ISTE SIGIVE 2007: Learning from Space

Organizational Overview
GCI – Educational services provider to 85,000 students across districts in Alaska, New Mexico, Montana and Arizona. GCI Managed Broadband Services provides enhanced Internet services, e-mail and distance learning services via videoconferencing to schools and districts.

Challenger Learning Center (CLC) for Space Exploration, Kenai, Alaska

CLC is a non-profit corporation that opened in April 2000. They are the 39th of 52 centers in the Challenger Learning Center for Space Education international network.

Challenge
Alaska’s first astronaut in space linked to 300 students in Alaska for videoconference. Stimulate career interest in science and technology.

Solution
Linked the STS-116 space shuttle (in-orbit) and crew with NASA and the CLC to provide 10 minutes of videoconference question/answer period with 300 students in Alaska.

In addition STS-116 space shuttle pilot Billy Oefelien answered questions and blogged with students on http://www.akastronaut.org.

Results
Over 300, mostly rural, students in Alaska had the ability via videoconferencing to participate in a live downlink from the STS-116 space shuttle from space.

Innovations
Creating the downlink from space to provide videoconference capabilities for students in Alaska.

Best Practices
Melding questions, blogs and VTC.

Contact Information
Craig Mollerstuen, GCI, cmollerstuen@gci.com, 907-868-5727
Pam Lloyd, GCI, plloyd@gci.com, 907-868-0865
Larry Porter, President and CEO, 907-283-2000, gospace@akchallenger.org