OREN helps schools use old or donated computer equipment to tap into a part of the highway called the Internet, an international network of data bases, libraries, and electronic mail services, without running up a Ferrari-sized tab. We aim at schools in the counties around Oak Ridge that need basic access to information. We help them set up a network with whatever computers they have to start with. We also give advice on wiring, networks, software, and electronic communication standards, so they can expand their system when they're ready. Once the system is installed, both students and teachers discover there is a world of electronic information literally at their fingertips.
Students mostly use the system to explore.
Once the kids get used to the system, they begin thinking how things could work better and some of them get interested in programming. We encourage that and try to locate local mentors to support and encourage their interests. Teachers often use the system to communicate with scientists and other teachers across the country and throughout the world to locate materials for their classrooms. The ability to do this kind of research on-line helps these teachers make the most out of limited resources. Complete courses are available on-line from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Department of Education, among others.