NAVOCEANO Project Proposal from NPAC/Syracuse U.
Distance Education and Training
Project POC
David Bernholdt, NPAC/Syracuse University
Email: bernhold@npac.syr.eduTelephone: 315 443 3857Fax: 315 443 1973
Project Description
During Year 3, NPAC worked with the NAVO PET staff and partners to introduce the TangoInteractive collaboratory tool for use in distance education and training. Significant activities included:
In Year 4 we propose to extend access to distance training and education for NAVO PET and its partners by increasing access to the tools and to assistance in using them, as well as developing and delivering distance classes.
The first portion of the project involves a series of trainings covering:
The second portion of the project involves the development and delivery of distance classes. Much of DoD training for the MSRC and University education uses "low-end" approaches such as PowerPoint as this is very suitable for rapidly changing topics. However we believe that is useful to develop in some areas sophisticated training material where the topics are changing less rapidly. Here we have tentatively identified "basic parallel programming", in a form that is complimentary to the core MPI courseware (asynchronous) currently being developed by the NAVO PET Training team.
We suggest that it makes sense to develop all new material so that it can both be viewed asynchronously over the web and delivered synchronously using TANGO Interactive. This requires that we establish procedures (best practices) for key authoring techniques and package them for easy use. This needs to be addressed from different points of view including:
We have in hand (but not yet fully packaged) good support for basic HTML and PowerPoint In near future we will deliver general shared cursor, better Internet assistant with good HTML versions. This will be finished during year 3. This support of type (a) can be linked with ASC supported work in areas (b) and (c) for these authoring models. With ARL support, we supply some support for WebCT.
For NAVO in Year 4, we propose focusing on support of advanced authoring methods and their test and demonstration in a sophisticated training/educational module for parallel processing. The following TANGO Interactive capabilities will be developed:
All this work will come with complete documentation.
We hope to use funding from the other centers to build complete linked support of types (a), (b), and (c) for a few key authoring systems.
Combining the support for enhanced authoring and presentation methods with the courseware development in basic parallel programming, we will provide to interested NAVO PET partners an academic class in the Fall'99 term to test and obtain feedback on both the tools and the materials. The course materials will be revised appropriately and will then be made available to the DoD user community in the form of a more condensed distance training class in basic parallel programming.
During the Spring'00 term, we will offer our "CPS616 Web Technologies and Software"
Project Deliverables
Project Benefits
Develops new/enhanced courseware for core HPC in line with the vision articulated by Bob Melnik. Delivers these materials in the form of training classes to MSRC users, and as an academic credit class to students at interested NAVO PET partner institutions. Expands the pool of providers of distance training and education through a workshop for NAVO PET partners.
Collaboration
Any and all PET affiliates will be encouraged to participate in this project as recipients of the classes and trainings offered.
Budget Justification
NOTES
This proposal has many similarities with one recently submitted to the CEWES MSRC PET program for its Year 4; we envision a project which transcends MSRC boundaries. In terms of course delivery, the plan to deliver the same courses, with CEWES funding supporting participation by CEWES partners, and NAVO funding supporting the involvement of NAVO partners. If only one of the proposals were funded, the classes would proceed as planned, but we would only be able to support the participation of affiliates of the funding Center. For the courseware development and associated Tango enhancements, funding from both Centers would allow for a larger amount of courseware to be produced at the levels of sophistication described, but we expect to be able to make useful progress with support from one Center. In the event of funding from both Centers it would also be possible to make small modifications to the deliverables so that one Center primarily supports the courseware development while the other focuses on the Tango enhancements. This approach may be useful if there is concern about the overlap.