Note October 1999

Autumn Greetings!

We are entering the final phase of the BioBLAST^Ž project. This final phase includes the distribution, support and enhancement, and on-going evaluation of the program. We want to keep you informed of these activities as they affect you.

Distribution
The CD-ROM which you helped us create is being commercially distributed through Wheeling Jesuit University, NASA CORE and the Educational Software Institute (ESI), an on-line educational software resource center. Many of you have already received a copy of the CD-ROM. Others will very soon. Please let us know what you think of the final, packaged material!

Support and Enhancement
As I mentioned in previous email, we are working on adding samples of student work and teacher syllabi, etc. to the BioBLAST Website. We haven't much funding to support this process, so we are doing this as our schedule permits. We will use the listserv to post announcements about new additions as they are posted. Technical support is available from the Web at: http://www.cotf.edu/BioBLAST/techsupport.htm. You can also call us at 304/243-2388 with questions, or email bbteam@cet.edu.

In addition, we want to support your activities to present BioBLAST to fellow teachers at local, regional, and national conferences. Peggy Kahlstorf will be presenting with Meri Cummings at the National Association of Biology Teachers conference. Please let us know about inservice and other professional presentations where you would like to present BioBLAST so we can provide materials or other support.

Evaluation
We need to continue to receive your feedback about the program to let our NASA funders know how, where, and by whom our program is being used. The Web-based teacher form is designed to provide us with a lot of good information about how BioBLAST is being used and to give teachers a vehicle to share their views regarding the value of the program. We ask that every teacher who used BioBLAST between October 1, 1998 and September 30, 1999 complete this Web-based form. Please take 5 to 10 minutes to do this.

* BioBLAST Curriculum Teacher Form:

For the 1999 - 2000 academic year, please use the same Web-based teacher report form and have your students use this student report form to provide on-going feedback.

* BioBLAST Curriculum Student Form

We will be keeping you posted regarding upcoming BioBLAST events and related NASA activities. We want to hear from you!

Best regards,

--Laurie--

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