Thomas Torgersen, University of Connecticut
"Geoscience Environmental Education - Web-Accessible Instrumental Systems"

Educational research supports the critical importance of creating a realistic context in the classroom that is engaging to students. Theories of situated learning, instructional approaches such as anchored instruction, and successful high school, UG geoscience efforts, all recommend that students be engaged in a "macro-context" that situates learning in the authentic practices of scientists, politicians, and/or citizens. This increases the probability that students will detect the usefulness of geoscience knowledge as a tool for solving problems in their own real world; that is, they will detect the information's raison d'etre and be able to transfer learning from the classroom to their own lives. In order to 1) provide opportunities to learn, 2) provide the tools to extrapolate from personal experience (the best learning tool) 3) appreciate the scientific/economic couplings and feedback loops that affect their daily lives and 4) appreciate the temporal response of coupled systems, and 5) mindfully engage both undergraduate and high school students in construction of understanding concerning coupled dynamic environments across multiple scales (lab water, pond water, and the waters of Long Island Sound), the PIs will acquire and install an Instrumented Environmental Laboratory (InEnLab) at the University of Connecticut. Commercially available environmental probes will be installed in campus ponds that clearly demonstrate (on a daily timescale) the coupled interactions of chem./bio/phys within these small, commonplace ponds. The data streams (T, cond., O2, pH, etc., every 15 minutes) from these in situ probes will be directly connected to the Internet and available in real time through (e.g., www.myPond.uconn.edu) modeled after an existing www.mySound.uconn.edu . An anchored problem involving water issues in and around the University community will serve as a context for students to develop, identify and quantify the dynamics of this coupled system. This web-accessible data stream (with scientist diary comments) will then serve as a context for UG and HS classroom problems/examples, demonstrations of coupled system dynamics and independent inquiry as well as create unique opportunities for undergraduate honors theses. Such experiences will afford students an opportunity to inter-relate these experiences with observations they make during controlled laboratory experiments that quantify discrete processes and lead to an appreciation of the magnitude and temporal response of environmental systems over larger time scales and larger space scales. Transfer of knowledge will be stimulated by comparison of the processes and time scales in Mirror Pond to Bridgeport Harbor and Long Island Sound using streamed data from www.mySound.uconn.edu. Project management will take a management-by-objectives approach. Formative evaluation dependent measures will include completion of objectives and timelines, online website statistics, instructor variables (implementation fidelity) and student variables (knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors including interest, self-efficacy, and geoscience content achievement). Formative evaluation methods will include teacher and student surveys, artifacts of student problem solving on the scenario, course grades, teacher interviews and student interviews. The formative evaluation will be conducted by project team members and the summative by an external evaluator.

Roy W. Chambers, School District #1, Multnomah County
"Shaping the Pacific Northwest with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)"

Project Objectives: Portland Public Schools (PPS), district No. 1, will partner with college/university faculty and other researchers in the geosciences in piloting an intensive and collaborative professional development model targeted to K-12 teachers. The following objectives will be pursued over the 18-month project period: 1) To provide in-depth opportunities for K-12 teachers to increase their knowledge, understanding, and skills concerning key topics in the geosciences, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, and how to provide developmentally appropriate, inquiry-based, and interdisciplinary instruction. 2) To motivate participating teachers to integrate geoscience content and the use of GIS software into their local classrooms and buildings. 3) To strengthen collaborative linkages among K-12 educators, higher education faculty, and other researchers and professionals in the geosciences. A 15-day geosciences institute for 20 teachers (primarily middle and high school, although elementary teachers will also be encouraged to apply), will be held in summer 2001, covering key topics in the geosciences (climatology, geomorphology, oceanography, volcanology, hydrology and glaciology, plate tectonics, petrology and soil science, natural hazards, and graduation, erosion, and sedimentation) and introducing the ArcView GIS software developed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) K-12 Schools and Libraries Program. Institute workshops will be led by faculty and researchers from local colleges/universities and agencies/organizations such as the National Weather Service, American Meteorological Society, and Oregon Office of Ocean Policy. Five days of the institute will focus on teacher team research using ArcView GIS to examine a particular question or issue in the geosciences. Participating teachers will receive an ArcView GIS site license, and will develop and implement lesson plans and classroom projects that are based on their institute research. Participants will also provide in-service presentations for other teachers in their local schools. The lessons and projects institute participants develop will be reviewed by the principal investigator, district science specialists, the PPS Science Core Team of teachers, and collaborating researchers in terms of developmental appropriateness, geosciences content, alignment with inquiry-based approaches, grade-level achievement benchmarks in science, interdisciplinary connections, and effective use of the GIS technology. Follow-up workshops scheduled at the beginning of the fall 2001 school year will allow teachers to refine their plans, share them with colleagues and professional researchers, and continue to improve their skills in using the software as part of high-quality geoscience education. A geosciences lecture series featuring leading researchers will be established. An advisory committee will provide oversight in meeting the project's stated objectives and timeline; foster collaboration among K-12 educators, college/university faculty, and other researchers in the geosciences representing government agencies and professional organizations; and plan for ongoing networking among project participants and the collaborative partnership. Results will be shared via presentations at local, regional, and national meetings and conferences; articles and materials posted electronically; and progress reports to the funding agency, and other appropriate audiences.

