========================================================================= Date: Thu, 19 Jan 1995 10:51:14 -0500 Reply-To: Journal of Virtual Reality In Education Complete Journal Sender: Journal of Virtual Reality In Education Complete Journal From: Dick Banks Subject: Collaboratory @Copyright DUVJRE, Margit Watts and Ben Millard 1994 Margit Watts and Ben Millard watts@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu 67 COLLABORATORY The University of Hawai'i at Manoa Rainbow Advantage Program has initiated a project called Collaboratory, a project that links together museums, universities, and secondary schools around the country. Students are engaged in meaningful and integrated learning and through exploration, discovery, and manipulation, students work with exhibits to further their critical thinking skills, broaden their base of knowledge, and enhance their understanding of culture. This project encourages intellectual curiosity by allowing students to choose from a wide range of topics as well as modes of expression. Museums offer places for learning which are not confined to the traditional school setting or time frame. Collaboratory will also move into making museums available to people not able to access their exhibits through the front door. Technology has made it possible to recreate museum exhibits in many forms, making it possible for students across the world to interact with exhibits, explore them from many vantage points, and study them on numerous levels. Thus, Collaboratory is a two strand project -- one has students studying exhibits all over the country, the other has students creating their own exhibits (their own interpretation of culture). This project reaches a wide audience and is in line with the Goals 2000 mandate. TEAMS A team consists of university and high school students, as well as a museum or similar cultural institution. The formation of the teams is determined by the unique contribution each part makes to the whole. The high school students perform much of the work of the team, while the university students provide both an academic direction and study of the project. The use of museums is the interesting addition to the project. It is an emerging theme amongst museums that they provide a learning environment that is quite different from the classroom. They not only cover an unlimited range of subjects, they do so at the visitor's pace. They provide teams with 'triggers for wonder'. The major permanent exhibits -- a museum's icons -- act as both projects for the teams as well as models for works of their own generation. Museums provide yet another opportunity for students; they permit students to become the experts on these icons. Since no museum can provide the Internet presence necessary to field all possible questions, the students can become the 'experts' for some of the first-level and most commonly asked questions. The results of the composition of these teams is a group of students who mutually benefit from working together and are given access to resources from a cultural institution with which they are familiar. Ultimately, all are working toward a project which is meaningful. Margit Watts and Ben Millard watts@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu 68 PROJECTS The results of these collaborative efforts will be exhibits; in this context, the term exhibit is loosely defined. Students will find expression for their work in multi-media, text, performance, music, and any other medium they find relevant to their project. An example of some of the work by current teams includes video documentary on the effects of hurricane Iniki on Kauai, an exhibit on ancient net fishing in Hawai'i, a modern day re-creation of Plato's Republic, and a display of a corner of Pittsburgh. Each of these projects have called on the students to search for something important and determine how they want to present it. It is through these projects that the students can work to make sense of their place in, and contribute to their culture. INTERNET The Internet plays a role in this as the medium for participation. It will provide the link between the members of a team, as well as across the teams. The other value added by the Internet will be a place to 'store' or present the exhibits. It is our intention to open a MOO for the teams to use text-based VR as one medium for their works. Providing them with a place to met on-line as a haven will be one of the most important steps in our development. Amidst the discussion of the latest telecommunications, Collaboratory's model does not *require* connectivity beyond paper and mail. It is this sclar approach to the student's resources that will allow Collaboratory to form teams in countries not part of the Internet. POSSIBILITIES Collaboratory exists under the auspices of the University of Hawaii and is directed by Dr. Margit Misangyi Watts. The current structure consists of six teams among the islands of Hawai'i, as well as teams from California, Pennsylvania, and Western Canada. In January new teams will be added from Illinois, Washington D.C., Missouri, Japan, Guam and Kenya. As we prepare our server for duty, we are also building the corporate support necessary to fuel Collaboratory. We have some corporate connections in place and will also be seeking grants and equipment from other sources in order to support the teams with equipment. Margit Watts and Ben Millard watts@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu 69 The future holds the expanded bandwidth modes mentioned above, as well as simply growing the reach of the teams in both geography and involvement. Plans for involving museums is not limited to local ones, though we feel that it is within their own communities that the teams can make their biggest contributions. Creation of national icons could become a project that joins multiple teams in illustrating a country's cultural context. As we seen to put our students at the center of their own education, Collaboratory tries to extend this to include putting the students in the center of their own cultures. We welcome your comments and participation. Please contact us by the means below. Authors: Dr. Margit Misangyi Watts (808) 956-4040 watts@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu Ben Millard (808) 956-4040 bmillard@interaccess.com