Start date: 1 October 2003
End date: 30 September 2004
Funding programme: Support for e-Research programme
JISC theme(s): e-Research
The e-Star for e-learning project seeks to develop a demonstrator
based around an existing robotic telescope network to test the
applicability of grid technologies in schools and science centres. It
will draw on the work of the original e-Star project, the National Schools
Observatory run by Liverpool JMU, and the Faulkes Telescope
Project. School teachers will be able to make better use of
the telescope network through the use of allocated observations that
can be prioritised, and through the ability to request observations by type
(image colour, activity, range etc.).
Aims and Objectives
The project will use the demonstrator to address questions of:
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Impact on teaching and learning styles within schools and science
centres.
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The network infrastructure and technical support required in a school to
make use of these new technologies.
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Scalability of technology to a potentially much larger user base.
Deliverables
The project will develop according to the following work plan:
In this phase the project team will develop use cases for the educational
application of e-STAR through consultation with the existing NSO schools
working group which comprises teachers and other educational
professionals.
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Months 2 – 8: Software Development
In this phase, informed by the use cases, the team will develop
an educational demonstrator leveraging the software products developed from
ongoing development programme.
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Months 9-11: Trial Deployments
Trial deployments of the demonstrator will be carried out in a
number of Merseyside schools of different character (comprehensive and
selective, primary and secondary) as well as local science centres
associated with Liverpool Museum and the University. These will
provide the data allowing the project team to assess both the
technical and educational applicability of the demonstrator.
A written assessment of the demonstrator will be prepared and
distributed among the e-Science and e-Learning communities.