April 4, 2007
Pala Native American Reservation Participates in Palomar Observatory
Live Interactive Virtual Exploration via TDVNet and HPWREN
The Pala Native American Reservation recently hosted a Live
Interactive Virtual Exploration (LIVE) activity, which allowed
participants to "tour" the Palomar Observatory via HPWREN and the
Tribal Digital Village Network (TDVNet). The activity featured
on-site curricula prepared by Kisa Collins of the Pala Learning
Center and a remote lecture by Scott Kardel of the Palomar Observatory.
A connectivity test on March 21 was conducted prior to the April 3
event, which was attended by Pala tribal members as well as interested
people from the community. Overall, there were nearly 60 people at
the LIVE activity - ranging from three-years-old to sixty-years-old.
"This was a great opportunity to tour the Observatory and learn
more about it, and also visit with one another about other education
opportunities for the young ones on the reservation," said one
attendee via her evaluation survey. "My children loved the pictures
of the stars and they learned enough that it made them want to visit
the telescope at the Observatory in person," remarked another LIVE
participant.
"I was happy to provide this experience for the Pala community,"
said Scott Kardel, Public Information Officer at the Palomar
Observatory. "It was especially great to hear the questions from
the kids - they were very interested and that is what made this
LIVE activity so successful."
The Pala Learning Center now plans to take the children on a
tour of the Palomar Observatory, so that they can experience the
telescopes in person. "This was a terrific way to introduce astronomy
and the nearby observatory to our students," said Pala Learning
Center Coordinator Kisa Collins. "We are anxious to participate in
more such activities to provide our kids with additional science
education activities."
-Kimberly Mann Bruch
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