Tamara Ledley, TERC Inc
"An Earth System Scientist Network for Student and Scientist Partnerhips"

The National Science Education Standards (National Research council 1996) emphasize the importance of students engaging in an inquiry based approach to learning science (Science Content Standard A Science as Inquiry) and of students understanding the concepts and processes that shape our understanding of the natural world (Science Content Standard D Earth and Space Science). One method of having students learn science through an inquiry approach is to involve them in student and scientist partnerships. In order to develop a successful student and scientist partnership there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. The main requirement is that both sides need to benefit from the partnership. This means that the scientist needs to be able to see the advantage of having students work on his/her project, and the students and teachers need to see that the students contribute to the project and develop the skills in inquiry and the content knowledge in geoscience that are desired. This project will address both of these issues by developing an Earth System Scientist Network for Student and Scientist Partnerships. The PIs have identified scientists and will identify others who have projects that would benefit from the help of students, and recruit them to participate in the program. The scientists will work with the principal investigator, to first completely define their project, determine what role the students would have in the project, and map out the scientific protocols that the students will follow and the background and support materials to facilitate students successfully participating in their project. The scientists will also work with the principal investigator to identify issues in Earth system science, relevant to their data, that the students and teachers could use as a guide to help develop student's investigative skills and content knowledge in the geosciences. When the student and scientists partnerships are implemented students would contribute to the investigation that the scientist is conducting; however, if the scope of the project is too large or the content knowledge required too difficult, students will investigate these issues and thus still have the opportunity to develop their inquiry skills and content knowledge in geosciences. This project will also make use of the opportunity provided by the development of the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) to facilitate student and scientist partnerships. DLESE will be a place through which the scientists, students, and teachers will be able to access the data they need and the tools and resources that will facilitate students participating in research, developing their inquiry skills, and increasing their knowledge in the geosciences.

Pamela E. Jansma, University of Arkansas
"Element 1: Improving Data and Information Literacy in the Geosciences Using GPS Geodesy"

In an increasingly technologically complex world tied together by rapid dissemination of information on the Internet, the amount of data available for analysis in any discipline grows exponentially each day. Critical skills for undergraduate students who will become "knowledge workers," therefore, are the ability 1) to distinguish between data that are relevant to solving the problem at hand and data that do not constrain what is asked, 2) to identify data trends that are statistically significant, 3) to retrieve appropriate data from a variety of sources, and 4) to use the data to solve complex problems and make informed judgments about technical issues. Unfortunately, concepts of precision, accuracy, variance, periodicity, and error analysis often are left to the domain of introductory statistics and underemphasized in the geosciences at the undergraduate level. Undergraduate geoscientists, therefore, frequently are unaware of the limitations and sources of data, which are the foundation for interpretation and essential to the development of a well-prepared scientific professional. The PIs will use Global Positioning System (GPS) geodesy to improve data and information literacy among undergraduate students. The objectives are: to address data and information literacy; to promote communication skills; to enhance critical thinking; and to build teamwork. The intent is not to replace a traditional introductory statistics course, but to illustrate important statistical concepts and techniques relevant to the geosciences that will encourage undergraduates to enroll in statistics courses. GPS geodesy is ideal for illustrating data literacy concepts. Data precision and accuracy depend upon several factors, including type of equipment, environmental conditions, length of occupations, monument design, site location, configuration of the geodetic network, and processing strategies. All of these can be varied, allowing the students to learn the trade-offs among cost, time, and quality and to determine the most efficient methodology for specific problems. In addition, precision, accuracy, and errors govern the interpretations that can be made and the potential to distinguish among competing models. The focus is to create an outcomes-based WWW-module that uses GPS geodesy in real-world applications and also requires integration of GPS data into oral presentations and written reports that incorporate resources found both through the WWW and traditional avenues, such as the library. The module is for use both by other educators in their own curricula and for undergraduate students to learn basic concepts independently. The PIs will develop the module by teaching a course and subsequently transferring all materials to the WWW, including video of student presentations, team discussions, and equipment demonstrations. In the course, students will work in teams on "cases" that pose hypotheses for testing. Research suggests that working in groups in a cooperative setting produces greater growth in achievement than straining for relative gains in a competitive environment. The structure of the course will emphasize independence and self-reliance within the context of the collaborative team. Three of the four cases are derived from on-going research projects and take advantage of on-line continuous GPS (CGPS) data as well as archived campaign data. The case studies are: 1) Is the Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands Block rigid?; 2) Do inflation/deflation cycles in Montserrat correlate with faster dome growth?; 3) Does slip occur in the New Madrid Seismic Zone?; and 4) What is the surface deformation field in Nicaragua? The first two studies are mature research projects for which much data already are available either on-line (CPGS) or in our archives. The third case study is included to give students an example of a controversy where two groups of scientists have come to opposite conclusions based on the same dataset and to force students to search the WWW and journals for the data. The fourth case is a research project in its infancy. Finally, a pilot project involving a field trip to a volcano in Nicaragua is included. The trip serves two purposes: 1) testing if students can take what was learned in the course and apply it to a "real-life" situation, thereby assessing the efficacy of the course; and 2) providing video of students in the "real-life" situation for use on the website.

