Beyond the Textbook - Students Explore Science and Technology
High School Students Chat with Scientist from Los Alamos National Laboratory
MIDLAND, Pa., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Science textbooks can't cover all of the amazing scientific technologies and breakthroughs that occur every day. That's why Lincoln Interactive offers its students an opportunity to learn beyond the confines of a text book. In monthly chats with researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), high school science and engineering students inquire about and examine new, sometimes unusual, and always interesting topics in science today.
Students have talked with experts in algal biology, particle acceleration physics, climate science, and scientific modeling.
Recently the students, as members of the Cutting Edge Science Club, talked with Dr. Philip Jones, a fluid dynamics researcher with Los Alamos National Laboratory, about his experiences as a research scientist. Dr. Jones is a team leader at LANL's Climate, Ocean and Sea Ice Modeling program.
The video chat was moderated by Caroline Hardman, STEM Program Coordinator with the National Network of Digital Schools (NNDS), the developer of the Lincoln Interactive online curriculum. Through a cooperative agreement with LANL's Technology Transfer Division, Hardman has had the opportunity to conduct filmed interviews with nearly three dozen LANL scientific staff. These interviews are converted into educational videos for Lincoln Interactive's science and engineering curriculum. The Cutting Edge Science Club grew from the video collaboration, and seeks to expand opportunities for students to experience science and engineering in their everyday lives.
Steve Stringer, of LANL's Technology Transfer Division, also participated in the recent Club chat with Dr. Jones. Mr. Stringer is the principal investigator of the cooperative project with NNDS, and coordinates with Ms. Hardman to support the Cutting Edge Science Club by introducing lab scientific staff to the program.
In last week's chat, students asked Dr. Jones a wide variety of questions, from the always-interesting "What type of music do you play and listen to?" to the serious "How will research in this field (computer modeling) benefit future technologies?" Dr. Jones took it all in stride, answering questions and clarifying both personal and technical aspects of his work with a sense of humor. Dr. Jones also participates with students on the forum website, www.stemplanet.org, hosted by NNDS.
Most students in the Cutting Edge Science Club have been involved in club activities and chats since the beginning of the school year, but new students are welcomed each month. In addition to online activities, students engage in offline activities, such as field trips to museums and science centers.
About NNDS and Lincoln Interactive: The National Network of Digital Schools is a 501(c)3 non-profit management foundation, dedicated to providing the highest quality K-12 online curriculum and comprehensive management services to traditional brick and mortar schools, charter schools and cyber schools focused on expanding educational opportunities for students. As a community foundation, NNDS also lends financial support to educational initiatives that expand opportunities for young people. NNDS empowers its partners to expand curriculum options by offering accelerated courses, alternative education and credit recovery courses – as well as developing more effective educational programs for special education students. Lincoln Interactive is also the premier choice for students who learn best from the safety of their own home.
To learn more about Los Alamos National Laboratory, visit www.lanl.gov
Online: www.nndsonline.org , www.lincolninteractive.com
Contact: Toni Cicone Craig, 724.544.3744
Caroline Hardman, 724-494-2171
SOURCE National Network of Digital Schools
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