Model Teacher Resource Laboratory (TRL)

Objective: To create a Model ("Showplace") TRL at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) with state-of-the-art facilities, connectivity, hardware, applications, and skills in order to demonstrate NASA's leading-edge position in the National Information Infrastructure (as chartered in the TRL White Paper by Hodas and Smith) and to display GSFC's Mission to Planet Earth resources and emphasis (as well as the broader NASA Earth and space sciences) to the education community.

Approach: Provide additional Macintosh computers, multimedia equipment, full network connectivity, and accompanying staff to enable the TRL to provide Internet access, GSFC Earth and space science data, and user assistance to the GSFC education community.

Accomplishments:

• Upgraded TRL network connectivity to full Ethernet speeds by connecting it to the GSFC network backbone with fiber.
• Added the following equipment to the TRL: four Power Macintosh 7100/80 AV's, corresponding software, a Tektronix Phaser 340 color printer/copier, an LCD overhead projection display, a color scanner, and training area furniture.
• Trained current TRL staffer, Lynda Matys, in the use of the Mac and World Wide Web (WWW) navigation. She responds to requests posted via the TRL Home Page (http://marconi.gsfc.nasa.gov/vc/trl/trl.htm).
• Worked with the GSFC Public Affairs Office to initiate process to augment TRL staff (one FTE), with an expected start date of 10/95.

Significance: Implementation of a Model (Showplace) TRL enables a transition to an electronic support medium, thereby expanding GSFC's region of and available vehicles for teacher support. The TRL will create a "one-stop shopping" location on the Internet for GSFC Earth science K-12 educational materials.

Status/Plans: In FY96, the new TRL staffer will augment the Home Page with pointers to Earth science information most useful to K-12 users, currently stored on various GSFC and project-specific servers. Regular training sessions for teachers on the use of the Mac, Internet, and WWW will be held, including the use of new CD-ROM's such as "Astronomy Village." The final necessary components for the multimedia capability will be purchased and integrated into the TRL equipment, enabling teachers to produce CD-ROM's of Internet images for classroom use. In addition, two new capabilities are already available: printing color Internet images and converting print media to computer readable format via scanning. Also, the GSFC Information Infrastructure Technology Applications (IITA) K-12 Project will continue to seek and evaluate opportunities to enable GSFC scientists to enter classrooms via the Internet. As this technology becomes feasible, the TRL will serve as a conduit.

Point of Contact:

Lisa Hamet
Goddard Space Flight Center
lisa.hamet@gsfc.nasa.gov
301-286-9417