The Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute at the University of Minnesota has delivered several educational activities such as undergraduate research programs and online transportation web research modules for high school classes. The need is growing to extend the current educational outreach effort with additional focus on high school students. A goal is to interest high school students in transportation careers through the integration of educational game modules and curricula in teaching various concepts of intelligent transportation control and management. As part of the education and outreach effort, an interactive web-based traffic control simulation module and a professionally enhanced traffic game were developed and piloted to undergraduate transportation engineering classes and high school summer camps at the University of Minnesota. Several lessons developed for high school science classrooms were based on activities using the traffic control game. A developed curriculum was evaluated through observation of student participation and engagement during five summer camp sessions in 2008 and 2009. At the end of each session, a survey was performed to collect students' feedback and learning experience from the curriculum and traffic control game. Results from the survey indicated student excitement toward the game and their receptiveness to the traffic engineering curriculum. Students were significantly more aware of traffic engineering issues after participating in the curriculum activities. It is hoped that students will be able to learn from their experience through a simulation environment and use the experience to deepen their understanding of intelligent transportation systems.

The Internet and its applications have challenged policy makers in seemingly all areas of public life, and as one of the applications of the Internet, online learning is no exception. Online learning policy has tentacles throughout education policy, from union politics to technology infrastructure. This complexity contributed to the lack of action that led the National Association of State Boards of Education to warn, in 2001, in its now oft-quoted statement: In the absence of firm policy guidance, the nation is rushing pell-mell toward an ad hoc system of education that exacerbates existing disparities and cannot assure a high standard of education across new modes of instruction. By allowing this policy vacuum to continue, educational leaders are failing to meet their obligation to assure that all students are provided a quality education. (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2001 p. 4)

We cannot contort the character of the Internet to suit our familiar notions of regulation; do not dumb down the genius of the Net to match the limited vision of the regulator. (Michael Powell, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission) (Powell, 2004) The Internet and its applications have challenged policy makers in seemingly all areas of public life, and as one of the applications of the Internet, online learning is no exception. Online learning policy has tentacles throughout education policy, from union politics to technology infrastructure. Perhaps this complexity contributed to the lack of action that led the National Association of State Boards of Education to warn in its now oft-quoted statement:

Since the early 1980s a school reform movement has been underway that has led to new standards, new choices for students, and new forms of accountability. In the last few years, online learning has become a significant factor in this school reform and school choice landscape, and its influence is expected to continue to grow (Edwards, Chronister & Bushweller, 2002).

been underway that has led to new standards, new choices for students, and new forms of accountability. In the last few years, online learning has become a significant factor in this school reform and school choice landscape, and its influence is growing fast (Edwards, Chronister, & Bushweller, 2002). Standards, school choice, and accountability are three facets of school reform that are inextricably linked together. The logic goes something like this: start by defining what students should know and be able to do at various grade levels. These learner expectations have gone by several names, most of which have developed political connotations that flavor our perceptions: outcomes, objectives, or standards. For the purposes of this article, I will use the currently favored term “standards.” After standards are established at the national, state, or local levels, choices can be created that allow students to achieve these standards in a way that is most suitable for them. This has led to a large increase in options for students in curriculum, instruction, and school type. The increase in choices has in turn led to the need for greater accountability. More rigorous evaluation needs for students, teachers, and schools have led to new forms of assessment, more standardized tests, and greater scrutiny of schools (Elmore, 2000).