Here’s a new idea! Frazier Museum has started a blog about their distance learning program and they are still looking into purchasing equipment. So they are writing about the process of getting started with videoconferencing. If you check out their website it looks like they have really cool content. Looking forward to them getting up & running!

A little feedback for the content providers out there reading this blog. We’ve been cleaning up from the programs we did this year and two content providers sent us boxes this year that had to be sent back. What a pain! Some of my schools didn’t have the funds to send it back so they sent it to me to send back (via our free county van). One of the providers called wondering if the box had been sent yet. The other charges $300 if they don’t get the box back, so I’m really hoping all the boxes got back to them!

So here’s my perspective. If you’re going to send a box, don’t ask for it back! I can think of several providers who send kits that really enhance the program and they don’t require it to be sent back. It’s really a pain and a headache to track it down and send it back. It must be a headache for the provider too.

So if you’re a new provider or thinking about sending a kit, don’t send one unless you don’t need it back! My two cents!

We’re finishing up the school year with several classes connecting to the New York Hall of Science for a program called Fun with Bubbles. The program starts with the Explainer setting the students at ease by asking them where they are and what they know about bubbles already.

Students see and think about examples of bubbles occurring naturally and how they are created. The presenters demonstrate creating several types of bubbles and ask students lots of questions to increase their understanding of light, soap, bubbles, and more. Students predict the best way to make bubbles and what materials can be used to make them.

Students enjoyed this interactive program and learned about bubbles! One more tomorrow & then we’re done for this school year. Yeah!

This afternoon Lincoln Elementary, St. Joseph, is connecting to Liberty Science Center for their Aquatic Ecosystems program. The program starts with a tour of the Liberty Science Center and the tanks they have with various aquatic ecosystems.

After an introduction of ecosystems, the students participate in an activity drawing an aquatic ecosystem from the side as if they were actually in it. The students’ drawings then lead into a discussion of the components of an ecosystem.

After discussing fresh and marine water ecosystems, students learn about the estuary and Hudson River where the Liberty Science Center is, and then they compared that estuary to where the St. Joseph River meets Lake Michigan. Note the green screen technology! Also look at the great images they shared of the St. Joseph River. It’s nice when the content provider can tailor to the local area too. They called the teacher ahead of time to find out what they were studying so they could tailor the program as requested.

Next, the students do an activity to look at cryptic camouflage and then try to guess what is hiding in several pictures.

This was our first program with the Liberty Science Center. While their programs are a little on the expensive side, the program is visually rich and can be tailored to exactly what the teacher needs.

What is it like to be an educator working at a zoo or museum or other organization and providing content to schools via videoconference? Well, now you can see what it’s like from the provider’s perspective and even give feedback; thanks to the power of blogging. I think great content providers have always had partnerships with schools, so this is just another way that we can learn from each other and share and reflect on best practices.

First the New York Hall of Science has a recent blog entry on training a new instructor including pictures from their side. Check it out!

And, many of us enjoyed the Iditarod programs and more from Kigluait Adventures this year.  Richard and Christina are blogging at Teaching Wow. Take some time soon to read through the posts from this last year. I think you’ll find them very interesting and thoughtful.