The Solar Powered Car Project
Focus and Purpose
The Solar Powered Car Project would use distance learning technologies such as satellite, fiberoptic, ISDN, and Internet web
resources to expose schools to the work of The Solar Car Team from Columbus North High School. This program will be
interdisciplinary have value for many areas of learning. The projects will particularly play attention to the mathematics, geography,
physics, and business as it pertains to the solar car team.
Program Design
The pre event activities, on the connections from Columbus, for participating schools will use problem-solving skills using
information that the solar car team has in a database. Schools will interact by responding to questions related to certain aspects of
the solar car as well as asking questions of the solar car team. Post activities would include a questionnaire that would list the
strengths and weakness for future programming. This would allow for evaluation of each program to take place for future
references.
Program One will be a live satellite broadcast from Australia in which students would be able to ask questions to the team in Australia via phone, fax, and e-mail. The main emphasis will be on the race in Australia and its major comments. This would include race strategies and information used during the process to do the race.
Program Two will deal with how a school could get involved with solar car activities. This will expose schools to how the project was developed, what skills are and community support needed and what steps are necessary to start a project of this nature. Subject areas that will be addressed are technology, business, mathematics, design, science, and physics.
Program Three would involve the mechanics of the solar car. Schools will be exposed to the basic operation and construction of the solar car. Design features will be discussed in the program and how they have made improvements based on their race experience. This program would also benefit schools that have tried to do some solar car activities. The major areas that were listed in program two would also be used for program three.
Program Four would deal with the economics of the solar car. Students from business, marketing, and economics would be the main target audience. Community partners that were involved with this on the solar car team will be utilized in the presentation of this program. Students that participate will have information ahead of time that will enable them to prepare questions and answers on how to work with the community partners.
Population/Project Reach and Benefit
The Solar Car Team is made up of students from four counties that would include Jackson, Decatur, Brown and Bartholomew
County Schools. Students range from ninth grade to seniors. The subject areas are traditional vocational classes that C-4
students take. The social economical backgrounds range from the lower end of social status to the upper middle class. The target
audience will be all distance learning schools that are interested in solar car creation. These schools could use many areas of
learning to highlight the Australia trip and winning a National Championship. The program would like to reach other states that do
not have a great variety of programming schedules. This would showcase Indiana as a distance learning resource for other states.
It also demonstrates the power of applied project based learning. On the most local level it also increases awareness of DL within
the Columbus and surrounding Southern Indiana Region. This will be well attended locally as well as being financed locally by many organizations and businesses in Columbus. These programs will give the C-4 vocational program wide
local and national recognition.
Community Partners
The Solar Car Team is responsible for the construction and strategy of racing. However, they have mentors and sponsors from the
business community such as Commins Engine, Schwinn Bicycle, Arvin Electronics, and Alcola Aluminum. They serve as comminity
partners with financial and personnel support. The corporate sponsors are going to participate in the sessions that invlve the
project development. This will demonstrate how schools and businesses can work together in a constructive manner that will
benefit communities which are looking to explore these kinds of collaborations. There is strong community support as indicated by
the $6,000 grant, courtesy of the City of Columbus, for the satellite broadcast.
Technology Training
The students will be given training on the equipment and techniques necessary to deliver the content of the programs effectively.
This will be done with the support of DIAL Consortium Coordinator Dave Bartlett working with Ron Novak, C-4 teach at Columbus
North High School. Development of the programs will also incorporate the feedback that is gathered by the students from the
previous connections. This will aid in the improvement of the programs as they continue.
Project Evaluation
The Project will be evaluated by means of gathering feedback, from the schools involved, and soliciting their responses to the
effectiveness of certain aspects of the program and how they can help meet objectives that the schools are looking for. It also will
look to evaluate the model of having classes prepare answers to questions submitted by the Solar Car Team prior to connections.
The evaluation will help determine whether this is an effective technique in increasing the level of interaction and learning during
these sessions. It finally will try to assess the level of community impact by recording incidents of improved support within the
schools that have participated. The summary of the evaluations can be documented by written forms and video tape recordings.
These will be submitted with the final write up.
Project Dissemination
This project will be shared in several ways. It will have schools involved in both interactive and broadcast modes. It also will have
high visibility in the local community by press and on the local cable channel that will carry the live broadcast from Australia. The
satellite broadcast will also be carried by the IHETS system. The program will be accessed out of state as well as by means of
satellite and ISDN Gateways. Since the project has recognition outside the DL environment it will help increase awareness in areas
that might otherwise need exposure to DL technology. We chose carefully how to disseminate program information to areas that
had the most direct interest in Solar Cars. By using web resources we were able to target "hot spots" of interest the nation.
Project Timeline
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Created: Apr. 4.2000 Last updated: Apr. 4,2000. Comment to Dave Bartlett.