Connecting Learning Communities with Resources Nationwide
Through the work of the Internet2 K20 Initiative, local, regional, and nationwide high-performance networks increasingly are becoming a pervasive educational resource, connecting diverse communities of learners to the remarkable resources of the nation’s museums, science and cultural centers, and libraries. At the end of 2004, the Internet2 K20 Initiative included 34 states, connecting over 27,000 K-20 organizations—schools, community colleges, museums, libraries, and science centers—that are part of the state education networks participating in the Internet2 Abilene Network’s Sponsored Education Group Participant (SEGP) program. The SEGP program enables institutions such as elementary and secondary schools to access rich online resources at a diverse set of educational institutions with compelling resources and expertise, such as the Exploratorium in San Francisco..
During 2004, the Internet2 K20 Initiative updated the connectivity survey of participating states conducted during 2002. The survey provides a high-level view of connectivity and enabling technologies within each SEGP state, as well as an aggregate view of the entire SEGP program. Since the last survey in 2002, the number of organizations connecting via the SEGP program increased from 9600 to over 27,000 with the highest growth occurring in the K-12 community.
The K20 Initiative continued to develop a multi-faceted communications strategy to communicate innovative activities across growing SEGP community. For example, the K20 Initiative website now offers individuals the ability to find others with similar interests across the broad K20 community, to search for projects that meet defined criteria, and to post project descriptions aimed at helping others discover and participate in a K20 project.
The K20 Initiative is also engaged various communities of interest through workshops that explored how advanced networks and applications will impact various aspects of formal and informal education in schools, museums, libraries, science and cultural centers. Internet2 Member Meetings provided a forum to showcase the advanced networking activities of community colleges, baccalaureate and comprehensive colleges and universities, libraries and museums, and zoos and aquariums.
To support the creation of statewide K20 networking capabilities with an eye towards future participation, the K20 Initiative also worked during 2004 to engage states not currently participating in the SEGP program. Of particular interest were those identified by National Institutes of Health or National Science Foundation programs. States that have been engaged initially include Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Idaho.