Unsinkable learning experience

 

Lamphere students participate in ‘Titanic Live!’

 

By Audra Quinn

C & G Staff Writer

     “I saw the Titanic today, mom,” said fourth-grader Chelsea Hoffman of Edmonson Elementary in Madison Heights.

     She is one of thousands of students around the country who were transported to the depths of the Atlantic to witness history in the making as Robert Ballard and his crew revisited the R.M.S. Titanic, which he initially discovered in 1985, to assess the current state of the deteriorating ship.

     This live broadcast from 12,000 feet below the surface of the dark waters that swallowed the “unsinkable” ocean liner is a part of the Immersion Project, also known as JASON Project, that Ballard began 15 years ago.

     “When he first discovered the Titanic in 1985 he had 20,000 letters from school kids saying ‘Take me on your next expedition!’ It was like, how could he do that?” explained Lamphere Superintendent Jim McCann.

     Ballard partnered with EDS officials to develop a system of satellites and broadcast technology that bring scientific exploration into classrooms live, allowing students to participate in fascinating field work firsthand.

     “The Immersion Project creates access usually reserved for a few very lucky scientists and explorers. I’ve always believed it’s possible to inspire kids in science if you just let them in. We are making that happen with this mission, and I am fulfilling a vision I set out over 20 years ago,” said Ballard.

     Students were able to ask questions directly to Ballard about what they’d seen and learned from the mission, as well as several experts on-site. Ten-year-old student Steven Lear asked about how the explorers can determine the difference between natural and man-made deterioration. The question was sent via satellite to host Jay Schadler, who responded, “I think there’s a marine archeologist in the making there.” He explained that while most of the deterioration of the ship is due to natural causes, there are many things missing since their 1985 expedition, which can only be explained by human intervention.

     “Physical degradation can be attributed to other people visiting the site. Areas where they landed and items that they salvaged are very noticeable,” he said.

     This kind of connection is made possible to students through a brand new advancement in Oakland Schools called Internet2.

     “Internet2 has a fiber-optic background that goes all around the country and was paid for by 200 research universities. They understood that Internet1 was going to get congested pretty quickly and they needed to move their information,” said William Bushaw, director of learning systems at Merit Network, a Michigan-based nonprofit advanced networking organization that serves as a provider of Internet2 for Michigan’s universities.

     “Increasingly now we have K-12 schools that are hooking in. The research universities have said we want the K-12 schools to participate and we’re not going to charge them, just what it costs us to make it available, no more than that,” he said, calling Lamphere District a “pioneer” of all of the Oakland schools that are connected as of June 1.

     Students had the opportunity to view several broadcasts between June 4 and June 9, with students asking questions from all over the country. Students from Lamphere schools had their chance to probe the minds of the masters on June 4, asking questions such as “How long does it take to reach the ocean floor?” (about two hours) and “How long is the ship?” (A half mile from bow to stern).  These live question/answer sessions are supported by an in-class curriculum the students have been following in science class and supplemented by an interactive Web site containing activities, photos, and daily diaries of the scientists’ discoveries.

     Matt Savela, 14 of John Page Middle School, applied to be one of Ballard’s “Argonauts,” or students who are invited to help out on-site, but was denied this year. He said that he felt like he was right there anyway.

     “I just think it’s really cool how we can talk and learn from people that are halfway across the continent. I think we’re really, really advanced and it’s only going to grow from here,” he said. Savela isn’t giving up on his dream to be an Argonaut. “I’m going to try again next year and hopefully I’ll get it.”

     Louisa Kniivila, science teacher at John Page Middle School and JASON project mentor, is also excited about this educational advancement. “We’re not talking tape, we’re not talking delay, we’re talking the minute it happens, we’re right there. I see this as the cutting edge of what science is going to be,” she said. “It’s real time, real life science, and it’s history in the making.”

     You can reach Audra Quinn at aquinn@candgnews.com