Posted November 2003 Under the sea - A whale of interest
		Angela Murphy Free-lance writer Fraser-Cooloola District's Under the Sea online event has put students in touch with marine experts – and made teachers aware of the possibilities in using online communication tools in the classroom.

In 2003, Sarah Brierley, Learning Place Mentor for the Fraser-Cooloola District, was looking for a way to demonstrate the use of online communication tools to teachers in the district. Sarah decided on an online event, linking with Harvey Bay's Whale Festival.

"This was my first go at organising an online event," Sarah says. "My aim was to provide teachers with an event they could easily participate in, showing them how they could use the Learning Place in their classrooms."

Sarah searched the internet for possible online guests. The Learning Place assisted in providing contacts. Experts who agreed to be online guests included Amy Hellrung, humpback whale researcher; Duncan Birt, Manager, Harvey Bay Tourism Bureau; and Dean Miller from James Cook University.

The Learning Place set up a project room with chat rooms and forums where students and teachers could contact guests over a two-week period.

Word of the event spread and it was opened up to all state schools in Queensland. In 2003, 236 participants registered for the event.

Students loved learning about life under the sea from experts. "My own class actually arranged to come off the oval during the school's Athletics Carnival," Sarah says. "They didn't want to miss one of their chats!"

Teachers used the event as part of their professional development – and gained a valuable, free resource for their classrooms.

The guests enjoyed chatting to students about their work, and passing on their knowledge.

"Everyone who participated had a lot of fun and learned heaps!" Sarah says. "After the success and popularity of the first year, I ran it again in 2004 with new and returning online guests, and more schools taking part."

Under the Sea will run again in 2005 from 25 July to 2 August.