It is time to reveal what is behind the curtain, and why i have not been on here so much. I am currently working on my
Ph.D dissertation studying how preinstructional activities influence learning with a simulation. Yes yes, nerdy. What may be of more interest to TR peeps and reefers in general is the nature of the simulation itself. And this is the reason for the post.
Our simulation will be 5 salt water tanks representing different types of marine ecosystems: 1) reef (obviously
), 2) cryptic zone of a reef, 3)
macroalgae "bed", 4) seagrass bed, 5) hmm...not sure about tank five yet, maybe a mysis breeding tank. We have hand-picked several students to participate in this special class. The preinstructional activities is my main focus, but of course the students want to know about reefing, which is why they agreed to this craziness!
As this is American education at its best, the project is drastically underfunded. We have some supplies (tanks, one
skimmer, 2
RO/DI units, one return pump, and a few powerheads) but we are in serious need of everything else from sand and critters to ideas and suggestions.
If you just happen to have any extra stuff hanging around looking for a good educational cause, now is your chance! Free those extra bags of sand, rock, snails, and
frags from the torment and cramped conditions of your garage and
sump! Send them to be abused by students instead!
Depending on the weight of the items, i can pay for shipping. Also, the school is a 501(c)(3) non-profit which means any items donated are tax-deductible (for those who pay taxes in America anyhow, i am not sure if that "other" country will count this). I will check with the school about how they accept donations and what paperwork there maybe (hey, this is the USA, of course there is paperwork! Haven't you seen
Brazil?)
Additionally, and much easier if you like, we need some ideas and suggestions before we get underway. I will post a design of what we were thinking of building in the classroom next week (yes, we are that far along).
Lastly, if you wish to contact me directly (i don't check
PMs that often) email me at astrivian (>at<) gmail (>dot<) c o m.
Thanks TR!
PS: We should get a LOT of
DIY videos from this project as well. The first one: drilling glass.
