The Croft Middle Design Center announced its Virtual Zoo initiative. The program allows students to watch animals at the Nashville Zoo through real-time cameras.
The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, attracts thousands of visitors each year, but the new program will give kids an inside look at several animals with just one click.
Six cameras were placed in the zoo’s animal exhibits including rhino, cassowary, flamingo, clouded leopard, red panda and red ruffed lemur.
Ethograms, a catalogue of behaviors specific to a type of animal, will also be created for students to catalog data from their observations for classroom review and discussion.
Croft students will also receive support from a full-time Vanderbilt scientist, who will be heavily involved in conducting evaluations on the partnership as well as identifying how it impacts students.
"It's amazing..they have been an amazing partner, at Croft over the past 14 years, and you know their commitment is just transforming lives, and giving our children opportunities that they couldn't get anywhere else; so we're very fortunate to have them as a partner," said Dr. Shawn Joseph.
Along with the Nashville Zoo, the Virtual Zoo is supported by T-Mobile, Vanderbilt University, and Dell Computers.
