The North American Network of Science Labs Online (NANSLO) has been awarded a grant from Next Generation Learning Challenges, an initiative working to improve U.S. college readiness and completion, especially among low-income individuals, by identifying and accelerating the growth of effective education technology. The 15-month project, funded at just under $750,000 and including a consortium of institutions in the Western U.S. and Canada, aims to add a powerful new component to online science courses: students will have access to a remotely located science lab and the ability to control remote instrumentation, allowing them to perform experiments, practice scientific observation, and conduct data analysis, as students in classroom-based courses do. WICHE is the fiscal agent and coordinating partner for the grant. Other partners are BCcampus, a consortium of 25 postsecondary institutions in British Columbia, Colorado Community College System (CCCS), Colorado School of Mines, Montana State University Bozeman, Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology, University of Wyoming, and Laramie County Community College. Representatives from these institutions will serve on the NANSLO advisory board and discipline panels.

June 2011  | Share this on Twitter | Post this on Facebook