"Think you have the oldest STARLAB"

[社長]

自2003年星河科研社引入首套STARLAB立體星象館，2006年率先亞太區引入首套Digital STARLAB數碼立體星象館，至今廣受好評，亦於中國內地、台灣、東南亞等地遍地開花的湧現新用戶，其中有流動用，也有作固定投影用：

http://www1.astro.hk/events/activities/id/171

http://www1.astro.hk/events/activities/id/680

星河科研社為有關系統的亞太區總代理，一如本社精選及代理的其他天文產品，我們著重儀器的性能及長期穏定表現，例如上述兩套STARLAB至今已運作第11及8個年頭，仍每年接待逾萬人次體驗星空。實際上，STARLAB面世30多年以來，目前已遍佈全球55個國家，每年接待逾1200萬人次體驗星空。

STARLAB由MIT前講師、現任哈佛大學天文系講師，於1978年開發，剛剛美國發起一個 "Think you have the oldest STARLAB" 比賽，得奬者的分享，正是全球各地不同STARLAB用戶的寫照。

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Dear dedicated STARLAB® Enthusiast,

The portable STARLAB® was invented in 1978. We were curious to see just how long they last and launched last year our "Think you have the oldest STARLAB®" contest.

We are very happy to announce the winner: the Winnebago County Conservation Board. Congratulations!

This Classic STARLAB® is still in use and many children and adults have enjoyed it over the last 30+ years.

Lisa Ralls, Naturalist at the Winnebago County Conservation Board, describes it best; "More and more research comes out each year supporting the conclusion that hands-on, experiential learning is more effective than sitting at a desk and listening to a lecture. If that is true, and I believe wholeheartedly that it is, then the Star Lab is an excellent way to provide that sort of education!"

Here is Lisa's complete Star Lab History:

"When I first began my job as the naturalist for the Winnebago County Conservation Board in 1985, one of the first people I met was the science coordinator for our local area education agency. (Iowa is divided up into several AEA districts whose job is to provide support services to school districts throughout the state.) He introduced me to many of the teachers I would be working with and allowed me to help him out with several programs. One of those programs was a Star Lab program; and that was my first introduction to the Star Lab!

At that time, as far as I know, only the AEAs in Iowa had Star Labs. Our local AEA had received a grant in the late 1970’s to purchase their two. At that time, teachers and naturalists could borrow them, if they were trained to use them; but, of course, the AEA science coordinators used them the most. The Star Labs were getting some use, but few teachers were trained to use them, and Iowa had few naturalists at the time. The science coordinators at the AEAs were also often too busy to give many Star Lab programs.

But, I began to promote the Star Lab to the teachers here in Winnebago County and interest began to increase. Soon, I was borrowing the Star Lab frequently to present programs and the teachers and students alike truly enjoyed the unique experience that the Star Lab provided! Soon, the Star Lab was one of my most popular programs!

By 1997, almost every county in the state had a naturalist, and there was little need for the science coordinators at the AEAs to actually give presentations. (Their jobs became more administrative, helping schools meet standards, etc.) So, our local AEA decided to offer, on a “permanent loan” basis, their two Star Labs to any county conservation board that had a naturalist trained to use them. We jumped at the chance and immediately took them up on the offer! As a result, we received the Star Lab that I had been using all those years. By this time, the Star Lab was almost 20 years old already.

The terms of the “loan” agreement meant that we had to make the Star Lab available to any school district or county conservation board in the AEA district that requested it. In short, we became a “loaner” site for the lab. Over the years, it has been loaned out to several local school districts, as well as at least three other county conservation boards, numerous times.

Needless to say, though, we have used it the most. But, there really isn’t any way to accurately determine how many times it has been used over the past 30+ years, or how many kids and adults alike have enjoyed it. To go back over three decades of program records, and to contact every other agency that has borrowed it to ask them to do the same thing, would be a daunting task! It’s safe to say that the number of Star Lab programs presented over the years is well into the hundreds and that thousands of people here in north Iowa have experienced it!

Obviously, over the years, I have had a lot of great experiences with the Star Lab. Although I have used it with all ages, I have used it primarily with elementary-aged students who routinely call it “Cool!” or “Awesome!” (At almost every program, there is a student that asks me how he or she can get a Star Lab for their bedroom or their backyard!) I have also used it for preschool groups with kids as young as two or three, as well as with mentally-challenged adults.

And, teachers have found creative ways to use the Star Lab. Of course, I’ve used the “Plate Tectonics” cylinder with high school Earth Science classes which, I think, is a unique use of the “Star” Lab. I’ve also developed a program for middle school students on how Lewis and Clark used the stars, and I base my program around a trip to the Star Lab using the “Navigation Stars of Lewis and Clark” cylinder. I’ve also used the Star Lab for high school English classes where the students were studying Greek Mythology and for elementary art classes where the teacher was introducing a unit on Greek art. It’s always been a great way to tie different subjects together and make different aspects of the curriculum meaningful to each other!

The Star Lab has been an invaluable educational tool for us over the years. More and more research comes out each year supporting the conclusion that hands-on, experiential learning is more effective than sitting at a desk and listening to a lecture. If that is true, and I believe wholeheartedly that it is, then the Star Lab is an excellent way to provide that sort of education! Thanks to the award that you have provided to us, we will be able to purchase a new projector, upgrade our system, and provide the students (and adults) here in Winnebago County with a very much improved science education program!"

Again, congratulations to the Winnebago County Conservation Board for winning a triple trade in credit on a new STARLAB® projector and thank you to many of you for being dedicated STARLAB®.

For more information about this unique, immersive and cross curriculum learning technology, please call our sales team at 904-225-5558 or visit us at www.starlab.com.

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