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Planetary Data in Learning Environments
A Community Workshop
Monday, August 1, 2005

Workshop Goals

• Increase awareness of the range of Earth and planetary science programs, tools, and data resources that exist, from which to draw experiences, and with which to make connections
• Build knowledge about key features of a successful PDE program
• Reflect on a specific application of best practices in the design or implementation of a new program or improvement of an existing program

Topic

Planetary Data in Student Data Collection/Comparison (Jessica Robin)

• You will host 2 45-minute sessions.
• Identify a scribe who will stay for both sessions. The organizers will help make this happen.
• For the 2 nd session, please make the new group familiar with the prior discussion so that the conversation can continue to evolve.

Possible guiding questions

• What are the program goals with respect to data use?
• What data are used? How are they used?
• What is the evidence of success?
• What elements of development and implementation made the program successful?
• What obstacles occurred and how were they overcome?
• What are the participant's experiences with these aspects for their own programs?
• What exemplary resources and programs exist?
• What research exists / is needed with respect to this topic?
• What are the needs of this particular community group?

Round Table Report-out (facilitator)

• What are the major guiding principles for creating a successful program?
• What are common obstacles and possible solutions?
• What existing needs were identified?
• What are the priorities for this community group?
• How can the PDE Initiative assist?

Student Data Collection and Comparison (notes)

Brief description of GLOBE

• Student collection of data and served to program for all to see.
• Students can use data for own research
• GLOBE goals –
• Student Data used by PI in various missions – Landsat, AVHRR, GOES, Terra, etc
• Scientists using student data to publish – large number
• Training w/ scientist involvement
• Obstacles – accuracy of data & insufficient data, restriction of state curriculum, research too complex for students in some cases

GAVRT

• Radio astronomy – research structured by PI - Jupiter, Uranus, quasars
• Training for teachers provided
• PIs publish
• National program
• Eval of student interest and involvement
• Public schools not necessarily receptive
• ~ 200 schools
• DOD recognized
• Interaction w/ scientists

Center for Image Processing in Education

• Train teachers in use of image processing
• Ocean science as hook for technology
• 71 teachers in first cohort (120 contact hours per year)
• Understanding by design
• Education research based
• National/local Standards are an issue
• Want to localize investigations vs data availability
• Students analyze publish data and publish as science conferences

DePaul U. Computer Science

• Make data more accessible
• Using MOLA data, need to make more accessible, massage data w/o using expensive, difficult software and need for large server requirements
• Students primary users

Spitzer Science telescope

• Similar issues to GAVRT (sorry for shortening this, but it is similar)

Issues

• Make data more accessible for teachers and students — special applications to process data is a barrier
• Difference between students collecting data primarily for science or primarily for learning — in both cases learning occurs
• Training critical to all success — especially if special equipment or protocols are required
• Funding — for program and schools
• Educational standards

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