The dilemma of being forced to reduce cargo weight by combining edible food and workable equipment for a space flight is being put to a group of Ball State University students and Australian sixth graders.

As part of a class assignment and possibly the first international research project of its kind, students from both countries are being asked to build a working model made from common food. The vehicle must be no bigger than 20 centimeters in length and 10 centimeters wide.

"Overall, going to the moon is a daunting project because of the amount of fuel it takes to send a payload from Earth," said Walter Smith, a Ball State biology professor overseeing the class project.

"If you build a vehicle made of food, you can cut down on the amount of materials and fuel needed to go to the moon. We are telling the students to consider the viability of having a vehicle that can be eaten as you travel across the moon.

"The working model will probably be made from fruit or a breakfast cereal, while the wheels will be made from lollipops," he said. "It is a simple concept at this point, but I think the Australian students will give our college students a run for their money. We've worked with their teacher, Sandy Davey, on projects before. Her students are very sharp."

Over the next few weeks, Ball State and Australian students from Toowong State School, located near Brisbane, Queensland, will compare notes by using the Global Media Network, the university's interactive web-based videoconferencing system, and through a chat room.

The project allows pairs of students in Smith's class to team up with three Toowong sixth graders to form a faux multinational company and then build the vehicle, which must have two axles, four rotating wheels and be entirely edible — except for toothpicks.

One of the vehicles already has been christened "Choo Choo Chew."

"This is an opportunity to build a working model while using technology to bridge two continents," Smith said. "At the same time, my students, who are all teaching majors, will learn how to instruct youngsters to build this vehicle by using our videoconferencing system that allows for discussions in a real-time format, as opposed to weeks by letter or minutes using e-mail.

"As education evolves, we could see teachers work with students around the globe by using the latest communication technologies," he said. "This gives our students an opportunity to practice for the situation."

When the two groups meet for a videoconference from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 2 in Ball Communications Building, room 205, the students will be graded on not only how the vehicle tastes but also in its ability to travel down a 50-centimeter ramp in a straight line. Each vehicle will have three attempts to traverse the ramp while remaining in one piece.

In addition to improving their teaching skills, the Ball State students will learn the basics of design technology, a term for people making items to solve problems of a physical nature.

Smith said design technology is a major educational force in Australia.

"It's only coming on the radar here in America," he said. "I hope the concept catches on here because there is evidence that students do well with design technology projects. I think the Australian students will be able to teach our American college students a thing or two about the issue."

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