High Performance Computing and Communication K-12 Project

Objective: To inspire students in the K-12 grades into pursuing careers in science and engineering. A particular focus is to target under represented schools and minorities.

Approach: The Lewis project began by involving teachers early on and continually throughout the project, training was available to ensure all participants were at the same level of expertise and to standardize on computing platforms so advances within the project could be easily shared amongst all involved. With this in mind, the Lewis project focused on three areas of development: 1) Teacher & Student training; 2) Curriculum supplemental material- al; 3) Computing and Network Infrastructure within the schools.

Accomplishment: Currently, the Lewis project has trained 25 teachers from fourteen schools ranging from high school to elementary. Nine schools have received Apple Macintoshes and network equipment for connecting to Internet. The training for teachers consists of instruction by Lewis personnel on topics including: Mac Basics, Internet, Visualization, computer languages, Unix, Interactive Physics, Maple, Animation Works and Spyglass. The teacher training is conducted each summer and is spread over two weeks. In the area of curriculum, Barberton High School will teach a new course entitled ╥High Performance Computing╙ at the 10th and 11th grade level. Customary and innovative network efforts have been implemented within Lewis╒ K12 project. Support for connections to Internet range from basic phone line access to a successful implementation of RF technology at sustained T1 speeds. Cleveland East Technical High School has partnered with Cleveland State University to acquire Internet access and to demonstrate the cost effective use of this ╥wireless╙ communication path.

Significance: The HPCC K12 project has the potential to inspire students, teachers and NASA personnel toward developing and enhancing current school curriculum into a living entity that can grow and accommodate the technology already available outside the classroom.

Status/Plans: Current program will continue to consist of two weeks of teacher training, providing selected schools with computers and providing basic Internet connections. New efforts proposed for FY95 include efforts to work with sight impaired and developing the Lewis Teacher Resource Center into a functioning instructional facility for year round K12 use.

Point of Contact:

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curator: Larry Picha