Remote Instrumentation & Data Visualization Tools WG Meeting July 30, 2010

Agenda/Notes

NOTES

• Bo Lowrey - Southern Skies (also called Shared Skies) is currently developing an initial set of curriculm and training a cadre of Kentucky science teachers.  Bo's sense is that we should wait to approach the PIs of this project about extending access nationally until after the initial curriculum is in place and the first round of teachers have begun using the telescope in the classroom. This will give them time to work through any bugs and refine the curriculum.
• Randy recently discovered the Infusing System Design and Sensor Technology in Education (INSIGHT) project which integrates sensor technology with computing and information science in a standards-based science, technology, and engineering curricula.   Project staff are currently providing Fellows and Teachers with training on how to use the sensor arrays and developing curriculm.
• Randy - NSF's GK-12 grant program is being used to fund INSIGHT's train the teachers efforts. This funding source may be something to consider in the future.
• Possible next step is to invite a few of the PIs we've discovered to join us one one of our upcoming planning calls, maybe after our Bozeman retreat.
• James spoke with Kemi recently about how our two efforts could work together. Kemi was not aware of our working group but was very happy to learn of our existence. Our inventory work is extremely valuable as nothing of the sort has been done before. Kemi will be attending our Bozeman planning retreat and is eager to help us shape a strategy for engaging the Internet2 membership community around extending access to RI across K-20.
• Kemi described the current K-20 RI outreach environment as "a wild west" mess out there" - we don't know who has a lab on what - different sign in, different software, some are using remote desktop, others are writing there own code, there are intellectual property rights issues with instrument vendors that need to be sorted out, there are very few examples of successful K-20 outreach programs other than what he has achieved in the US. We're very much at the beginning stages of what is possible. This is certainly not something that's ready for production deployment and it will take funding and effort to make it so.
• Our approach of finding higher ed partners, matching them with highly capable K-20 organizations, and helping to stimulate pilot projects that prove the concept is a logical first step.

ACTION ITEMS:

• James - will check in with Jason Z. on how he can help conduct follow up calls with those Internet2 member organizations that have resonded to our RI survey. (DUE 8/2)
• Bo - will enter information about the Southern Skies project into our inventory (DUE 8/10)
• All - conduct follow up calls with those who resonded to our survey. Please use the initial set of follow up questions here to help quide the converstation - https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkwcnaQDzfDVdDItYmFKWlZUdVNVOVRWRW5qVGRES0E&hl=en#gid=0 

NEXT MEETING

• The group on the call today agreed we should try and convene one more time via phone before the Bozeman meeting to check progress and describe what we want to accomplish in discussion with Kemi in Bozeman. Date tbd, James will be in touch with the group to pick a time.