STI: The Strategic Technology Astronomy Research Team (START) Collaboratory: Broadening Participation in Authentic Astronomy Research

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The START Collaboratory will provide portals to data archives and analysis tools, observation tools and resources, a collaborative framework that encourages interactive online research communities, and the training and support infrastructure needed for participants to effectively apply tools, resources and techniques. The START Collaboratory will bring authentic, cutting-edge scientific research to classrooms across the country, allowing students to contribute genuine results to the astronomy research community. The Strategic Technology Astronomy Research Team (START) brings together three current projects, each of which has created well tested, extensively used Web-based tools. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey / National Virtual Observatory offers Web-based archive research tools, Hands-On Universe has extensive experience helping and supporting high school teachers and students become involved in authentic astronomy research, and the Collaboratory Project provides a Web-based collaborative-learning environment. All partners have extensive experience working with students and teachers, and with developing training programs and workshops. Some of the planned tools exist now in a limited way as part of START.s partner projects, and others will be written during the term of this grant. These tools, developed by the START partners, can easily be scaled up and adapted into tools for the research community with the advent of the NVO. In the START Collaboratory, students will search massive archives of real astronomy data, will request and obtain time on a worldwide network of telescopes, and will collaborate with fellow student researchers and professional scientists as they evaluate problems to pursue, coordinate research, analyze data, and report their results to a worldwide community. The START Collaboratory will provide lasting benefits to both students and the scientific community.