Preface

The Purpose of this Guide and an Overview
This Guide arises from our efforts to disseminate what we have learned in our work with network science projects in the Testbed for Telecollaboration Project and the work that precedes it, the Alice/Collaborative Inquiry Testbed. It is written primarily to support project administrators and curriculum writers, but we hope it will be helpful to many others, including teachers and researchers, who are trying to understand the impact of telecommunications on learning and teaching.

We not only want to support your work, but we also want to learn from your work. Please think of yourself as contributing to the next version as you make use of this version - and send us your feedback.

Chapter 1 begins with a classroom vignette illustrating network science in action. We hope that through reading about an actual classroom experience you will sense the excitement that can be generated when students undertake authentic scientific investigations. The chapter goes on to describe the goals and educational vision of the Testbed, the Network Science model, the Alice Network Software, and the kind of support that the Testbed can offer network science projects.

Chapter 2 further articulates the key elements of the Network Science model.

Chapter 3 describes the Alice Network Software and how it supports network science and student collaborative inquiry.

Chapter 4 describes in detail how to plan, staff, and organize a network science project, including technology, curriculum, evaluation, classroom management, training and support, and cost estimating.

Chapter 5 discusses issues involved in training participants to use the Alice Network Software.

Chapter 6 describes some special issues that arise in supporting teachers during a network science project.

Chapter 7 provides a checklist of the major cost elements you will encounter in implementing a network science project.

Chapter 8, written primarily for a technical reader, describes the major technology tasks that must be carried out to launch a network science project.

Appendix A describes the Testbed projects. Read this to discover the range of collaborative projects included in the Testbed.

Appendix B, for a technical reader, contains "frequently asked questions" about the Alice Network Software and student data sharing using the Automated Data Sharing System.

Appendix C explains how to obtain information about the Testbed via the Internet using FTP, Gopher, or a World Wide Web browser, such as Mosaic, Lynx, or Netscape.

How to Contact Us and Obtain More Information

To request further information about the Testbed, send e-mail to: testbed@terc.edu or contact:

Alan Feldman, Project Director
TERC
2067 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 547-0430

You can also access information electronically. Our Web address is http://hub.terc.edu/terc/alice/alice.html. See Appendix C for instructions on using a World Wide Web browser, FTP, or Gopher to obtain information and to download the latest version of the Alice Network Software.

The Testbed publishes a newsletter electronically. The newsletter is distributed to all participants in testbed projects, to the CoSN discussion list, and to interested individuals. It is also available at our Web address, http://hub.terc.edu/terc/alice/alice.html. To have your name added to the distribution list, write us at testbed@terc.edu.

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