Abstract

This paper describes a case study that uses grid computing techniques to support the collaborative learning of high school students investigating cosmic rays. Students gather and upload science data to an e-Lab website. They explore those data using techniques from the GriPhyN collaboration. These techniques include virtual data transformations, workflows, metadata cataloging and indexing, data product provenance and persistence, as well as job planners for execution locally and on the grid. Students use web browsers and a custom interface that extends the GriPhyN Chiron portal to perform all of these tasks. They share results in the form of online posters and ask each other questions in this asynchronous environment. Students can discover and extend the research of other students, modeling the processes of modern large-scale scientific collaborations. Also, the e-Lab provides tools for teachers to guide student work throughout an investigation.http://quarknet.uchicago.edu/elab/cosmic

Keywords: Collaborative learning; Collaborative computing; Distance learning; Education; Human factors; Hypertext/hypermedia; Information systems education; Distributed systems; Online computation; Physics; Web-based interaction

Article Outline

1. Introduction

2. Case study

3. Collaborative learning environment

3.1. Student collaboration

3.2. Website support — student pages

3.3. Website support — teacher pages

3.4. Evaluation

4. Implementation

4.1. System architecture

4.2. The Virtual Data System

4.3. Chiron portal

4.3.1. Metadata

4.3.2. Provenance

4.3.3. Job submission

4.4. The cosmic ray e-Lab

4.4.1. JavaServer Pages

4.4.2. Use of metadata

4.4.3. User database

4.5. Farming out calculations and data to the grid

4.6. Reusability

5. Lessons learned

5.1. Technical lessons

5.2. Education lessons

6. Conclusions and future work

6.1. Student access to transformations

6.2. e-Lab to Education Virtual Organization

Acknowledgements

References

Vitae