Long Branch School
After introducing all of the sites to Congressman Rose there was an opportunity for each group to tell the Congressman a little bit about what they had been doing with the Internet and about some of the Global Schoolhouse Project activities. Each school related many interesting activities.
Thomas Jefferson students explained how they were conducting energy consumption surveys among families at their school and graphing the results. Students also explained how they were searching the Internet to locate information regarding various energy sources.
Springman students in Illinois told Mr. Rose about a recent videoconference they held with their weather cluster and their local channel 2 meteorologist, Mr. Harry Volkman.
Ken Hartman in Iowa explained how his high school chemistry students used the CU-SeeMe program to show others what they were doing in the lab.
Students in Oceanside explained how they utilized the Internet during a recent career education activity.
Students at Canyon Crest told Congressman Rose about a recent natural disaster in their area - a microburst. Then they helped the Congressman understand what a microburst was and how it differed from a tornado. Since the Weather Cluster group had just conducted a video conference the previous week with Mr. Steve Ambrose, co-founder of International Weather Watchers, and found out information about microbursts they were very expert at giving their explanation.
George Brett and Jane Smith at CNIDR shared information about their role with the Global Schoolhouse teachers and told Congressman Rose about the support and training they provide. They also informed the Congressman of other models and programs which were operating in North Carolina. Jane Smith, from CNIDR invited the Congressman to a videoconference with some of the North Carolina Internet users. Congressman Rose responded by saying that he would like to do that and to also further the use of this videoconferencing capability to all members of Congress so they could keep in touch with their districts from their offices on the Hill.
Mr. Rose had Cheryl Mendons from his office explain that there is a T1 line now installed on the Hill which is used for video to permit witnesseses from out of the area to testify before the chairmen of committees. She said there will soon be a studio which will be wired for dial-up capability. She also noted that the technical staff at the House is hoping to put a technology lab on the desktop to facilitate communication.
When Congressman Rose was asked about email use in the House he said that all members of Congress have email, however many are just using the in-house system. Jack Belcher of the House Technical staff said that members and senators are starting to request email accounts on the Internet and that their accounts are being put into place. He also said that any member of Congress can receive email through a general account at this time.
When asked about the future of the use of the Internet in education and how he would like to see it used, Congressman Rose said we should use our imagination. That our goal should be for faster and more efficient communication. Congress wants more and better opinions from people all across our nation - from the average citizen. He feels the use of the Internet is one way to facilitate that type of input. He urged all of the Global Schoolhouse participants to write to their Congressional Representatives and let them know about the things they are doing and tell them that they feel it is important to provide this type of connectivity to the resources of the Internet to all schools. He told students to let their representatives know that they had spoken with him over the Internet using CUSee-Me and to tell them they would like the opportunity to speak with others from Congress and interact with them as well.
When asked by an Arlington student how he became interested in technology, Mr. Rose said he had been interested since he was in elementary school. Then he took classes in physics, biology and chemistry and he has continued that interest throughout his life and seeks out science and technology information. He told us it is good to know and appreciate a lot about the technology but it is even better to figure out how technology can be used to help people do something they need to do better. He said you can let others tell you what they want technology to do or you can look around you in the world, and see places where things can be done better if the technology was applied. Then you can be a "technology integrator" and move technology out into society to make things happen out in the world.
As Congressman Rose left he told those of us at Long Branch how impressed he was with the conference and also amazed that many of the students and teachers had come in early or come in on a day after their schools were out for the year to talk with him. He instructed members of his staff to find out more about what we were doing and how the House might get involved with the videoconferencing the way he saw it being done at Long Branch with the GSH Project.