1 / 22

Virtual Aerospace Center of Excellence Workshop NASA Langley Research Center

Virtual Aerospace Center of Excellence Workshop NASA Langley Research Center April 30 – May 1, 2009 Education – The Results Greg Selby, Old Dominion University. We considered the four suggested Breakout Issues. Breakout Session Question #1.

dunne
Download Presentation

Virtual Aerospace Center of Excellence Workshop NASA Langley Research Center

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Virtual Aerospace Center of Excellence Workshop NASA Langley Research Center April 30 – May 1, 2009 Education – The Results Greg Selby, Old Dominion University

  2. We considered the four suggested Breakout Issues

  3. Breakout Session Question #1 • If unlimited funds were available, what key capabilities would you recommend be included in a Virtual Aerospace Center of Excellence (VACE) that would make it a true working laboratory capable of supporting education?

  4. Question #1 - Responses • Open access to a virtual world in which students design experiments and explore features in order to manipulate variables and discover STEM and other subject material • Desirable to have data models/data types compatible between virtual world platforms • Availability of all required hardware to have a effective and reliable virtual world • VACE resources to be internationally available – open access

  5. Question #1 – Responses, Cont’d • Real-world problems/challenges (design and other types) would be generated and posted and mentors would be provided by NASA, as appropriate • Problems/challenges would be connected to SOL’s (Virginia) and national learning objectives • Problems/challenges would have an interactive feature, allowing participants to receive feedback, modify input, and investigate consequences

  6. Question #1 – Responses, Cont’d • Resources would be easily accessible and readily affordable for target audience • Supporting software would be available at no cost or minimum cost to participating school systems and other educational entities • Appropriate training would be provided to teachers and facilitators, including classes and workshops – consideration of fostering a culture change may be necessary to promote participation

  7. Question #1 – Responses, Cont’d • VACE Team to develop courses/content that support K-12/K-20 instruction • Include elementary, secondary, post-secondary teachers/instructors as team members • Design tools made readily available, e.g., simulation and modeling software – space probe/vehicle trajectory simulations • Game technology emphasized in developing educational software

  8. Question #1 – Responses, Cont’d • VACE Team to develop courses/content that support K-12/K-20 instruction, cont’d • Incorporate features that promote the independent development of virtual world content by students • Content to be multidisciplinary in nature • Emphasis to be placed on the development of STEM materials • VACE educational resources would be aggressively promoted for use by remote school districts for obvious benefit

  9. Question #1 – Responses, Cont’d • VACE Team to develop courses/content that support K-12/K-20 instruction, cont’d • Connect to NSF and other depositories of software/ simulations and provide navigation assistance • Provide incentives for students to participate; e.g., VACE Scholars Program

  10. Breakout Session Question #2 • What attributes of existing virtual environments foster education?

  11. Question #2 - Responses • Pertaining primarily to SL (Second Life) • Age-appropriate material is featured • Software designers/users (teachers)/ facilitators can control level of interaction for students

  12. Question #2 – Responses, cont’d • Pertaining primarily to SL (Second Life) • Platforms interest student audience • Visually attractive • Students immersion in programming with embedded tutoring • Interactivity emphasized • Feedback/assessment/immediate evaluation feature that is embedded and informal

  13. Question #2 – Responses, cont’d • Pertaining primarily to SL (Second Life) • Platforms interest student audience • Open-endedness of exploration process appealing (considering consequences of choices enhances critical-thinking skills) • Social interactions with peer groups appealing due partially to inhibitions being diminished • Opportunity for Virtual Science Fairs

  14. Question #2 – Responses, cont’d • Pertaining primarily to SL (Second Life) • Non-traditional approaches to problem solutions featured • Participants help create fulfilling experiences • Potential to have a “token economy”

  15. Breakout Session Question #3 • What do you believe are the limitations of existing virtual environments relative to enabling education? • Technological Limitations • Social Limitations • Limitations on Human Perception or Cognition

  16. Question #3 - Responses • Content not always appropriate for student audiences • Lack of thorough evaluation of knowledge gained • Time available to teachers to efficiently utilize Virtual World technology is not sufficient due to normal daily responsibilities

  17. Question #3 – Responses, cont’d • Ownership of content created may be a deterrent to participation • Bandwidth and infrastructure problems • Lack of parent access and oversight

  18. Question #3 – Responses, cont’d • Insufficient control of content; e.g., commercial entities may monopolize certain aspects of VWs • Expectations may not completely match Real World experiences

  19. Breakout Session Question #4 • What is required to build the key capabilities needed by a VACE?

  20. Question #4 - Responses • Collaboration among stakeholders • Dedicated building/facility • Continuous funding source • Consistent updating of technology

  21. Question #4 – Responses, cont’d • Remediation for learners • Team projects • Concentration on career interests where appropriate and also opportunity for teaching across disciplines

  22. Conclusions • A VACE will be beneficial for all educational stakeholders • Students will be the major beneficiaries • Strong recommendation to proceed in a timely manner

More Related