HPWREN and StSS Teams Participate in George Wright Society Conference in Portland

By Kimberly Mann Bruch, HPWREN and StSS

Earlier this month, the HPWREN and StSS teams demonstrated Live Interactive Virtual Explorations (LIVE) outreach activities at the 2009 George Wright Society Conference in Portland, Oregon. Susan Teel led a two-hour workshop regarding LIVE on March 2 and presented a virtual learning panel paper entitled "Science Outreach and LIVE Distance Education Programs" on March 5. Kimberly Mann Bruch also presented a paper in the virtual learning panel entitled "An Examination of Live Interactive Virtual Explorations at the Cabrillo National Monument in Southern California."

Three National Park Service Research Leaning Centers joined forces with HPWREN and San Diego State University Field Stations Program to host a two-hour workshop regarding LIVE on March 2. The California Mediterranean Research Learning Center based in southern California, Mammoth Cave International Center for Science and Learning in Kentucky, and Biscayne Subtropical Science and Learning Center in Florida worked closely with Kim Bruch and James Hale (HPWREN), and Pablo Bryant (SDSU), all based in San Diego, to implement the workshop.

Following several LIVE demonstrations, the workshop focused on the implementation of wireless bubbles that facilitate such activities. Pablo Bryant of the San Diego State University Field Stations Program and Sarina Cassaro and Kelly Lyon of the California Mediterranean Research Learning Center led this portion of the workshop - explaining the technical aspects of establishing a wireless Internet connectivity for virtual learning events.

Susan Teel's conference paper provided an overview of LIVE activities within an array of National Parks ranging from southern Florida to southern California. The conference paper entitled "An Examination of Live Interactive Virtual Explorations at the Cabrillo National Monument in Southern California" was co-authored by Hans-Werner Braun, Kim Bruch, and Susan Teel; this paper discusses four case studies regarding LIVE activities; an online version is available here.

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