For Immediate Release
March 29, 1996

LOOK OUT KIDS, IT'S "FISH-CAM":
CLASS THAT USES AQUARIUM TO TEACH CHEMISTRY READY TO GO ON-LINE

Students throughout Georgia will soon find themselves making "splashes" across the Internet, linking up with an innovative program that uses a marine ecosystem to teach science.

The program, which started at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1992, centers around an increasingly popular chemistry class where students conduct experiments on a 350-gallon salt water ecosystem.

A student draws a water sample from this salt water aquarium ecosystem in preparation for chemical analysis.

Like any real-life ecosystem, the aquarium houses a variety of life forms, including fish, soft coral, sea anemones and coralline algae. During a 12-week quarter, students draw water samples to examine factors such as dissolved oxygen, pH levels, salinity and metal-ions.

"What's unique about the ecosystem is there is an attraction for almost everyone," said Kenneth D. Hughes, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Everyone finds something that they're interested in, whether {they} come from a physics background, from a textile background, from a biology background or a chemistry background.

"And almost everyone has some level of experience with fish ... which helps them develop a little bit of an interest," he added.

Now, Hughes wants to spread the program outside the boundaries of Georgia Tech, via the Internet. He discussed the project March 26 during the 211th American Chemical Society's national meeting in New Orleans.

The idea is to give other colleges and universities, as well as K-12 schools, a chance to explore the marine ecosystem without the expense of setting up their own. Many state schools already have the necessary wiring, so participants would need only a computer and an Internet connection.

Once linked, students can access electronic probes and sensors, allowing them to perform real-time experiments like those conducted in Hughes' classes. They also can download all data needed to write lab reports.

An underwater camera will give a "fish-eye" view of life in the tank, and participants will be able to take turns controlling where test probes are set. The resulting data will be available to everyone.

The system is inherently asynchronous, allowing participants to sign on whenever they want, day or night.

"We've talked at length with high school teachers and middle school teachers about the kinds of things they would like," Hughes said. "Lab periods differ, topics differ, the times of year they get to those topics differ ... so we think this will be a real beneficial system for them to interact with."

In the Georgia Tech classes, students conduct a variety of tests, then use the results to keep the aquarium life forms healthy. In the end, they learn fundamental quantitative chemical analysis, as well as the role of chemistry in the environment. These lessons introduce interdisciplinary environmental themes and train students for the professional world.

"Each individual is responsible for obtaining the best possible data in order to maintain the 'health' of the ecosystem," Hughes explained. "Delegating this responsibility to the student completely changes their perception of the laboratory curriculum."

This type of interactive ecosystem gives a more dynamic laboratory experience, since answers and conclusions change regularly, than courses taught from textbooks. In the future, experiments also can be adapted for use in biology and physics classes. And for students who come to the program over the Internet, there's the added bonus of advanced telecommunications experience.

"They're really getting a full package in this learning experience," Hughes said.

The idea to take Hughes' classroom project statewide came about last summer during a technology workshop for teachers sponsored by the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. Since then, Hughes has worked with John Pratte, a natural sciences professor at Clayton State College in Morrow, Ga., to design and plan the new program.

With partial funding in place, the long-distance learning program goes on-line in June. Organizers also will put a 1.2 cubic meter terrarium on the Internet in 1997.

Sponsors include the National Science Foundation and several Georgia Tech organizations, including the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing, the Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, the Office of Informational Technology and EduTech.

The School of Chemistry and Biochemistry's involvement in projects like this one is part of on-going work to "hardwire" the campus for high-quality, advanced telecommunications with other state institutions. Once in place, the system will allow remote and long-distance teaching, including video connections for lectures and special events, as well as more unique programs like Hughes' ecosystem laboratory project.

And the more schools that are connected, the more resources and ideas can be shared and the more cost-effective these laboratory experiences can become, Hughes said.

"This is, I think, the next level of remote or distance learning, where students are actually exploring and investigating a site and downloading real chemical data," he said. "It provides a multidisciplinary learning experience which will tie all aspects of a science major's degree together."

RESEARCH NEWS AND PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
Georgia Institute of Technology
75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100
Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA

MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACTS:
John Toon (404-894-6986);
Internet: john.toon@edi.gatech.edu;
FAX: (404-894-4545)

TECHNICAL: Ken Hughes, (404-894-4090);
Internet: ken.hughes@chemistry.gatech.edu

WRITER: Amanda Crowell