Thursday, March 23, 2006

IVC helps make Science Night a huge success

If videoconferencing is going to be a part of your science curriculum then it has to be part of special events. Avon Heritage Science Night is a major event for Avon Heritage North and South. For two years the science committee has made videoconferencing one of the showcase events at science night and this years crowd was the largest yet.

Leslie McNutt a naturalist from the Lorain County Metro Parks gave snippets of her cold and slimy and the catch me if you can lessons to students and parents from the French Creek Nature Center in Sheffield, Ohio. Using live animals, nests and feathers the students were treated to a great demonstration.

For the distance learning program this was a great opportunity to promote our usage and to answer questions from the parents. This spring our district is going to the voters for money which is always a never racking time. Discussions and handouts promoted distance learning as a cost saving item for the school system and emphasized the grants that were used for the purchase of the systems.

While we hate to play the role of Oliver Twist asking “for more please”, programs like the science fair and our participation provides parents and community members with an opportunity to see how wisely their money is being spent.

Some of my favorite parent comments….

So that is what my son has been talking about these last couple of weeks!

I wish we had that when I was in school!

When can I do a videoconference?