ALERT!! NASA Video Tape,

[Mike Eisenberg <mike@ERICIR.SYR.EDU>]

It's time to rally the troops - again.
You've simply got to see this video - and protest its message and approach.
We need HUNDREDS of school library media folks to tell NASA that they
have it all wrong

 - school librarians are LEADING their schools onto the Internet
 - it's not "the Net vs School Libraries" - the school library is a
concept, an approach - not just a physical place.
 - the school library encompasses any resource that is useful to students
and teachers.  That includes the net.

Please - get this tape and respond.  It's only our future that's at stake.

Mike
          *==========================================================*
          |       Mike Eisenberg   <mike@ericir.syr.edu>             |
          |      Professor, School of Information Studies            |
          | Director, ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology |
          |      Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244             |
          |      Phone: 315/443-4549   Fax: 315/443-5448             |
          *==========================================================*


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 1994 14:24:48 EST
From: Charles R. McClure <cmcclure@suvm.acs.syr.EDU>
To: Mike Eisenberg <mike@ericir.syr.edu>
Subject: NASA Video Tape, Global Quest: the Internet in the Classroom

Mike:

I just previewed a video tape "Global Quest: The Internet in the Classroom"
and could not believe the poor content and quality of the tape.  It was
done by NASA with, apparently, George Lucas Foundation money or support.
While I certainly am pleased to see that NASA is interested in
instructional support materials related to K-12 and the Internet,
this 12 minute video _never_ should have been released in its current
condition for the following reasons:

o  It never explains what exactly the Internet is and how it works;
doesn't place the Internet development in the larger NII and
Goals 2000 context.

o  A number of "shots" are leveled at the school media center, one
especially bad scene shows a kid getting very outdated material in
the school media library indicating how out  of it the library is,
then flashing to an example of Very current stuff you can get on the
Internet.

o  examples of COLLABORATION between the teachers and the librarians
in the development of Internet programs and services are not given;
the librarians are either excluded from the scenes or shown to be
operating a "horse and buggy" collection not wired to anywhere.

o  the applications mentioned do not get to the point of the real
importance and power of the Internet for Instruction, the need to
promote network literacy, and challenges at the local community
level about getting support for the networked classroom.

o  key issues of how to get trained and educated -- to say nothing about
getting connected are ignored; is connection and training to occur
by magic?

o there are numerous gratuitious shots of neat NASA stuff on the
net but less said  of the broad range of neat kids' programming and
and resources that can be used _now_ in K-12 instruction.  No
mention of stuff, for example from Scholastic, that is much more
useful in instruction than examples used in the video.

o  an accompanying print guide, "Internet Background Information"
is more useful than the video but leaves alot to be desired in
terms of uses and applications as it takes a FAQ approach; the
external sources for additional information are current and good.
The format and appearance of the thing, however, is terrible
and offers one of the most unappealing print "guides" I have
encountered. With _minimal_ effort the thing could have been put
in pagemaker or something decent.   UGH!

I could go on with specifics but you get the drift by now.

The developers of this tape have done a severe disservice by
releasing this video tape.  In the process they are likely to have
outraged the school/media folks.  Further, my experience is that it
oftentimes is the school media folks who are on the cutting edge
of applying Internet to instruction in the schools.

The tape was produced by Wade Sisler, et al. Imaging Technology
Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000.
It is distributed for $10 by NASA's Central Operation of Resources
for Educators, Lorain County JVS, 15181 Route 58 South, Oberlin
Ohio, 44074 [216-774-1051].  We were told to direct any comments
to Jennifer Sellers of Sterling Software <sellers@guest.arc.nasa.gov>.

LM neters may want to check this out for themselves, but I personally
find the tape to be highly objectionable and an insult to the
school media profession.  The NASA producers would have profited
immeasurably by having someone such as yourself, Mike, advise them
on what IS happening in K-12 and the role that the school media folks
are playing in bringing the Internet to the classroom!


Chuck

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*                                                                       *
*  Dr. Charles R. McClure          Internet: cmcclure@suvm.acs.syr.edu  *
*  School of Information Studies   Bitnet:   cmcclure@suvm.bitnet       *
*  Center for Sci. & Tech., 4-206  Voice:    315-443-2911               *
*  Syracuse University             Fax:      315-443-5806               *
*  Syracuse, NY  13244-4100  USA                                        *
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