Kemi Jona Associates         Learning Strategy and Consulting Services

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Dr. Kemi Jona will be leading an expanded version of his successful sessions on online laboratory science courses from last year's Virtual School Symposium as a pre-conference workshop Nov 4, 2007 from 1-5pm at NACOL's 2007 Virtual School Symposium, in Louisville, KY.

The 4 hour workshop, entitled "Online Science and Virtual Labs", will help participants learn about the broad range of practices and technologies available for implementing high quality science learning in online courses. The workshop will feature extensive hands-on demonstrations by various researchers, curriculum, and technology providers, providing participants with an opportunity to actually test drive each system themselves.

Approaches to online science that will be explored in the workshop include:

• Remote instrumentation - making lab equipment web-accessible
• Simulated labs
• Student and teacher friendly data analysis and modeling tools
• "Kitchen science"
• Field work
• Probeware
• Linking to active scientific observatories and data repositories
• Distributed data collection and analysis
• Virtual worlds and gaming environments for science learning

A highlight of the workshop will be an expert panel, moderated by Dr. Kemi Jona, discussing the range of virtual lab approaches, current and emerging trends, and new technologies. Distinguished panelists include:

• Tom Matts, Director of AP Course Audit at The College Board
• Jen Whiting, Chief Academic Officer, Florida Virtual School
• Phillip Long - Director, Learning Outreach, MIT iCampus / iLabs
• David Dwyer, Chief Academic Officer, Apex Learning
• Wayne Grant, Chief Education Officer, Pasco Scientific
• (check back often for updated panelist list)

Some questions that will be discussed include:

• What learning goals are online laboratory experiences meant to achieve?
• Are current lab experiences teaching students the right ideas about science?
• What challenges and criticisms do online laboratory science courses face? Classroom-based courses?
• Can lab science courses be delivered online as (or more) effectively than in a classroom? Is trying to emulate classroom-based labs a bad idea for online science courses?
• What do we know about the effectiveness of both online laboratory science courses and classroom-based courses (from students, teachers, and the data)?
• How can the goals set forth in the National Academy of Science's report "America's Lab Report" be achieved in the context of online courses and virtual labs?
• What new techniques and technologies are emerging for use in online laboratory science courses and how will these change the definition of 'virtual lab' in the coming years?

If you are a virtual school administrator, course developer, or online science teacher and you are looking for ways to improve and extend your online science offerings, you won't want to miss this exciting and informative workshop!

For more information and to register for NACOL's 2007 Virtual School Symposium click here.

For more information about the workshop, if you have suggestions for panelists or demonstrations, or to inquire about participating, please contact Dr. Kemi Jona at .

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