CASCI Laboratory for Technological Literacy

Short Description

• Stephen Jacobs, GCCIS-IT, Director
• The mission of the Laboratory for Technological Literacy is to investigate, expand, and demonstrate approaches to improve technological literacy through informal science and technology education programs and resources. These include museums, the media and the web. In a society that is increasingly reliant on science and technology for day-to-day living, Americans most participate in a Democracy that requires them to make decisions as citizens on technologies they do not understand. As identified in the National Academy of Engineering's "Technically Speaking" Study and Report, over 70% of the US population relies on sources of informal science and technology education to stay current on technological advances. Yet the available resources for this type of informal and self-education are few. There is comparatively little in the way of new resources being created, or research being done, to increase and improve such resources. The Lab works both independently and with the media to address these shortfalls.

Areas of Interest

• Informal Science and Technology Education
• Leveraging of Technology to Improve Social Conditions
• Leveraging of Technology to Improve Education

Success Stories

• Completed sponsored research project for General Motors.
• We are a participant lab in NSF CCLI Grant.

Previous Progress Reports

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Funded Projects

• Local NPR Weekly Technology show “What the Tech!” $100,000. Project ended 09/ 06.
• FEAD Grant. Augmented Gaming. MIT’s handheld ARG toolkit. Museum and University applications. $5,000. Initial project ended 12/06. Future MIT collaboration in-planning stage.
• “TextStar: OnStar? Access for the Deaf” w/ Dr. Jon Schull. Partnership with NTID Phase 1. 06/01/07-08/31/07. $43,000
• NSF CCLI on Social Media w/Dr. Susan Barnes and Dr Chris Egert. Collaboration with Lab for Social Computing. Begins 06/01/07-12/31/08 $150,000

On-Going Projects

• MMOGiving: Players/Residents using MMO’s for Philanthropy and Relief efforts. Macarthur Foundation currently reviewing initial publication
• Get a Move On!. History and Impact of Motion Capture from 1800’s to present. Web Site under construction.
• Second Life and Formal/Informal Education.
• Eastman House Projects
• Advisor to NMC and SUNY
• Presentations to SUNY, RIT and NUTN
• “Rochester Digital Ripple” w/Dr. Jon Schull. Partnered with Art for Everyone and Rochester After School Academy. Pilot ended summer 06, Replication on-going summer ‘07.

Projects on the Drawing Board

• Game World SBIR with Second Avenue Software submitted 06/07
• Strong Museum National Museum of Play Video Game Exhibition. SGER submitted 07/07

Members

• Stephen Jacobs - sxjics@rit.edu - Director of LTL - Professor
• Jon Schull - jis@rit.edu - Associate Director - Professor
• Jeremy Zaborowski - jmz4364@rit.edu - Web Developer and Research Assistant - 5th year student

Thesis, Thesis projects, Independent studies

• Adam Buttersworth is currently working on an independent study involving motion capture technology.

Links

• http://casci-web.rit.edu/~ltl - The Laboratory for Technological Literacy portal website

Publications

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