General Information Project Overview Curriculum Connections Resource Connections Evaluation

  General Information

  Project Overview

In preparing this proposal a number of articles from the publication, "ARC NEWS(Vol. 18 No.2) were used. ARC NEWS(ISSN 1064-6108) is published quarterly by ESRI:

Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.(ESRI) 380 New York Street Redlands, CA 92373

ARC NEWS is written for the ESRI user community as well as others interested in mapping and geographic information systems(GIS). It contains material of interest to planners, foresters, scientists, cartographers, academicians, geographers, engineers, business professionals, and others who use spatial information.

Computer Technology has become the "slide rule" of today's scientific community. The study and consequent modelling that accompanies many scientific disciplines involves some form of elementary or very high level geometry and some form of media in order to transcribe our thoughts in a tangible form.

In doing this we have evolved from a twig's mark in the sand, through the pencil, quill and pen to the fountain pen. Today, through the world of electronics, this has evolved to the "mouse on a pad". The unknown entity that controlled the working parameter has evolved from the sand, to paper to drafting table, and finally the computer screen.

Today there are many working tools that are used to bring the latest in computer technology to the scientific field. CAD, GIS, ArcView and ARC/INFO are some of the more recent of these tools.

Refer to the attached article "Schools and Libraries Program - A Quick Intro to GIS, ArcView, and ARC/INFO"

Goals

• to allow students to investigate the nature of the tools that are presently available that merges the disciplines of science and computer technology.
• to link our students with technology centres such as Nortech which teaches ARC/INFO and software developers such as ESRI which provides the software and support.
• to develop a knowledge of the advancements that are being made in computer technology as it relates to problem solving in science.
• to use the contacts provided through internet links as a source of information on technological issues that arise from the study of science.

  Curriculum Connections

Science

Using online resources, we hope to locate schools with similar interests. It is our intention to incorporate this online communication into our regular science program using scientific objectives appropriate to the capabilities of our students.

"Marine Affairs" Youth Internship Project

To provide a working tool for student contributions to the "Integrated Coastal Zone Management Database". This is a key component of the project where high school students collect meaningful quantitative data which would contribute to a Newfoundland coastal zone database.

Computer Technology and Communications Technology

To investigate the interactive tools presently available that supplies the scientific community with data.

The Technology Education learning outcome that is most applicable to this project is to further develop those in the elementary level Communication Domain as listed below:

• an understanding of the nature of online communications and its limitations.
• an opportunity to identify real life communication problem situations and opportunities.
• identify ways in which information and communications technologies are used.
• identify advantages and disadvantages of selected communications technologies.
• development of a vocabulary of terminology and language related to the selected communication technology.
• employ the language and terminology when solving technological problems and when describing their solutions to others.
• use communications technologies to build new knowledge from existing information.
• use communications technologies to collaborate with students/teachers and others at a distance to gain understanding of problem solving techniques and opportunities available to scientists today.

  Resource Connections

The students who could avail of this project are in groups of 20 or 30 which normally operate from various classrooms in the school. There is a lab of 22, 486's and a bank of 4, 486's in the library. There is restricted accessibility to the single STEM~Net computer at our school, and Internet access throughout the school would greatly facilitate the project.

We have just received Federal government approval for a "Youth Internship Project" entitled "Marine Affairs" which will complement our established "Business Co-Operative"Program.

Refer to the article "Coastal Erosion in Maine - Using Technology to Manage a Shoreline"

In addition to these two programs, we have a proposal to integrate computer technology in resource based learning at our school. This proposal has previously been presented to the former St. John's Roman Catholic School Board and will be presented to the Avalon East District School Board for its consideration. This proposal involves the purchase of equipment that would supplement the advantages of being a Stellar School.

  Evaluation

Our students will link with other students using online communication to share their ideas and experiences.

Students will develop literacy in Computer technology through these communication experiences.

Students will provide an insight to others of the potential of students in Newfoundland and particularly at O'Donel High School.

Students will create a database of technologies that link computer technology, software development, and science.

Students will explore sources of information on technological issues that arise from their study of science.

The Technological nature of Science both enriches and challenges us. This project can provide valuable support to our students in their introductory years in a science discipline that relies on a considerable level of problem solving skills. The project can also encourage students through the school to strive for higher levels of achievement.

A major projected outcome of this proposal would be to set up a local course in Geographical Information Systems that might be introduced to the high school curriculum to supplement the courses presently listed under Technology Education.