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"Collaborative Inquiry in Networked Communities: Lessons From the Alice Testbed" Table of Contents Background Network Science Model Scalability The Software Innovation Testbed Projects: Developing a Model What Have We Learned About Network Science? What Have We Learned About Scalability? Summary Appendix: Description of Testbed Projects Bibliography |
The Alice Network Software represents an important first step in reengineering telecommunications technology to fit the demanding educational market. However, in order for Network Science to become widespread, other important services will be essential. Our testbed has been suggestive about which services must be developed. Our initial ideas were used to spark discussion among a group of publishers and educators that we brought together, and the ideas that emerged included the following:
A project automation service would set up registration and project
monitoring with minimum labor cost. A help service for a broad
range of software, hardware, and curriculum products could be
efficiently offered by one company using either prepaid 800-
or by-the-minute 900- telephone connections. Specialized tools
would assist teachers and curriculum developers to put together
and distribute network curricula. As more and more curriculum
units are published by teachers and school districts and distributed
through servers, there will be a need for a "seal of approval" service
to make recommendations about which are the best for specific
purposes. Telecommunications will provide opportunities for
networked courses and support services for teachers and among
teachers. School districts may want to purchase technical support
from a supplier rather than hire and train it own staff. (Feldman, 1994)
Another proposal that was supported by the conference participants was designed to address the problem of how teachers will find like-minded colleagues. Teachers on some networks are already reporting that they have difficulty sorting through the large numbers of messages they get from other teachers looking for collaborators. There is a need for a tool that would include a database to help teachers locate others with similar interests and needs, and ask teachers questions to assist them in describing their proposed project in standard ways.
Another aspect of scaling for Network Science is self-supporting distribution of the data analysis tools (presently part of the Alice Network Software). Distribution must accomplish two goals: provide a revenue flow sufficient to fund continuing updates, adding functions and meeting new and changing standards for telecommunications, and generate sufficient confidence so that publishers will be willing to invest in curriculum.
Our initial discussions with publishers has given us positive indications of their interest in a product like the Alice Network Software, both for school and home use. The present plan is for the software to be incorporated in an initial release of the first NGS Kids Network/Middle Grades curriculum product in September 1994.
Ironically, recent publicity about the "information superhighway" has created resistance by school administrators to any subscription charge for the use of telecommunications because they mistakenly believe that this service will be free. It is important to recognize that, despite the use of computers, there are considerable labor costs involved in supporting teachers and students in telecommunications projects. While some costs may be reduced with new software solutions, it is unlikely that support needs will be solved this way. Given our present level of experience, it is not yet possible to calculate the real costs of telecommunications, and there is certainly no consensus about who will pay for it.