Mid-South Instructional Technology
Conference 1999
Proposal #35

Title: Satellite Outreach Program to Rural K-12 Schools

Names: Charles H. Frost, John Sanborn, Stacey Borasky

Aud_Level: All

Length: 60 minutes

Description: Last year, MTSU received a USDA grant to install a distance learning network at MTSU and K-12 schools in six middle Tennessee counties. The distance learning network includes satellite uplink capability at two locations at MTSU and satellite downlink capability at six rural school sites. Additionally, desktop video-conferencing equipment was installed at the two MTSU sites and the six school sites. The main purpose of the USDA distance learning is to provide educational programming for K-12 students, teachers, and parents. Ten sessions over the system, each by a different team of MTSU professors, during the 1998-99 academic year, were planned. Depending on the goals of the presenters, each of these ten sessions might be only one satellite broadcast or a series of broadcasts.

This paper describes one of those sessions and how the presenters utilized college students, trips to the schools, dramatic videotapes, and video-conferencing to create a learning environment that was vital, interactive, and utilized simulations. The three person team that developed the session were all social work professors experienced at working with clients who were dealing with problems related to substance abuse and violent anti-social behavior. The following steps were taken in implementing the program:

• A satellite broadcast to the six schools was conducted with the teachers from the six schools during which the problems they faced were elicited and our ideas as to how we might address them were discussed.
• We trained college students in these concern areas, took the college students to the K-12 schools, where the college and K-12 students interacted and discussed the issues, and videotaped these discussion sessions.
• We then edited and utilized the videotapes in the satellite broadcasts to the six K-12 schools.
• In addition to the new videotapes, we also utilized five other tapes dealing with substance abuse and violence, that had been previously produced, to engage the students in simulations during the satellite broadcasts.

Abstract: MTSU has created a satellite based, interactive, distance education relationship with six rural K-12 schools in Middle Tennessee. The presenters will discuss how they used college students, visits with the K-12 schools, dramatic simulations, and video-conferencing to engage both the K-12 students and their teachers in a learning process dealing with substance abuse and anger management.

Preferred Track: Track 4

Session Type: Lecture/Presentation

Address:
Middle Tennessee State University
PO Box 139
Murfreesboro, Tn 37132

Affiliation: MTSU Social Work Department

Equipment: Television monitor and vcr.

Email: jsanborn@frank

Phone: 2477

Audience: General

Fax: 5428

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