B4.Project Organization

B4.6 Follow-Up and Evaluation

Experience with the Carolinas Institute demonstrates the need and effectiveness of networked follow-up in the academic year following the workshops. Participating faculty members retain their computer accounts and use them to communicate with SCSI staff and one another and to access the computational resources made available through the Institute. We will expand our use of the network for follow-up and support using the same collaborative tools demonstrated during the summer, web-accessible, asynchronous discussion and collaboration tools such as webCaMILE from Ga. Tech. and NetLearningPlace from NCSA Participants also will be encouraged to communicate with scientific mentors, with other educators, and with members of the Advisory Committee. As part of this follow-up and support, Shodor will establish a moderated electronic news group to allow participants to comment and inquire about computational science topics in general and SCSI materials in particular. Monthly challenge problems will be collected or developed by Summer Institute staff and distributed to all participants. These problems provide fresh input and ideas on a regular basis throughout the academic year.

Throughout the year, examples will be collected to build computational case histories that will be used to improve materials in succeeding years. For evaluation purposes we also will keep track of: a) the number of computational science courses taught; b) the student enrollments in these courses; c) student surveys of the courses; d) the number of undergraduate research projects that arise from these courses or collaborative research projects that happen among participants; e) the anecdotal responses from the teaching faculty members; f) digital lab notebooks to promote portfolio-based assessments.

In addition, participants will be asked to attend one of the national conferences (e.g., upercomputing). Participants also will be encouraged to give talks and present papers about computational science and the application of computing in science, engineering and education.

Where necessary, on-campus visits will be arranged to provide assistance with implementing the lessons, developing a campus computing strategy, assessing the Internet connectivity needs and promoting interest in modeling and simulations. These trips will be undertaken by the Project Director or Co Director , or by one of the SCSI staff.