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IDL Donations Help Foster Early Interest in Scientific Data Exploration
Customer Challenge
Teachers tasked with instructing students students in scientific disciplines sometimes lack the tools they needed to dynamically present scientific data - such as weather patterns, oceanographic trends, and astronomical phenomena. Having current data is important in order for students to understand the research and scientific process, and to learn the benefits of using data to create visual representations and analyses. The data available to students and teachers from the US government - usually from satellite systems and other remote sensing instruments - was difficult to acquire, access, and view due to complex database systems and software packages designed for high level research and applied science. Teachers often found that the tools were far too complex for students in high schools or junior colleges to use, and could discourage students from learning about science and the value of data to the scientific process.
Solution Achieved
Because of this gap in the availability of educational tools that foster younger student interest in science, Dr. Bruce Caron founded New Media Research Institute, a non-profit foundation that partners with educational organizations to develop easy-to-use software applications that are appropriate for the classroom.
After launching New Media Research Institute, Caron conceptualized and engineered an application development environment called Data and Information Application Layer (DIAL). DIAL is a unique solution that combines the data visualization and analysis power of IDL with the multi-media and graphical user interface capabilities of Adobe Director. The result is a tool that allows educators to create custom, curriculum-based software applications specific to only the functionality they need. “IDL is very powerful for data access, data analysis, data visualization, so it’s a wonderful match,” said Caron.
ITT Visual Information Solutions, the developers of IDL, donate the runtime IDL licenses for distributed DIAL applications. “We are committed to promoting interest in the sciences in the younger student community,” said IDL Product Manager Bill Okubo. “Providing these licenses encourages students to see the potential in scientific discovery, without the need to learn a complex tool geared to high level research.”
New Media Research Institute finds funding in scientific organizations that share in their vision of cultivating future scientists and researchers. Their current sponsor, NASA, is supporting the program until 2009. “They’ve really helped us make it possible to provide teachers with the tools they need, and to put data into the curriculum when that has been difficult in the past,” said Caron.
Caron chose IDL as the underlying architecture for DIAL because IDL already had the capabilities to access, input, visualize data, and, according to Caron, “Because IDL has an open API and runtime environment, it really facilitated the project.” In addition, he found that that IDL offers the robust file format support he needed for a flexible scientific tool. The key to DIAL is that educators can build many simple applications - in a short amount of time – geared just to their current subject matter, rather than a robust application that performs a multitude of data analysis and visualization functions. Such a directed approach to software removes the complexity that can be overwhelming to students and teachers alike.
New Media Research Institute hopes eventually to build a group of consultants that could work with educational partners to determine their classroom needs, and build the custom applications based on their requirements. To learn more about DIAL, visit http://nmri.org/taxonomy/term/1.
Benefits
- IDL had the data type support and visualizaiton capabilities NMS needed to create their application
- IDL provided a flexible programming environment that easily integrated with other software applications
- The IDL license donations allow NMS to distribute their product to educational organizations
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