George R. Jiracek, San Diego State University Foundation
"Computer-Based Learning of Key Geophysical Concepts"

This project will develop computer-based learning tools to teach the concepts of: 1) digital signal analysis, and 2) wave characteristics, in geophysical context. This will be done in a unique way by using temporal and spatial data collected at SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience). During the 18 years that SAGE has operated, the faculty have recognized a major lack of understanding of important fundamental geophysical concepts after courses at home campuses and after completion of the SAGE program. This is despite special efforts with extra lectures and demonstrations in these topics at SAGE. Topics such as the consequences of digitizing (aliasing, truncation, Fourier analysis, filtering, etc.) and wave phenomena such as scattering, phase and group velocity, and dispersion are simply not appreciated by most students (especially undergraduates). In today's increasingly digital world these concepts must be fully understood for basic competency in geophysics. The two topics chosen are critical to understanding many fundamental relations in several geophysical methods. The goal is to insure that those geophysics students completing SAGE, and at campuses elsewhere, understand how digital analysis is used in seismology, electromagnetics, and potential methods (gravity and magnetics). And, that they know the principles of wave propagation in low-loss, low frequency electromagnetic waves. The computer-based aids are expected to sharply increase a student's fundamental grasp of modern geophysics. The two learning modules will be integrated and hyper linked and will utilize the latest in computer simulations, visualizations, and interactive self-discovery to teach basic ideas. Advantages to tying the proposed effort to SAGE include using past, co-located SAGE data collected with different geophysical methods and to provide a unique assessment environment. The topics will be reinforced at SAGE as the students complete their own field work and apply their understanding first-hand to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the new results. The tools will be incorporated back at the home campuses of SAGE students and faculty (including one community college) and they will be disseminated to other campuses via Internet access. Success of the modules will be determined by appropriate testing especially with SAGE REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) students since they return six months after SAGE for a winter workshop. To insure proper testing the PIs have enlisted the assistance of the Center for Research in Math and Science Education at San Diego State University (SDSU). Development of computer graphics, animation, and visualization will be done by SDSU's Instructional Technology Services under the technical direction of SAGE faculty.

Alexandra Moore, Cornell University-Endowed
"Geospatial Data, Visualization, and Discovery in Support of a Digital Library for Earth Systems Education"

Analysis of spatial data has always been a key component of geoscience research. The relatively recent acquisition of large digital data sets is revolutionizing our understanding of the dynamic Earth system. Use of these data by geoscience educators and students has lagged behind the research community because significant barriers confront inexperienced users of geospatial data. Geospatial data will be an important element in the design and construction of a Digital Library for Earth System Education. In order for all users to fully exploit these resources, well-designed and simple-yet-powerful data visualization and analysis tools must accompany digital data archives. We propose to use the experience acquired in the construction of Cornell University's Solid Earth Information System (SEIS), a digital archive of solid Earth datasets originally compiled for the geophysical research community. These data are web-accessible through the use of data search, query and display tools developed for SEIS that allow universal access to all users regardless of expertise. Cornell University and the Paleontological Research Institution will modify and extend the capabilities of the SEIS system for educational purposes. They will take advantage of the underlying data structures and query and display functions of the current system to develop an improved interface for on-line analysis of geospatial data. They will prototype and test this system with feedback from university and K-12 students. The system will allow students to access, view, combine, and analyze a wide variety of geospatial data in an interactive way. They will develop educational user scenarios that utilize global, regional, and local scale data, and will help educators take better advantage of the same data sets and tools used by the world's leading researchers. Through ready access to comprehensive data and easy-to-use tools, students and the general public can learn about the Earth through hands-on discovery with original data.

