Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

The Earth Exploration Toolbook: Facilitating the Use of IPY Data in Education  (EET: Using IPY Data in Education)

Outline
The Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET, http://serc.carleton.edu/eet, funded by the NSF through the National Science Digital Library Program (NSDL) program and a recognized collection within the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)) has been developed to facilitate the use of Earth science datasets and data analysis tools, developed primarily for and by scientists, for use by educators and their students. The EET contains chapters, which feature specific datasets and data analysis tools and gives teachers step-by-step instructions for using them in an educational context. A chapter template and chapter author support documents have been developed to facilitate the creation of new chapters (http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/contribute.html). In this project, the EET team, in partnership with IPY scientists and educators, will produce EET chapters featuring IPY data (both Arctic and Antarctic) and analysis tools. The EET team will partner with IPY international and national satellite and ground based science teams to identify the IPY datasets and tools that will help students learn the science concepts that are mandated by their curriculum and standards. We will work with educators within the Arctic environment and in the GLOBE program, as well as with teachers across the US to identify the science concepts that EET chapters need to convey to address the mandated standards based curriculum. It is intended that the IPY EET chapters will highlight features that make the Arctic and Antarctic regions unique, how they fit into the Earth system, and how they contrast with other regions of the world. Each EET chapter will be reviewed in a multi-step process that includes an internal review, two external teacher reviews, and a scientist review. After revisions in response to these reviews, the EET chapter will be made live on the EET web site. The EET-IPY project will also contain an evaluation component. This will include a formative evaluation of the use of the EET chapter within the classroom setting during field testing. This will be followed by an evaluation of how effective using the IPY data is in conveying the Earth science concepts intended by the EET chapter using classroom observations, as well as teacher evaluations and interviews.The EET team will also provide professional development through our monthly two-hour distance-learning workshops (http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/workshops.html) during which participants work through an EET chapter to produce a data product guided by an EET team member, and discuss ways to teach and learn using Earth science datasets and analysis tools.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
In this project we will make the data and scientific knowledge accumulated by IPY scientists more accessible and usable to the educational community. Students will learn, while addressing the content required by curriculum frameworks and standards, what the polar environment are like, how the polar regions reflect and respond to climate change, and how the polar regions influence global climate. Students will also gain a deeper understanding of Earth system science by exploring the impact of the unique features of the polar regions in shaping climate.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Earth Exploration Toolbook chapters that are developed in this project will utilized data by all international participants that is relevant to the specific scientific concepts to be addressed by the chapter.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
None, there is no explicit field work involved in this project.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
We will collaborate with IPY scientists to access the data that they obtain through their research activities, use the data analysis tools that are appropriate for the data and use by students, and identify the scientific concepts most readily explored with their newly acquired data and scientific knowledge.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The Earth Exploration Toolbook chapters developed as a part of this project will become part of the Earth Exploration Toolbook (serc.carleton.edu/eet), a recognized collection in the Digital Library for Earth System Science (DLESE). These EET chapters will be discoverable within DLESE and the National Science Digital Library (NSDL).

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Not currently. If we are encouraged to move forward with a full proposal we will seek that endorsement. We have had some discussions about our efforts with participants in the National IPY process in the US.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

This project will produce new Earth Exploration Toolbook chapters using IPY data and scientific knowledge to be added to an existing Earth science educational collection using the tested EET chapter template, chapter review process, and online telecon workshop to assure that teachers can effectively use these resources with their students.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be led and managed by TERC in Cambridge Massachusetts where the core team of curriculum developers will be formed. Members of this team will also take on the roles of collaborating with IPY scientists, coordinating teacher reviews, field testing, and teacher professional development workshops, arranging the use of the materials with students in the classroom. We will identify an evaluation team who will provide formative evaluation of the teacher professional development workshops and of the effectiveness of the EET chapters in conveying the intended Earth science concepts. Through this project we will engage students and teachers who live in the polar regions.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The main focus of this project is education and outreach. Communications will occur through email, telephone and visits to the classroom by the evaluators.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
This project will show teachers and students how to access the IPY data as archived by the IPY scientific research project. All materials developed by this project will be available through any IPY portal(s) that are developed as well as DLESE and NSDL.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
We will submit a proposal to the United States funding agency or agencies that are allotted funds and release proposal solicitations to support IPY activities.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Teachers and students from the polar regions and IPY scientists to be engaged in this project will be identified more specifically in a full proposal.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr. Tamara Ledley
TERC
2067 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA
02140
USA

Tel: 617-873-9658
Mobile: 617-803-7152
Fax: 617-349-3535
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation