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"Have you seen a spaceship?" Students talk to an Astronaut live during a Polycom APAC Special Event

by Polycom Employee LynnetteW ‎10-16-2011 05:44 PM - edited ‎10-16-2011 05:44 PM

 

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Hans Schelgel, Astronaut - LIVE from Victoria Space Science Education Centre, Victoria - Australia 7 October, 2011.

 

What is the number one question every student wants to know when talking to an Astronaut? Yes..you are right - "Have you seen any evidence of extra-terristrial life in space?" The official answer - Hans Schegel, European Space Agency Astronaut and NASA Mission Speciaist responded with was, "I can not confirm or deny the evidence of life on other planets"  all 68 students and five teachers/staff, who gathered via videoconference on 7th October, laughed.

 

68 students in total; Six students from Wellington Girls Grammar (New Zealand), 24 from Cleveland District High School (QLD, Australia), 23 from St Aidan's Girls Grammar, (QLD, Australia), and 15 from The Hutchins School (Tasmania, Australia) chatted with Mr Schelgel.about life in space is like, what it's like to float around in zero gravity, what food tasted like in space and learn about a career as an Astronaut and Mission Specalist.

 

As well, 700 NSW Teachers who attended the SMART Conference, were treated to the ability to watch this event live at the Polycom stand.

 

Science Classes were able to enrich their space curriculum not reading, or watching a video, but interactively collaborating with other schools and ask questions of Mr Schelgel.

 

Our next Polycom APAC Special Event is17-21 October for WORLD SPACE WEEK where students and teachers will be connecting to Space Presenters via Victoria Space Science Education Centre; NASA, European Space Agency, SETI (Space Extra Terristrial Institute) and Astrium, will be presenting.

 


 

Comments
by Polycom Employee MP on ‎10-20-2011 08:37 PM
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What an amazing event! I am so pleased that we had the magnitude of expertise that was shared and I am even more grateful that some of them were willing to get up in the middle of the night to serve children half way around the world from them.

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About the Author
  • Lynnette Whitfield Director, Asia Pacific (APAC), Education Industry Solutions With over 13 years in the Unified Collaborations industry, Lynnette is responsible for driving strategic business and academic initiatives and solutions for educational institutions. Based in Melbourne-Australia, Ms. Whitfield assists educational institutions across Asia Pacific to transform the way they teach, communicate and collaborate by leveraging Polycom’s high-quality voice and visual communications. Lynnette also spearheads two divisions; Polycom’s APAC Content Provider Program (where she recruits, and develops Museums, Zoo’s and Science Technology Centres who offer programs to K-12 schools) and Polycom APAC Special Events program which in 2011 offers over curriculum based programs for schools across Asia Pacific.
  • Marci Powell is Global Director for Education at Polycom and Chair Emerita and Past President of the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). Powell is a classroom teacher, administrator, and industry expert in the field of educational technology with extensive experience in applications related to lifelong learning and innovation. She serves as an advisor to public and private sectors in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific sharing global best practices and trends in education as a fellow educator and futurist. Her articles on distance learning have appeared in publications such as USA Today and has been quoted in numerous publications such as Financial Times, University Business Magazine, and Auckland Herald.
  • Elaine Shuck, with a background in technology, curriculum, and integration, is the Director of Education for Polycom. She is a leader in collaborative learning and interactive videoconferencing. For sixteen years she has brought stimulating and engaging learning opportunities to K-20 classrooms. Her work ranges from hands-on demonstrations to educators, to reaching out to Polycom’s corporate partners, to facilitating hybrid solutions that enhance education and training. Prior to Polycom, Ms. Shuck was Director of South Dakota’s Interactive Videoconferencing Smart Centers. She also served as distance learning coordinator for South Dakota Public Schools where she consulted on distance learning programs, medical education, and corporate training segments at hundreds of sites statewide. Elaine is an expert in her field and a frequent speaker. Audiences around the world – both face-to-face and through videoconferencing – respond enthusiastically to Ms. Shuck’s lively style, technical mastery, and commitment to learning. She has designed and implemented programs that inspire faculty and students as they interact with world-class luminaries in medicine, education, or noteworthy events. Her work has garnered major awards from the International Society for Technology in Education and the US Distance Learning Association (USDLA). An authority on social and connective media, collaborative learning, and best practices in distance learning, Elaine works with a host of educational groups and serves on the USDLA Board of Directors