THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604050481
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Third-grade teacher Doreatha White had been looking for a minor miracle to make science more fun for her students.
She found it Thursday when Norfolk State University unveiled its BEST laboratory - Bringing Education and Science Together - a computer center that will provide the latest computer programs and scientific research to enhance learning for students from kindergarten through college. Instead of relying on textbooks or canned computer programs, students will be able to access the latest research on such things as the ozone layer.
``So often we've had to separate language arts, math and science, but this will integrate all of those areas. We can do experiments on the Internet,'' said White, who teaches at Norfolk's Willard Model Elementary School.
``I can't change the school curriculum, but I can take what I learn here and integrate it, making it more practical.''
With the new center, teachers can test programs before buying. Teachers also can practice experiments while watching simulations on computers and tap into NASA's databases, including the Distributive Active Archive Center to study such things as typhoons.
The new lab is a partnership between the university's Center for Materials Research and its Department of Education. The pairing of scientific researchers and educators will allow high-tech information to be dissected and distributed more easily.
``I can write a curriculum for college students, but I'm not aware of the cognitive issues for elementary school students,'' said S. Raj Chaudhury, one of BEST's co-directors. The BEST program allows his research knowledge to be shared with educators who have the expertise to teach children.
``What we're offering is technical know-how. . . . Teachers can take the information and perhaps develop a lesson plan to take visual quantum mechanics, for example, to a high school level.''
BEST is possible through contributions from NSU's Center for Materials Research and $200,000 from NASA's Office of Education, which provides training and educational opportunities for colleges and schools.
NASA Langley Research Center is interested in BEST as a learning center for teachers, but it can use the lab's help as well.
``Our satellites collect tons of information and sometimes it takes five or six years before we can get to the data,'' said Samuel Massenberg, director of NASA's department of education.
``We collect data constantly, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so we've been asking universities to come and help us analyze the information.''
Massenberg, as well as Chaudhury, said the collaboration of the two departments is unusual.
``The differences in the content area, balancing the content area, I haven't heard of many education and science departments working together in such projects,'' Chaudhury said.
``The University of Maryland, College Park, is the closest I've heard doing anything similar to this.''
Chaudhury and Massenberg hope the technology and computer interaction will make science more appealing to young kids and pique their interest in future studies.
``It's significant to get science education early,'' Massenberg said. ``Equipping students to do good science and interest them in pursuing science as a major, and employment, when they get older.'' MEMO: ABOUT THE LAB
The new lab is a partnership between Norfolk State University's
Center for Materials Research and its Department of Education.
The pairing of scientific researchers and educators will allow for
high-tech information to be dissected and distributed more easily. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by L. TODD SPENCER
At NSU's lab - which gets research data and computer programs to
students - co-director S. Raj Chaudhury is on-screen.
by CNB