NATIONAL PUBLIC TELECOMPUTING NETWORK ACADEMY ONE PROGRAM LIST OF OFFERINGS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 1992-1993 A Note About Distributed Projects... This year Academy One will be running on several systems around the world. We will be utilizing Usenet newsgroups to "dis- tribute" messages from one system to another. In effect, a student can post a message to Student Author (for example) on the local NPTN affiliate system in California and have that message appear within a few minutes in Ohio, Canada, New Zealand and several other locations. This will make the ability to participate in Academy One easier for all schools. If you'd like more information on how to get an Academy One area running locally, contact Linda Delzeit via e.mail (aa002@nptn.org). PROJECTS RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INTERNATIONAL e.CLUB - Essentially, the e.Club is a place where electronic addresses can be exchanged between students (and teachers) who would like to engage in an electronic mail project or simply find a "keypal". We will utilize this area for exchang- ing information about the holidays and about their schools during selected special events. KID TREK (for young science fiction writers) - A special place for those students who are science fiction writers. During the Solar Sailing Simulation in the fall of 1992, a science fic- tion anthology will be done in this area. An alternative for stu- dents and teachers who are interested in the space simulations and want to participate in a way in which they feel more comfortable. NPTN STUDENT NEWS NETWORK - Schools are encouraged to con- tribute electronic editions of their school newspapers. The text of each edition should be distilled into a single file of no more than 3-4K, uploaded to the NPTN STUDENT NEWS NETWORK on the system nearest them, and it will be automatically distributed across the network. SCHOOL-OWNED EXPERIMENTS AND DATABASES - This is an area where a school can advertise their experiment and solicit other schools to perform it and contribute their results. The database of information will grow as more schools participate and will be- come more valuable over the years. Such topics as dating practices around the world will be fascinating to some, while ozone levels will interest others. It is hoped that one day these databases will not only be used as a teaching tool, but will be of value to researchers looking for data from many locations around the world. SPOTLIGHT ON PEOPLE - This project spotlights accomplished people in all walks of life. Students have an opportunity to write to these people and ask questions. This gives students an opportu- nity to gain knowledge about leaders, inventors, authors, and var- ious professionals. Gives accomplished people the ability to tell the students what they might do to succeed in life. STUDENT ARTIST - This is an area where kids can post their pictures created with word processing programs. This is one of the best ways to reach the youngest kids (and the ESL students) and introduce them to those "extra characters" on the keyboard, while easing them into the world of telecommunications. The older stu- dents have successfully presented their holiday greetings as pic- tures in this area. STUDENT AUTHOR - This project allows our students to post their original creative works. Everything from short stories and poems to longer compositions. Some schools are writing progressive stories, using the networks to exchange chapters. This is the place to showcase those works and allow us to watch and encourage you. SPECIAL EVENTS (short duration projects) CAMPAIGN '92 - The national Presidential election takes on a whole new meaning this year as full-text of position papers are available for review. Not available to students through any other medium, these can be analyzed and discussed. Special Academy One student debates between schools will be conducted "on-line". Information is included on the history of suffrage, the reasons to vote and how to register. Special TELE-ELECTIONS will be held at the schools and results posted electronically. The student votes can be compared to the national election returns. INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY EXCHANGE - students around the world can compare their holiday customs. This is a real eye-opener and learning experience as students not only share their favorite cus- toms, but recipes, and reasons behind what makes this such a spe- cial time of year. INTER-GENERATIONAL EXCHANGE - allows the various generations to compare how traditions, sports, music, and family roles have changed over the years. There is value in the memories of each generation and opportunities to learn through the sharing process. Here is a way for Senior Citizen groups to become involved with our youth and pass on heritage in a personal way. LETTERS TO SANTA is a very popular project and involves many grade levels. Students in grades K-2 write a letter to Santa. Often, but not always, this letter in entered into the computer by students in grades 4-6 and posted to an Academy One newsgroups where students in grades 8-12 respond as Santa. The students in grades 4-6 receive the letters from Santa, print them on special paper and award them during holiday programs to the youngest stu- dents. An example of effort from multiple grade levels and the sharing of a common desire to bring joy to others. NESPUT SIMULATIONS: (National Educational Simulations Project Using Telecommunications CENTENNIAL LAUNCHES - Simulated Space Shuttle Program - At the core of these launches is a permanent full-scale mock-up of a space shuttle (called the "Centennial") complete with "Mission Control" which is located at University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio (Cleveland area). Schools around the world take various roles in each simulated space shuttle mission. These could