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Technologies have revolutionized education and nowhere is this
more evident than in Earth and space science classrooms. Today,
students can deploy many of the same tools that scientists use, such as
visualization software, geographic information systems (GIS) and even a
digital camera onboard the International Space Station, to deepen their
understanding of Earth and space science. The Internet can bring into
classrooms scientific images and data from sources as diverse as
Earth-orbit satellites, Martian probes, deepwater marine expeditions,
and other schools around the world.
Technologies lie at the heart of Earth and space science. From
Galileo's telescope and mapping techniques to today's remote sensing
and satellite imagery, new tools enable discoverers to see and
understand Earth and space more effectively. They have revolutionized
Earth and space science research. Many of these same tools can drive the
revolution in Earth and space science education as well.
Education technologies are strategic resources that enhance
students' ability to sense, measure, question, understand, communicate
and learn. They empower students to learn as active scientists rather
than as passive consumers of textbook-based curricula. They enable
students to learn core concepts more clearly by offering visual
representations of ideas that otherwise might seem confusing or unclear.
They transform science from canned labs and the passive memorization of
content to a dynamic, hands-on, authentic process of investigation and
discovery. By using the same technologies as scientists, students
acquire vital process skills and deepen their understanding of science.
Additionally, they familiarize themselves with many of the same tools
and processes that they will encounter as adults, particularly in the
workplace.
The use of technology in education has increased dramatically
over the last decade, but many would agree that the greatest potential
lies with science in general and Earth and space science in particular.
The availability of tools that allow students to collect, analyze and
visualize their own data, real-time data from around the world and
archived data on a wide variety of topics has the potential to truly
revolutionize the teaching of Earth and space science. Computers are now
widespread in schools, as is Internet-connectivity in libraries,
computer labs and many classrooms - even in low socio-economic
districts. Inexpensive and portable instruments such as personal digital
assistants (PDAs) and GPS tools allow for the quick, easy collection of
environmental information from the field in a digital format. An
awesome variety of images and interactive visualizations are available
on the Web, enabling students to "see" phenomena remotely at scales
beyond our normal senses and from archives that preserve data from times
past. Furthermore, with visualization and GIS tools, students can
manipulate the images and conduct sophisticated analyses and queries of
freely-available tabular, spatial and image data.
The future of educational Earth and space science technologies
is easily envisioned. Students will have ready access in schools,
libraries and homes to a wealth of Web-based visualizations and other
Earth and space science resources, linked with their textbooks and
classroom curriculum. Students will use a new generation of low-cost,
cross-platform portable computers, combining the capabilities of desktop
computers with the functionalities of PDAs, that are small and simple
enough to use for field research. Learners will attach probes to their
devices to capture and store data. They will deploy easy-to-use
workgroup software to wirelessly share their findings, evaluate data and
prepare reports. They then will upload their data to a Web site where
they can share information with students nationwide, conducting
distributed experiments and collaborative investigations. The
foundations for such fieldwork are already in place through such
programs as GLOBE, in which schools worldwide are collecting
environmental data and submitting them online for use by scientists and
in their studies.
While there are many existing technology tools and programs
that can take us to 2010 and beyond, several barriers hinder their
effective implementation. These include:
- money (district, state and federal funding sources are limited)
- time (finding and acquiring effective technology can be very time intensive)
- training (it is unrealistic to expect teachers to take
time away from their teaching or to give their own personal time to be
trained in the effective use of classroom technologies)
- hardware and software (the reliability, compatibility and obsolescence of tools, computers, software, networks)
- effective curriculum, technology and pedagogy integration
- and technical support.
None of these barriers is insurmountable. When viewed
constructively, they present a set of opportunities that can shape the
future role that hardware, software and human resources will play in
bringing about the most effective use of technology in Earth and space
science education. Technologies have fueled both prior discoveries and
the current revolution in Earth and space science and can fuel Earth and
space science education.
There must be an infusion of existing resources into Earth and
space science education, as well as the development of new tools
designed specifically for students that use both current and emerging
technologies. These tools should be readily available in all science
classrooms. Most importantly, curriculum developers and science
coordinators need to integrate these resources into curricula and for
teacher support in deploying them in the service of learning.
Technology Recommendations:
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Promote widespread use of existing Earth and space science technology resources in classrooms.
There is a wealth of existing resources readily and freely
available on the Web, many with associated learning activities. Many
have been developed especially for education through the support of
NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States
Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and other government agencies. In fact, the real
challenge is not a deficit but a surplus of resources. Hence, other
recommendations involve helping teachers to identify the most
appropriate resources for their widespread use.
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Develop mechanisms that help teachers search for and
access high-quality data, tools, and activities to support effective
Earth and space science learning.
The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) should
be strongly supported to offer mechanisms for the user community to
provide evaluations of both software applications and data sets
available to Earth and space science education. Additionally, a matrix
of catalog criteria that will enable Earth and space science educators
to search for and access useful digital resources (e.g. subject matter,
grade-level usefulness, addressing state or national standards) needs to
be developed in conjunction with DLESE. Teachers should be encouraged
to contribute to, as well use, DLESE.
