| MANAGING A CLASSROOM AND CONDUCTING A TELECOMMUNICATED SIMULATION Robert E. Morgan Many teachers involved in our telecommunicated simulations ask "how can you manage a classroom and run a telecommunicated simulation at the same time?" It's a pretty good question and while these answers are not complete answers and while they don't solve every problem, they are the result of the experience of many who have participated in our simulations. Hope they help. 1. Get a substitute teacher in to help. While this isn't a realistic possibility in many schools, it doesn't hurt to try. If your project catches the imagination of administrators, you might get some excellent assistance. 2. Ask for the assistance of your administrators. In most schools which have participated in our simulations, administrators have been very supportive and have involved themselves to a degree in the management of the simulation. 3. Ask your colleagues for assistance. Perhaps they'd be willing to give up a few "free" (aka planning) periods or time slots in exchange for your doing the same for them at another time. 4. Recruit parents, high school or college students, or professionals from space related industries in your area. 5. Plan activities that will really engage all students during the simulation. If possible,involve them in the simulation on an ongoing basis. In addition to observing the activities, students who are not directly involved can be working on activities related to the simulation. 6. Don't be afraid to choose some relevant and interesting video tapes or films to show to classes during the simulation. 7. Have students help conduct the class. Have representative students who are directly involved share their experiences with your class or classes. Do a question and answer session with some of the students involved in the simulation. Those involved in the simulation can take turns doing this. If you have other ideas relating to classroom management, please share them with us. PUBLICITY FOR YOUR SIMULATION PROJECT:SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE Robert E. Morgan, University School Contacting the person responsible for publicity or media relations in your district might get your simulation project some important publicity. The value of publicity in making helpful contacts is usually significant. Here's the "press release" I sent to our publicity people for one of our past 24 hour missions: STUDENTS SIMULATE SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION The decline of forests, brain wave activity in microgravity, and the education of youth will be among the concerns of University School student astronauts as they spend 24 hours on a simulated space shuttle mission using the school's permanent full-size replica of the flight and mid decks of the space shuttle. The mission, scheduled for Tuesday April 27, 1993 is part of University School's celebration of the national Science and Technology week. Six student astronauts, three shifts of student mission control personnel, and a host of other student support personnel will work toward simulating a real space shuttle mission. Personnel will be trained and prepared for the rigors of simulated space flight. During the mission, University School's space shuttle "Centennial" will communicate via computer telecommunications with many other schools worldwide. These schools are also simulating some aspect of space as part of an international project conducted by the National Public Telecomputing Network and its Academy One National Educational Simulations Project Using Telecommunications. During this real time 24 hour mission, schools will act as the Russian space shuttle and the Mir space station, alternate landing sites, the space station Freedom, science information sites, and a host of other activities. Students in many states and several countries will be involved in linking their classroom simulations. A visiting student from Australia will report to schools in Australia about his activities. Additionally, University School parents and guests will have the opportunity to attend a planetarium show in the "Starlab" inflatable planetarium, a telescope will be available for deep sky observing (if skies are clear), and a reception will be held for area educators and aerospace professionals. The school's amateur radio station will be "on the air" and live amateur television will be exchanged with local schools. During the 24 hour mission, University School astronauts will simulate forest observations and work with students in Finland in discussing and dealing with problems related to forestry. The development of a national forests holiday, a project involving students in both Finland and the United States will be part of their discussions and activities. Student astronauts will also monitor brain wave activity using state of the art electroencyphlograph equipment, and will teach several "classes from space" to younger students. All student participants receive a mission sticker and a certificate of completion. Student astronauts will be "debriefed" upon their return at a school assembly. Robert Morgan - Add your school contact person and address at the end with a phone number even if that person is YOU Send the release to newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations (don't forget your local cable provider). Be ready to meet the media! AMATEUR RADIO AND SIMULATIONS Robert E. Morgan, K8RBV Educational Advisor (EA), The American Radio Relay League (c) 1995 "OH1XXAA in Finland, this is K8RBV in Cleveland, Ohio calling." That was the start of a QSO (conversation) between students in my classroom and students at a School in Finland...a conversation live via amateur radio. Both schools were involved in simulating space shuttles in their respective classrooms and it was fun just to talk to a school whose