include being another shuttle (doing a docking maneuver), secondary mission con- trol, alternate landing sites (weather stations), solar distur- bance observatories, and so forth. Coordination and communications between the shuttle's mission control and other schools will be conducted through distributed conferences on the individual NPTN systems. Electronic mail is sent back and forth, hourly reports are posted, even real-time electronic "chats" can occur between mission control, astronauts, and supporting units. SALUTE TO SPACE EXPLORATION - This event pays tribute to all pioneers of the space programs around the world and is a fun way for students to learn about the history of the space program in the United States and elsewhere. A school can either research one of the historic space missions and conduct a simulation at their school, posting reports to Academy One hourly, or a school can as- sume a supporting role to a simulation. The time for these mis- sions is condensed to allow the simulation to fit into a school day. Schools who wish to participate in this SALUTE TO SPACE EXPLORATION, but who do not wish, or are unable, to be a part of a simulation, can participate in other ways. SOLAR SAILING SIMULATION /SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGY - The na- tional Columbus Quincentennary Commission in cooperation with the International Space Year Committee, had planned to jointly sponsor a "solar sailing race" during 1992 as part of the celebration of exploration. Although the race has been postponed due to technical and political problems, Academy One will continue the spirit with a SOLAR SAILING SIMULATION. In addition to the simulations in which schools operate simulated solar sailing vehicles, several other telecommunicated activities are planned including the post- ing of student stories on Kid Trek and a resulting science fiction anthology. TELEOLYMPICS - Students compete in a series of track events in their own school yards and post the winning scores in each cat- egory to the computer network. Results are compared and interna- tional winners receive recognition. In addition to the track events. Opening and Closing events are done like the real Olympics and information is exchanged about schools and communities around the world. A great way to integrate geography, writing, math, com- puter science, and physical education! New for the 1993 TeleOlympics will be a pre-Game training regime whereby students can test themselves and follow a progressive training program. They can record training progress and compare results with stu- dents around the world. SPECIAL PROGRAM OFFERINGS These programs are here because volunteers wished to network with others in their particular field. This is not an attempt to segregate any group and indeed that goes against the grain of telecommunications in education. Rather, these special programs are an attempt to help isolated educators and students come to- gether electronically to discuss special needs and share re- sources. Academy One welcomes others who wish to develop such pro- grams. CURRICULUM EXCHANGE - this area will start with over 500 les- son plans on social studies, math, language arts, and science. Teachers are encouraged to share their most successful lesson plans for others to use. JEWISH EDUCATION - an area for Jewish educators and students to discuss their special events and share resources. Jewish stu- dents not in Jewish schools are welcome to participate. MIDDLE SCHOOL NETWORK - Middle school curriculum and activi- ties programs are designed to recognize that adolescents have unique physical, intellectual, and social-emotional development. The middle school program attempts to balance the development of the student in each of these areas. Students are involved in ac- tivities to help them understand their growth in these areas, and to make short term and long term plans to capitalize on their strengths and address their shortcomings or expressed needs. In short, the middle school program is acutely aware of the need to educate the whole child. PARENTS-AS-TEACHERS - an area for those who are currently homeschooling or want to become more involved in their child's ed- ucation. Information will be available on homeschooling resources. Also an area where parents can find out how they can become in- volved in Academy One and get their children involved in our pro- jects from home. STUDENTS LOOKING FOR AN EXTRA CHALLENGE - is a program for those students who are looking to pursue ideas and projects in- depth and can work independently. This program is for educators, parents, and students who wish to work from school or home. This is a collaborative effort with IdeaLink. TEACHER EDUCATION CENTER - Discusses the art of teaching, teacher education programs, federal and state legislation, as well as what is happening in the professional organizations. Separate areas devoted to elementary and secondary teacher preparation, su- pervision, curriculum, reading, school counseling, and teacher ed- ucation on the graduate level. This area is sponsored by Baldwin- Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. TRISPHERE - an area for those interested in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology. Teacher support and curriculum exchange are offered as well as a question and answer area. A newsletter is also available electronically. One example of the types of infor- mation available is a specific training program for high-caliber athletes that will produce results comparable to steroid use. Help your students learn how to train smart and avoid using steroids. This is a collaborative effort with Trisphere Institute of Sports Medicine. FOR MORE INFORMATION: The project director and sysop for Academy One is: Linda Delzeit NPTN, Director of Education 6330 Lincoln Ave., Suite 117 Cypress, California 90630 Voice: 714-821-4472 Internet: aa002@nptn.org