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Encourage technology manufacturers to develop and market a new generation of tools for student use.
Students require tools that empower them to easily collect,
evaluate and share data among themselves and peers elsewhere. For
example, an ideal means for students to collect data in the classroom,
in the field and at home would be small, low power, low-cost notebook
computers that integrate the functionalities of handheld, wireless and
desktop computing devices. They would allow students to attach various
probes to gather, store and communicate data. Such innovative devices
would work with both Macintosh and Windows environments, and would be
durable, easy-to-use and cost-effective. When they are coupled with
collaborative software that integrates basic word processing,
spreadsheet, database, graphing and communication functions, students
would be able to conduct authentic, distributed investigations into
Earth and space science as well as other disciplines.
These classrooms tools should be:
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low cost – Regardless of how effective technologies may be
for learning, they must be affordable for schools. Additionally,
manufacturers should not offer frequent updates for their products,
which will eliminate short-term obsolescence and reduce pressure on
school budgets.
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durable – Tools must withstand the rigors of both classroom and field use.
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reliable – Technologies must be dependable, reducing costs for their maintenance or replacement.
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easy-to-use – Classroom tools must be simple to use at
their designated grade levels for both students and teachers.
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supported by learning activities – Every tool should be
bundled with learning activities that prepare both students and teachers
to use the device properly.
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standardized – As in professional science, tools must be standardized to support the sharing of real science data.
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multi-functional – Tools should support a variety of capabilities for use in many disciplines.
All stakeholders should encourage software and hardware
manufacturers to develop such innovative learning technologies.
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Develop mechanisms for more widespread integration of technology into professional-development workshops.
The availability of technologies in classrooms does not
ensure they will be used; teachers require preparation to deploy them
effectively. A strong grass-roots effort should be promoted to implement
workshops that integrate content, pedagogy and assessment with
appropriate uses of technology. These workshops should utilize the
expertise from local/regional sources like education, industry,
universities and government. This strategy could be best achieved
through the creation of state alliances that will serve as collectors
and repositories of information on (1) who is available for conducting
workshops; (2) specific workshop offerings; (3) the effectiveness of
various workshop types and formats; (4) the needs for locally relevant
data; and (5) ways to encourage the creation of new activities from
within the corps of practicing teachers.
Developers within industry and education should produce
technology-training support tools on a variety of media (Web-delivery,
CD-ROM, DVD, videocassette). Such tools should illustrate how to operate
computer tools (functionality), as well as how such tools might best be
used within an educational setting (pedagogy) to enhance specific
learning goals (content).
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Support the development of a strengthened technology infrastructure
There is a real need for equity in hardware, software,
networking and technical support in Earth and space science education.
All Earth and space science teaching environments require reliable,
high-speed network connections and increased access to technological
tools. These include networked computers, PDAs, GPS, analytical and
visualization software, as well as laptops available to both teachers
and students for use at home. Furthermore, trained support staff is
needed to maintain the effective operation of technology tools, and
formal mechanisms must be implemented to regularly update and replace
technological tools. For these reasons, sufficient resources must be
invested on local, state and federal levels into schools' technology
infrastructures.
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Support teacher mentoring and communications through collaboration.
Professional mentoring and partnerships offer powerful
opportunities to support teachers' use of classroom technologies. To
this end, either existing state-level Earth and space science
organizations, or new ones created for this purpose, should develop
lists of Earth and space science technology users (from K-12 education,
industry, university, and all levels of government). Drawing from these
available technology experts, collaborations with Earth and space
science teachers can be established to promote the use of technologies
that are common within the practicing community. Moreover, future grants
and contracts for Earth and space science should incorporate built-in
mechanisms that encourage work leaders to collaborate with teachers,
going so far as to having teachers included as staff.
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Develop a stable funding mechanism to support the effective application of technology in Earth and space science education.
Although implementation of technology enhancement programs
is best done at the local and state level, funding needs to come from
the federal level or there will be uneven success across the country.
Congress should fund an Educational Technology Grant Consortium for
states, based in part upon the model of the Space Grant Consortia. Also,
industry partners, as well as state and local governments, should
provide financial and technical assistance to this effort. There should
be policy changes in state and federal contracts and grants for science
that would require a percentage of the funding to be devoted to
education service. The funds generated through this effort could be
directed down to schools through state mechanisms, such as state
alliances, and be used to support technology acquisition and teacher
training.
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Promote partnerships among schools, universities and
research labs to continually evaluate the effective use of technology in
Earth and space science education.
A sound research base is needed to ensure that training for
teachers and the subsequent classroom use of technological tools is
effective. Researchers must develop adequate instruments to assess
technology tools and their application in the classroom. Funding
mechanisms will be needed to implement these emerging research designs.
Finally, the results of such studies should serve as guides to modify
and enhance classroom-teaching strategies centered on the use of
technology, and the design of teacher technology enhancement training
programs.
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