data we had been seeing via the internet. OH1XXAA is a fictional ham radio station call sign, but we really did talk to a school in Finland. K8RBV is the call sign given to me as a licensed amateur radio operator in the United States. If you're not familiar with amateur radio, you might find knowing a little about this fascinating hobby helpful in working with simulations both in the classroom and via telecommunications. We've used amateur radio in a variety of ways to augment our simulations work in the classroom. WHAT IS AMATEUR RADIO ANYWAY? Many people confuse amateur radio and citizen's band radio, but the two radio services are distinctly different. Citizen's band radio was designed to provide private citizens with a method for local radio communication. No license is required for citizen's band radio, communication is limited to 40 select "channels," and the intent of the service is that it be used for short distance local communication. Today, citizen's band radio is largely unpoliced and poor operation, bad language, and illegal use of the service are not uncommon. Amateur radio, however, has a long and distinguished record of communications assistance, scientific research and discovery, and educational activities. Amateur radio operators must pass a license examination (at any of several levels of privilege and difficulty) and hence, having an amateur radio license is an accomplishment. In exchange for demonstrating knowledge and skill, amateur radio operators are accorded many more privileges than citizen's band operators. There is no limit to the distance one can talk and world wide communication is commonplace among amateur operators. Amateur operators can use a wide range of frequencies which are tunable, not limited to a small number of channels. Additionally, amateur radio operators may use many methods of transmission: voice, television, computer data, facsimile, morse code, etc. In fact, amateur radio operators operate a number of orbiting satellites which are used to relay amateur signals for experimental purposes. Hence, amateur radio operators are often at the forefront of experimental techniques involving radio and communications. The thrill of talking to other amateur operators world wide is one not soon forgotten. HOW CAN I OR MY STUDENTS GET AN AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE? It would take pages to detail the procedures, techniques, and levels of amateur licensing. If you're interested, the best thing to do is to contact a local amateur radio club. Ask around. Almost everyone knows someone who is a "ham" (amateur radio operator) or someone who knows a ham. Once you've found a ham, just ask! Most hams are anxious to assist interested newcomers of any age. And if they can't help, they'll point you toward a source of help. If all else fails, contact the national amateur radio organization: The American Radio Relay League 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 phone 203-666-1541 Or send email to info@arrl.org. Put nothing in the subject heading, but in the body of the message, type send PROSPECT.TXT and get a file on getting your amateur license. Type send HAMFAQ1.TXT to get answers to frequently asked questions about amateur radio. DO I HAVE TO BECOME AN AMATEUR OPERATOR TO USE AMATEUR RADIO IN MY CLASSROOM Nope. Many schools have made good use of amateur radio by contacting local amateur radio operators and radio clubs and soliciting their help. Inviting amateur operators into your classroom to demonstrate, help with an event, or assist in one of your simulations can only add more excitement and educational validity to your activities in the classroom. I'VE HEARD THAT HAMS CAN TALK TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE. IS THAT TRUE? Yep. Almost all shuttle astronauts are now amateur radio operators and almost every shuttle mission includes some form of contact with amateur radio operators on the ground as part of the SAREX (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment) activities. On certain missions, planned contacts with selected schools occur. One of the most exciting days at our school involved our contact with the shuttle astronauts "live" while they were in orbit. Our classroom astronauts got to talk to the real astronauts "on the job." For information, contact the American Radio Relay League (address above). OK, SO WHAT ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO AND SIMULATIONS? We've used amateur radio in a variety of ways during simulations. Here's what we've done: 1. Contact other schools via amateur radio during simulations. The result was we could talk to students at another school doing a simulation and compare activities and procedures. Students got to talk to students. 2. Contact the space shuttle during your own simulation. This requires advance planning and arrangement with the American Radio Relay League, but it can be an amazing experience! 3. Operate a "special events" station to publicize your activities or simulation. During a special event, an amateur radio station is operating (often on several frequencies at the same time) and contacting other amateur stations (there are almost a million hams worldwide) and discussing the event your simulation. 