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UPDATE # 3 - November 12, l997 PART 1: Date Change: Web chat with Louis Ostrach DATE CHANGE: WEB CHAT WITH LOUIS OSTRACH
Please make a note: the Web chat with Louis Ostrach has been changed to
Wednesday, November 19 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time
This is a good time to ask about the science of Neurolab and the delicate
job of orchestrating a complex, international mission. In Louis' words,
"I'm supposed to understand what it is the scientists are planning to do,
how it is they're planning to do it, and why it is important from a
scientific as well as an Earth benefits perspective." Join us!
Go to: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/neuron/chats
WHAT IS A WEB CHAT ANYWAY?
A Web chat is a real, live way to connect with an expert at NASA. That's
right! A NASA expert is online with you, answering your questions and
just plain chatting by keyboard in real time. I'm excited about the
opportunity this offers the classroom, so I wanted to devote this
"Updates" just to Web chats.
We had our first NeurOn Web chat today with Duncan Atchison. I learned
several things about classroom participation in Web chats that I hadn't
known:
1. Some people register and then don't show up. I was a teacher. I
understand that your schedule can sometimes become scrambled by the
"greater good" of the school as a whole. What I learned was that it would
help to send you a confirmation a day or two ahead to jog your memory and
make it easier to let us know if you won't be able to join us.
2. Some people ask a question and then "disappear." Chatting online is
much like a telephone conversation (a little slower and you're typing
instead of talking). You wouldn't call someone, ask a question and then
hang up, would you? Please stick around and chat! I know that classes are
rarely scheduled to accommodate a one-hour, on the hour chat so it would
be unrealistic to expect a class for the entire hour. We understand that.
So, come when you can; leave when you must, but while you're there, let's
converse.
3. Some people forget that when we schedule in Pacific Standard Time, you
have to calculate for your time zone. In other words, Louis' 10:00 a.m.
chat on Wednesday will be at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Please let me know what we can do to make these NeurOn Chats
really work for you and your students by emailing me at:
lindac@quest.arc.nasa.gov
HOW HARD IS IT TO REGISTER?
I know. It bugs me too when I want to try something new on the Web
so I go to the link and the first thing I'm asked to do is to expose
myself by registering. But for the Web chats it's important so that you
are served well. It really is easy and just has to be done once!
When you first go to the link marked: ***Register here for this chat.***
you will have the option of choosing:
I have never registered for any chat before or
I have registered for another chat and remember my name and
password
The first time only, you will be asked for a name, address - the usual
kind of stuff, and then you will be asked to set a password. The password
will be your key to enter this and future chats. The second option is
simply to let us know you'll be there and how many we can count on.
If you'll take the time to do this ahead of time, it'll be a piece of
cake!
WHO IS LOUIS OSTRACH?
I'm glad you asked! This is what we want you to know about each time you
are going to join a chat so that we can use the expert's time wisely. The
answer can be found on our team page at:
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/neuron/team
But since it's pertinent to this upcoming chat, let me excerpt some of
Louis' bio here for you:
My Career Journey
I actually have always been interested in biology. I think probably the
earliest application of that interest was when I got my first aquarium
when I was eight years old. From that point I was always interested and
spent time exploring the animal and plant world. I took every opportunity
that was made available in school and outside of school to study
biological sciences, and in college that actually led me to take advantage
of an opportunity for independent studies with a terrific professor where
I learned the methods and the stategy of doing basic biomedical research
experiments.
As a child I spent a lot of time outside looking, watching,
exploring the environment, primarily at that time on my bicycle. I
would go out in fields and watch birds and insects: just watch and
wonder about them. I would read books on science and biology,
and when I would find questions that the books were raising or
that I discovered myself out in the field, I'd bring those questions
to the science teachers who I had, and they helped steer me along
quite well.
On the subject of hobbies:
I maintain aquariums with all different kinds of habitats. I try to
duplicate natural habitats inside of an aquarium. In our house we
have aquariums with tropical fish, with goldfish. We have a boa
constrictor. We have four turtles. We have birds. We have toads.
We have geckos. We have dogs. I think it's important to say, we
never capture and keep wild animals. We only keep animals that
are bred for living in confinement. We like to watch nature
outside.
DRY RUN, JUST FOR FUN
Ok, enough theory. Let's practice a little. I will be "opening" Louis' chat room on Tuesday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time and will hang around until 11:00. Register, if you've not done it before, and chat with me. I have no agenda. I just want you to see how easy it is. Ask me a question, get an answer; react to my answer; disagree with me; you know, chat! Don't worry. I'll clear the room before Wednesday's chat. No one will know you were there! Remember: Start at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/neuron/chats Find the expert chat with Louis Ostrach and give it a whirl. See you there I hope! SUBSCRIBING & UNSUBSCRIBING: HOW TO DO IT! If this is your first message from the updates-nrn list, welcome! To catch up on back issues, please visit the following Internet URL: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/neuron/updates To subscribe to the updates-nrn mailing list (where this message came from), send a message to: listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov In the message body, write these words: subscribe updates-nrn CONVERSELY... To remove your name from the updates-nrn mailing list, send a message to: listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov In the message body, write these words: unsubscribe updates-nrn If you have Web access, please visit our "continuous construction" site at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/neuron
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