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1. What is this project about?
The purpose of this project is prepare SMG's Digital Video Collection so the materials(math and science) can be linked to local, state and national standards for use by teachers, educators, and others free of charge.
2. What are the project objectives?
- Identify material within Harvard Smithsonian Collection that best supports research based inquiry learning in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math)
- Link these materials to learning goals contained in national, state and local standards, organized according to a structure in AAAS Atlas for Science Literacy
- Make these digital video materials broadly accessible via the web
- Integrate the resulting collection with the NSDL Metadata Repository
- Sustain the collection and track its use
3. What is metadata?
Metadata is "data" about data or characteristics of data.
4. What are goals of the project?
- Create a searchable database describing the digital library, organized by local, state and national STEM learning goals
- Build a user interface to allow broad online access to the Library
- Select 350 hours of highest quality video materials supporting the projects educational objectives.
- Aggregate digital video, supporting metadata, and other materials (including transcripts or rights information) and catalogue these following best practices for digital libraries
- Place the Digital Video Library and search tool online
- Maintain a high resolution archival copy of the Library for offline research and other uses. Implement a plan to sustain the Library
- Publish the methods and impact of the project
5. What are the products of the project?
- Database containing metadata and pointers to video linked to the learning goals in the Project 2061 Benchmarks and the Atlas
- An online search tool to enable users to navigate the database and locate video according to criteria commonly used in education, tied to state, local and national learning goals
- Web searchable online library consisting of 350 hours of video
- Archival copy of the same 350hours archived in format that preserves the full resolution and quality of the original, made accessible to scholars and stored in perpetuity at the Wolbach Library as part of the Harvard Library system
- Standardized OCLC catalogue entries for the above
- Publications documenting the creation of the Library
6. Who are the funders?
NSF(National Science Foundation) is the sole funder of this project.
7. What is NSF?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the U.S. Government, established by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950.
The Act established the NSF's mission: To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.
For additional info please go to www.nsf.gov.
8. What does NSDL mean?
The National Science Digital Library
9. What does STEM mean?
Science Technology Engineering Math
10. What is the Science Media Group?
Under the Science Education Department of The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Science Media Group is in charge of media-based projects originating within the SED. Through the use of film, video, and television media, the SMG is able to disseminate its research on education reform not only to thousands of educators, but to a general viewing public. Along with videos such as A Private Universe, the SMG has created numerous award-winning science documentaries, animated films, teacher-enhancement programs, and programming material for school, in use worldwide. The SMG’s facilities include an animation studio, digital video production equipment, and state-of-the-art video and film post-production capabilities. The SMG has created and manages The Annenberg/CPB Channel, a free satellite channel broadcasting educational television programs throughout the day for schools, colleges, and communities. These programs include nationally acclaimed programs in virtually all subjects, not only math and science.
The SMG has created some of the most influential and revealing programs about science teaching and the workings of our entire system of education, from kindergarten to Ivy League colleges. These productions include Minds of Our Own, a three-part documentary on how children learn science, Video Case Studies, a series of 25 half-hour videos of real teachers in real science classrooms, and several live interactive workshop series for teachers.
11. What is AAAS/Project 2061?
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) founded Project 2061 in 1985 to help all Americans become literate in science, mathematics, and technology.
With its 1989 landmark publication Science for All Americans, Project 2061 set out recommendations for what all students should know and be able to do in science, mathematics, and technology by the time they graduate from high school. Science for All Americans laid the groundwork for the nationwide science standards movement of the 1990s. Benchmarks for Science Literacy, published in 1993, translated the science literacy goals in Science for All Americans into learning goals or benchmarks for grades K–12. Many of today's state and national standards documents have drawn their content from Benchmarks.
12. Who is the PI?
Dr. Matthew H. Schneps 617-495-7472, mschneps@cfa.harvard.edu
13. Who is the Project Manager?
Oral Benjamin - 617-496-7707, obenjamin@cfa.harvard.edu
14. How will the library be sustained when the project is over?
The Library, once established, can continue to grow, be maintained, and sustain itself at modest costs. It is likely that these costs can be recouped from income the project will generate.
15. How can I find more general information about digital libraries?
Additional info about Digital Libraries can be found by following the links below.
http://www.coe.missouri.edu/~rafee/iDLR/faqlist1.php
http://www.coe.missouri.edu/~rafee/iDLR/about.php
http://www.coe.missouri.edu/~rafee/iDLR/index.php