POLYCOM AND AARNET CONNECT STUDENTS WITH SCIENTISTS AS PART OF NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK
Announcement posted by Polycom 08 Sep 2008
High school students connect with mentors across Australia, using Polycom’s videoconferencing solutions and AARNET’s high-speed education network.
As a part of National Science Week Polycom Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), the global leader in telepresence, video and voice communications solutions in collaboration with Australia’s Academic & Research Network (AARNet) enabled a series of classroom sessions for high school students around Australia to interact with scientists in several research organisations in real-time, through video conferencing technologies.
For over ten years, National Science Week has been celebrating the contribution of Australian scientists to the world, inspiring people to become fascinated by the world in which we live. This year, National Science Week was held across cities in Australia from August 16-24. The theme for 2008 National Science Week was ‘Planet Earth – Planet of Change’.
During National Science Week a number of videoconferences took place including Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy School NSW, and All Saints’ College in WA; which connected with scientists and researchers in the Australian Institute of Marine Science, University of Tasmania and Curtin University of Technology using loaned Polycom video units, and one of the schools participating through Polycom’s ANZ corporate headquarters in North Sydney. Polycom supported these schools and research agencies in linking through the AARNET Network.
The high-school students were given additional first-hand insight and real-world experience into a topic being studied in class. Through the provision of Polycom’s videoconferencing equipment, students could share their ideas and discuss their views with the researchers across Australia, without the need to travel between states. They also had the opportunity to interact with scientists in a way that they may not have been able to do without video conferencing. Each session lasted for approximately 40 minutes, with plenty of opportunity for active discussion, sharing content and learning.
“The purpose of these sessions is to increase the opportunities for school students as means of engaging with researchers and teachers worldwide and to provide the business case for high-speed IP access to schools,” said Mr. Chris Hancock, Chief Executive Officer of AARNET. “Reciprocally, the use of video conferencing makes it easier for researchers to participate in such sessions as the
burden of travel and time commitment is greatly reduced. We’re delighted and thankful to Polycom for their goodwill support in making this event a great success.”
“Videoconferencing is increasingly being adopted in schools and universities in Australia as a means of enabling students and teachers to tap into specialist teaching resources and content providers like Australian Institute of Marine Science, Curtin University of Technology and the University of Tasmania in Australia, and many others overseas,” said Mr. Michael Chetner, Country Manager Australia and New Zealand, Polycom. “As a result, teachers are able to enhance the quality and depth of their teaching programmes with specialist support, and students are able to expand and broaden their knowledge base through access to a vast network of resources worldwide – which helps prepare them for the global economy.”
He added” “Polycom runs a number of education programs that enable teachers to find appropriate content providers around the world, and introduce them to a network of teachers. We recently ran an event for educators at our office where they were able to experience a live interaction with the Cleveland Institute of Music in the US, and take a lesson from Japan in the intricacies of origami using high definition telepresence technologies.”
Polycom Global Education Programs
Polycom Content Searchable database: http://www.polycom.com/apac/en/solutions/industry_solutions/education/searchable_database.html
This free searchable content database offers educators worldwide access to more than 1,500 content providers, making available both ISDN- and IP-based video conferencing programs for the classroom.
Polycom Collaboration around the Planet:
http://www.polycom.com/apac/en/solutions/industry_solutions/education/programs_resources/collaboration_around_planet.html
This program is a large scale global directory and professional network of educators for video conferencing project collaboration. This directory will connect educators to increase videoconferencing utilisation, expand and enhance curriculum, provide access to global collaborations, and increase educational equity.
For over ten years, National Science Week has been celebrating the contribution of Australian scientists to the world, inspiring people to become fascinated by the world in which we live. This year, National Science Week was held across cities in Australia from August 16-24. The theme for 2008 National Science Week was ‘Planet Earth – Planet of Change’.
During National Science Week a number of videoconferences took place including Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy School NSW, and All Saints’ College in WA; which connected with scientists and researchers in the Australian Institute of Marine Science, University of Tasmania and Curtin University of Technology using loaned Polycom video units, and one of the schools participating through Polycom’s ANZ corporate headquarters in North Sydney. Polycom supported these schools and research agencies in linking through the AARNET Network.
The high-school students were given additional first-hand insight and real-world experience into a topic being studied in class. Through the provision of Polycom’s videoconferencing equipment, students could share their ideas and discuss their views with the researchers across Australia, without the need to travel between states. They also had the opportunity to interact with scientists in a way that they may not have been able to do without video conferencing. Each session lasted for approximately 40 minutes, with plenty of opportunity for active discussion, sharing content and learning.
“The purpose of these sessions is to increase the opportunities for school students as means of engaging with researchers and teachers worldwide and to provide the business case for high-speed IP access to schools,” said Mr. Chris Hancock, Chief Executive Officer of AARNET. “Reciprocally, the use of video conferencing makes it easier for researchers to participate in such sessions as the
burden of travel and time commitment is greatly reduced. We’re delighted and thankful to Polycom for their goodwill support in making this event a great success.”
“Videoconferencing is increasingly being adopted in schools and universities in Australia as a means of enabling students and teachers to tap into specialist teaching resources and content providers like Australian Institute of Marine Science, Curtin University of Technology and the University of Tasmania in Australia, and many others overseas,” said Mr. Michael Chetner, Country Manager Australia and New Zealand, Polycom. “As a result, teachers are able to enhance the quality and depth of their teaching programmes with specialist support, and students are able to expand and broaden their knowledge base through access to a vast network of resources worldwide – which helps prepare them for the global economy.”
He added” “Polycom runs a number of education programs that enable teachers to find appropriate content providers around the world, and introduce them to a network of teachers. We recently ran an event for educators at our office where they were able to experience a live interaction with the Cleveland Institute of Music in the US, and take a lesson from Japan in the intricacies of origami using high definition telepresence technologies.”
Polycom Global Education Programs
Polycom Content Searchable database: http://www.polycom.com/apac/en/solutions/industry_solutions/education/searchable_database.html
This free searchable content database offers educators worldwide access to more than 1,500 content providers, making available both ISDN- and IP-based video conferencing programs for the classroom.
Polycom Collaboration around the Planet:
http://www.polycom.com/apac/en/solutions/industry_solutions/education/programs_resources/collaboration_around_planet.html
This program is a large scale global directory and professional network of educators for video conferencing project collaboration. This directory will connect educators to increase videoconferencing utilisation, expand and enhance curriculum, provide access to global collaborations, and increase educational equity.