For
more information contact UAS Information Officer Kevin Myers at 796-6530
or by email.
|
Juneau
Campus Ketchikan
Campus Sitka
Campus |
May
21, 2004
UAS Bridging the Rural Early-Childhood Education Divide
The University of Alaska is creating ‘virtual classrooms’ to bring early childhood education to remote places in the State. Using a $1.5 million-dollar grant from the Federal Head Start Bureau, UAS is installing videoconferencing stations in places such as Sandpoint, Angoon, St. Mary’s and Metlakatla with the goal of installing 40 stations by September of ’04.
There are more than 200 Head Start Teachers enrolled in the Early Childhood Education Associate Degree program. University of Alaska Faculty from Juneau, Dillingham, Fairbanks and Bethel will deliver the content to students in their traditional classrooms as the sessions are simultaneously sent via videoconference to the virtual classrooms throughout the state.
“We have worked hard with many state, federal, and private entities to ensure the project’s success,” said Mark Thompson, Head Start Grant Technical Coordinator. “We would not have been able to do this without the help of many Alaska schools districts, internet service providers such as GCI and AT&T, and the State of Alaska’s e-rate coordinator, Della Matthis. The amount of resources needed and the complexities this project presents are enormous, but we are succeeding, thanks to the cooperation of everyone involved. This could be a very cost effective way to help meet other federal educational requirements in the schools. ”
“This grant has enhanced the quality of education we provide and brings many new opportunities to Head Start teachers throughout the state,” stated Margaret Grogan, Head Start Grant Manager. “We will be able to do things never possible in rural Alaska before, and the students are the ones who will benefit from it.”
Contacts: Margaret Grogan, Head Start Grant Manager: 208-562-0639 margaret.grogan@uas.alaska.edu
Mark Thompson, Head Start Grant Technical Coordinator: 465-8568: mark.Thompson@uas.alaska.edu
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