4. Just demonstrate. During many of our major simulations, we set up our amateur radio station just to demonstrate what amateur radio is and what it can do. We almost always get several new interested students. Most local radio clubs will be glad to help you do this. AMATEUR RADIO DURING THE APRIL 25, 1995 NESPUT 24 HOUR SIMULATION We'll be running a special events station during the upcoming April simulation. Here's the announcement which will appear in upcoming Amateur radio magazines: BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS AND CLEVELAND, OHIO The Brownsville, Texas C.H.A.R.R.O. amateur radio club will operate N5SHG and the Cleveland, Ohio LEARA (Lake Erie Amateur Radio Association) club will operate WB8CQR during a national 24 hour school space shuttle simulation on Wednesday, April 26, 1995. Operation will be in the lower portions of the General 40, 20, and 15 meter subbands and the Novice 10-meter phone subband. For certificate, send QSL and a 9 x 12 SASE to K8RBV, 376 E.329, Willowick, Ohio 44095. You Are HOW you teach: Using Classroom Simulation to Rediscover the Joy of Teaching Robert E. Morgan University School rem@nptn.org (c) 1995 Cardboard space shuttles, fabricated conestoga wagons, stained- glass and gothic columned classrooms, airliners in the art room, rainforests in the coat closet... I've been working with classroom teachers for a number of years on using simulation as an educational technique. We've generated a lot of enthusiasm as teachers find ways to make the educational process "real," "hands- on," and "engaging." The expected happens frequently: students become so engaged in the activity and the learning that they really enjoy school. Kids will ask "when we finish this are we going back to school" as if school has to be dull and dry. The concept of using simulation activities in the K-12 classroom is considered somewhat novel at first by teachers. In fact, simulation is widely used by the military and industry as an educational technique and has been for years. Educational techniques which have been successful for years in the private sector have only recently been "discovered" by educators. Teachers, accustomed to the role of "sage on the stage," learn quickly the value of student involvement in the classroom and the importance of playing the role of "guide on the side" at least occasionally. Simulation is valuable as a teaching tool for a variety of reasons: First, students involved in a simulation are doing, not listening. They are participants, not observers. It is one thing to listen to a lecture on the space shuttle, but quite another to be a participant in a simulated space shuttle mission. The value of having a "rack on which to hang one's hat" in education is extremely significant. Lectures listened to are quickly forgotten; activities participated in are remembered for a long time. Think back to your own grade school experience. The things you remember are most likely the things you did, not the things you heard. Next, it's obvious that some experiences which we'd like students to have simply can't be done in reality. We can't really take a conestoga wagon trip or go to Mars. But we can better understand those activities by pretending to do them as realistically as possible. Finally...and this is the point I most want to address ... simulations are fun. It's always fun for teachers when they see students excited and involved in an activity, but the fun goes well beyond the rewards of a successful activity for students. I know a teacher who taught the same subject at the same grade level for over twenty years. For most of those 20 years, he used the same materials, gave the same tests, used the same unchanging lesson plans. His biggest problem as a teacher involved the gradual demise of the 16 millimeter motion picture projector and the rise of video tape as a medium. He really had a tough time finding videos to replace the tired old films he'd been showing for years. Worse yet, he had to learn to use VCR's. He managed, however, and kept his reputation as "Mr. Movie" intact. He hated teaching, was bored, cynical, and not very patient or understanding of his middle school students. After enough years and an offer of early retirement, he quit, bitter, disappointed, and unfulfilled. In his last years of teaching he listened to my thinking on teaching and how to find excitement and avoid burn-out. He even tried a few of my ideas. But it was too late. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," he sighed and spent his last years more or less like his first. Somehow, he never found the fun and excitement in being an educator. I find the best teaching comes from enthusiastic teachers. Teachers who look forward to their classes or can't wait to try a new activity or approach are sure to transfer their enthusiasm to students. I won't suggest that using simulations as an educational technique will make all teachers instantly enthusiastic about their work, but I will suggest that properly orchestrated simulations are dynamic, exciting events which end up inspiring students and teachers alike. The first simulations I developed around our exciting new space shuttle simulation facility were really amazing experiences for the students who participated and for me. But I acted as the director, the facilitator, the organizer, the advisor. During one simulation, one of my students said, "hey, Mr. Morgan, what's your part in the simulation?" Since then, I've played a variety of roles a NASA official, a visiting Russian dignitary, even the President of the United States. When all is said and done, simulations are play. Admittedly, it's play designed to teach, but play nonetheless. If you haven't tried simulating something in your classroom, you owe the technique a try. You owe it a try because I'm reasonably certain that you'll find the transformation from the role as dispenser of knowledge to sedate receptors to the orchestrator of exciting educational activities could change how you look at the career of educator. I'll put it more bluntly. If you're not having fun as a teacher, you're not the best teacher you can be. If you're not looking forward to each day with eager anticipation, you're not getting from your career what you deserve to get. There are lots of ways to build excitement into your career, of course...but simulation is a significant way to start. | |
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