May 7, 2009

Electronic field trip brings science education to students

Through the wonders of technology, students will interactively visit Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue Agriculture and Discovery Learning Center at Purdue, where they'll learn about the similarities and differences between humans and animals.

"We're All Animals," the 45-minute live program on Sept. 17, is the first Purdue zipTrips electronic field trip. The program begins at 9:30 a.m. EDT.

"We're trying to engage kids in science and make science experiences at Purdue more widely available to schools that might not be able to visit us in person," said Carol McGrew, zipTrips project manager in Purdue's Department of Agricultural Communication. "Through zipTrips, we're offering schools an alternative to traditional field trips and helping them stretch their limited resources."

Sixth-grade teachers at public, private and home schools with Internet access are invited to register their classes for the September zipTrips program. Registration is free. To register, visit the zipTrips Web site at https://www.purdue.edu/ziptrips. In addition to the live program, teachers can receive optional classroom-based curriculum and activities.

"We're All Animals" can be viewed on Indiana Public Broadcasting stations that carry the program, or via Web and Internet protocol videoconferencing.

The program will feature scientists from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Purdue Agriculture. Student viewers will learn about the work they do and be able to ask questions during the show via e-mail, McGrew said.

"In this first show we'll compare the body systems of kids and animals," she said. "We'll talk about bones and body movement. The centerpiece will be Laurent Couëtil and his horse treadmill."

Couëtil, a professor of large animal medicine and director of Purdue's Equine Sports Medicine Center, specializes in equine exercise physiology and the early detection and treatment of respiratory disease in athletic horses.

ZipTrips is a five-year project made possible by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue Agriculture and the Discovery Learning Center. Additional project partners include the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System, Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations Inc., and Video and Multimedia Services from Information Technology at Purdue.

Those partners worked with an advisory board of 14 middle school teachers and four administrators from four Indiana school corporations on a "We're All Animals" pilot program this past November.

Over the next two years, zipTrips electronic field trips will be added for seventh- and eighth-graders, McGrew said.

"There's a big push statewide to prepare students for STEM careers - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - and zipTrips supports that goal," McGrew said. "These programs are being developed according to Indiana and national academic standards.

"While zipTrips is aimed at Indiana students, these programs could potentially reach students beyond our state, as well."

For more information about zipTrips and to preview a live show, visit the zipTrips Web site.

Writer: Steve Leer, 765-494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu

Source: Carol McGrew, 765-494-8400, camcgrew@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Steve Leer, sleer@purdue.edu
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