Development of a Rural Networking Infrastructure in Support of Systemic Change in Mathematics and Science Education: The Network Montana Project One Year Planning Grant

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9454691 Thomas Network Montana is a collaborative, systemic research and development project constituting Montana's response to NSF's Networking Infrastructure for Education (NIE) RFP #94-5. The goal of the NSF/NIE program is to build synergy between technology and educational researchers, developers, and implementers in the use of network and telecommunications technologies in education, with a particular focus on the development of flexible, sustainable approaches to network infrastructure. This proposal seeks funding for a one-year planning grant aimed at developing a systemic approach to K-16 networking in Montana. The partners in this enterprise will include teachers, administrators, and researchers from the state's educational system, leaders in state government, and individuals from a variety of community, professional, and private sector organizations. Commitments of talent and resources from all partners will be focused on the development of a lasting infrastructure capable of supporting the development of a variety of educational telecommunications services. Specifically, at the end of the planning period, the Network Montana Project will: 1. Define a state-wide coalition of partners from academia, government, and the private sector responsible for directing a wide variety of K-16 educational networking activities during the period of NSF/NIE funding and in subsequent projects; 2. Make use of Montana Information Services Division (ISD) leased lines and Big Sky Telegraph capabilities to pilot Internet access for select K-12 schools and their local libraries; 3. Encourage and facilitate long-term partnerships with computer equipment and software manufacturers, aerospace industries, and other private sector organizations interested in educational reform; 4. Facilitate cooperative partnerships with NASA, NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey and other national and international scientific organizatio ns; 5. Cooperate with and support a number of nationally significant mathematics and science education projects already underway in Montana; 6. Focus on the development of educational and informational resources deliverable over the Internet and of interest to Montanans of all ages, and; 7. Develop a position paper on the networking implications for mathematics and science education reform. The foundation of the Network Montana Project is cooperation and collaboration. All major organizations and institutions involved with mathematics education, science education, telecommunications, or networking across Montana are participants in this planning grant. Industry support from TCI, Digital Equipment Corporation, Microsoft, Square One TV and others also plays a significant role.