to list all of the basic tools for participating in a distance delivery experience. Student will be able to identify all of the basic tools for participating in a distance delivery experience.
Students will explore and ponder the possibilities and limitations of
communicating environmental experiences through wireless videoconferencing.		 Students will be able to list and explain the limitations and create new possibilities for communicating an environmental experience using isight and other technology. Students will be able to list the limitations and suggested possibilities for communicating an environmental experience using isight. Students will be able to list the limitations and suggested possibilities with help from others for communicating an experience using some form of technology.
Students will play with methods of putting it all together. How
to use video conferencing technology to express perspective and experience.		 Students will be able to effectively communicate a non-tangible message to someone at a distance by using the technology creatively in a method not taught. Students will be able to communicate a non-tangible message to someone at a distance by using technology. Students will be able to communicate a non-tangible message with help from others to someone at a distance by using technology.

Resources
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