Volume 9, Number 1 • January/February 2001

Multimedia

Classroom of the Future Offers New Program–"Astronomy Village: Investigating the Solar System" is now available as a multimedia program supplement for current middle school science curricula. The program allows students to visit a virtual community and choose from one of two core research topics: "Search for Life" and "Mission to Pluto." Each investigation encourages students to participate in scientific inquiry individually or as members of a group. The software program allows the students to learn problem-solving skills along with the science lessons. Produced and developed by NASA’s Classroom of the Future (COTF), the project was developed with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and with additional support from NASA. The software evolved from "Astronomy Village: Investigating the Universe," a program that was released by the COTF in 1996.or more information or to obtain a copy of "Astronomy Village: Investigating the Solar System," contact the Center for Education Technologies at (304) 243-4416 or view the Web site at http://www.cotf.edu.

Events

The National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC) will hold the Summer Session of its annual Technology Commercialization Training Series June 4—7, 2001. The training will be held at the NTTC, located at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia. Courses scheduled for the summer session include Commercializing Technologies and Technology Assessment. Both courses include two days of instruction and continuing education credits are available. Course objectives for Commercializing Technologies include: defining technology transfer and technology commercialization; listing key pieces of legislation that promote technology transfer and commercialization; explaining the technology adoption lifecycle and why the commercialization of technology is important; outlining the steps in forming a commercialization team; defining the major elements of the commercialization process in the private sector; analyzing a technology, outlining the next stage in the commercialization process and listing solutions to obstacles to the commercialization of a sample technology; describing the elements of a commercialization plan; and developing a commercialization plan for a sample technology. Course objectives for Technology Assessment include: an introduction to technology assessment, concepts involved in researching commercial opportunities, portfolio review and technology inventory process, opportunity assessment, commercialization strategy, and technology assessment case study.or more information about the series, visit http://www.nttc.edu/train or call 1-800-678-NTTC (6882).