News release from IPFW:
ACELINK brings free experts and enrichment to Allen County classrooms
Free access to live interactive video conferences from providers around the world
(November 19, 2014) — Remember the days of school field trips? Entire grades would pile on the bus and enjoy a long day at a park or learning about health issues at the nearest educational service center or museum. Since the onset of school budget cuts, those field trips are rarely possible to the extent that they once were. IPFW/ACELINK, a consortium between IPFW, Bishop Dwenger High School, East Allen County Schools, Fort Wayne Community Schools, Northwest Allen County Schools, and Southwest Allen County Schools, is ready to step in and save the day.
Thanks to IPFW and ACELINK, students in Allen County have the opportunity to participate in live, interactive video conference programs without ever leaving the classroom.
Program content ranges from creating a shadow puppet with Pre-K students to high school students observing a live knee surgery. The possibilities are endless. Since 2005, IPFW ACELINK has provided over 2,500 live interactive programs for Allen County students at no cost to the educator.
Here is an example of a recent video conference program for a local high school:
Just how impossible is it to do two (or more) things at once and still be an effective driver? David Ward from McMillen Center for Health Education led students through a series of hands-on activities to help them discovered the answer for themselves.
In one activity, students were organized into four-person “cars.” The student playing the role of “driver” held a piece of paper as if it were a steering wheel. The big screen in the front of the classroom showed a realistic driving course for the driver to follow by turning the paper right and left.
The three other students were passengers riding with the driver. One passenger gave the driver math problems to do on a calculator—while still driving. The second passenger asked the driver a stream of mundane questions (when are we going to be there, can we stop at a bathroom, what grade did you get on the test, etc…). The third passenger read to the driver.
To measure how effective the students were at focusing on more than one thing at a time, the students in each car were asked to yell stop when they saw a hazard such as a pedestrian, stop light, road construction, etc. Although the students avoided most of the hazards, their experience in the activity tangibly showed them how much they miss when distracted. Ward reinforced the point, reminding them that it only takes one accident to change their lives forever.
For more information about scheduling a program, please contact Jason Habisch at habischj@ipfw.edu or Faith Simpson at simpsonf@ipfw.edu or check out the IPFW ACELINK website.
About IPFW
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), is the largest university in northeast Indiana, offering more than 200 prestigious Indiana University and Purdue University degrees and certificates. More than 13,000 students of diverse ages, races, and nationalities belong to the IPFW family. The 688-acre campus in Fort Wayne is home to over 9,900 degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students. Through IPFW’s partnerships with area high schools, almost 3,300 high school students take dual credit courses, simultaneously earning both high school and college credits. IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Learn more about us at ipfw.edu.
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