IT'S not everyday that primary school students get to chat with an astronaut and take a tour of NASA.

But that's what students from Delungra, Gum Flat and Gilgai Public Schools will be doing today, thanks to the technology of videoconferencing.

Australian astronaut Dr Andy Thomas will talk to the students and answer their questions, along with other NASA presenters, before taking the group on a "manned spaceflight tour" of Space Centre Houston's Starship Gallery.

The link-up is part of the NSW Department of Education and Training's Connections program.

Dr Thomas took his first space flight on Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 1996. He served 130 days on the Russian space station Mir and was on board Discovery for its return to flight mission in July 2005.

Gilgai Public School principal Deborah Halliday said videoconfrencing technology was a way of "removing the walls of the classroom" for students at small schools.

"It brings the world to them and gives the students an opportunity to see things in their own classroom that they wouldn't ordinarily see," Mrs Halliday said.

She said today's NASA experience would be used as a springboard into further studies on space and science.

"It gives the children a chance to meet and see people who have achieved great things in their careers," Mrs Halliday said.

"Country children don't tend to see these things like kids in the cities do. This technology is a way to overcome our geographic isolation."

She said the NASA link-up was hopefully the first of many exciting teleconferencing sessions for the children of the region's small schools.

Videoconferencing technology was installed at Delungra and Gilgai schools earlier this term.

Gum Flat only received its equipment last week and hopes to join in regular link-up calls with other schools where students can chat, share ideas and participate in joint discussions.

© 2007 Inverell Times

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