Live Dive Links Students to Underwater World of the Channel Islands

Date: June 11, 2008
Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

The Channel Islands Live Dive season kicks off today when over 120 sixth grade students from Blackstock Junior High School in Oxnard interact with divers underwater 14 miles offshore at Anacapa Island in Channel Islands National Park.

The Live Dive interactive program will be broadcast in real time at 1:00 p.m. from the remote island to the eager students at Blackstock, allowing them to experience a rare glimpse into a seldom seen marine ecosystem without getting wet. The students will “accompany” trained park divers on an underwater journey into the kelp forest.

Live Dive programs are broadcast in real time every Tuesday through Thursday at 2:00 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day via microwave wireless technology to Channel Islands National Park mainland visitor center at in the Ventura Harbor. This fall the programs will be available for the public to experience via the Internet.
 
This live program is sponsored by Channel Islands National Park and Ventura County Office of Education as part of Channel Islands Live. This distance learning project connects students and the public to the remote resources of Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary through live interdisciplinary, curriculum-based educational programs and webcam broadcasts.

Established through a partnership between the National Park Service and Ventura County Office of Education, Channel Islands Live is an innovative way to bring live science and research to students. The program has exceptional educational importance as research shows that students better understand key science concepts through multimedia and interdisciplinary approaches.

This project is part of a larger effort on the part of Ventura County Office of Education to utilize 21st century technology to provide students from throughout the county’s 21 school districts with authentic, place-based learning opportunities that enhance their educational development.

For more Channel Islands Live information, please download the PDF files below. These file requires Adobe Reader. Please click here to download Adobe Reader for free.

• Channel Islands Live at a Glance (PDF, 101kb)
  
  
• The Educational Value of Channel Islands Live (PDF, 108kb)
  
  
• Channel Islands Live: How It Works (PDF, 109kb)
  
  
• Channel Islands Live: Partnerships (PDF, 144kb)
  
  
• The Value of Distance Learning (PDF, 65kb)