Thomas Henyey, University of Southern California
"Electronic Encyclopedia of Earthquakes"

The objective of this project is the creation of an Electronic Encyclopedia of Earthquakes (E3), which will function as an integral part of the NSF Digital Library Initiative. The lead organization in this project is the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC), in collaboration with California Universities for Research in Earthquake engineering (CUREE) and the Incorporated Research Institutes in Seismology (IRIS). The one-year pilot phase of this project will result in an operational framework with an initial set of entries; the enlargement of this collection is planned to then efficiently follow in a subsequent phase. The project name, Electronic Encyclopedia of Earthquakes, accurately describes the product of this project: The information will be electronic in form, communicated via the World Wide Web. Rather than only reading text, the user will be able to access data sets and to manipulate, visualize, and analyze the data in individualized ways. For example, the student or instructor will be able to select from a library of earthquake ground motion records and play a given record in combination with a structural model to experiment with the concept of dynamic response. The Electronic Encyclopedia of Earthquakes is related to a traditional printed encyclopedia in that it is entry-based, consisting of a series of topics, each dealt with as independent explanations and sets of information and yet also cross-referenced. The root meaning of "encyclopedia," the circle of knowledge, also applies, because the expanse of the topics will cover the earthquake subject in cross-disciplinary fashion. Earth sciences, engineering, physics, and mathematics are the four basic fields of knowledge to be included, with some treatment of impacts on human systems of earthquakes. Entries and data sets are provided that will allow the instructor or student to tie different topics together in an individualized, inquiry-based way, or to complete the circle, without encountering artificial divisions along traditional disciplinary lines. Thus, "encyclopedia" is an accurate description of this product, rather than "primer," because the goal here is to provide clearly organized, dynamic information that allows the learner to discover many different paths through the subject matter, or to create new knowledge, and not to meter out one idea or piece of information at a time in a pre-determined sequence. The third term, "earthquakes," is largely self-explanatory, except to note that E3 will not be limited to individual earthquakes, though specific major earthquakes will be included as entries and will be used to illustrate broader concepts. To balance the broad range and open-ended nature of the entries with the need for an instructor or student to quickly co-locate information found under different headings that is appropriate to their inquiry, threads of related content will be tagged and linked to provide continuity for a given likely level of user. For example, the content that will be mapped out to show high school teachers what may be useful for their physics courses is different than in the case of a college-level engineering or geophysics class where the same topic is treated in greater depth. The information will be layered in terms of its complexity or implied prerequisite knowledge: A primary (glossary), secondary (précis), and tertiary (in-depth information) framework will be used. A large amount of information exists in this field that can be adapted for this collection, but a common problem is that the Web user often encounters a large volume of low quality or irrelevant data in the process of eventually finding the content they desire. The layered framework and the encyclopedic idea of cross-references, along with a commitment to quality control to ensure high academic standards, have been designed to overcome this problem.

Nazli Nomanbhoy, Colorado State University
"Seismic Schools: Real-Time Data, Real World Research"

Seismic data recorded at PEPP (Princeton Earth Physics Project) seismograph stations in Colorado and existing seismology resources on the World Wide Web will be used to meet the Colorado Model Content Standards in earth sciences for grades 9 to 12. Teachers will be trained in both content and use of curricular materials so that they can use real-time seismic data to engage students in real world research. The training will enable teachers and students to access seismic data from the Internet and to use those data to solve real problems in seismology. This will provide teachers with the opportunity to experience a hands-on, project-based approach to learning science before implementing this approach in their classroom. The training will be done in collaboration with the Center for Science, Math and Technology (CSMATE) at Colorado State University. During the first phase the PIs will: (a) visit each PEPP seismograph station in Colorado to ensure that the seismometers are running and data are being archived; (b) prepare the seismic data collected at local PEPP seismograph stations for dissemination by the Internet; (c) research the Internet for appropriate seismology resources and activities for classroom use; (d) design a website that will act as a gateway for teachers to access the seismic data, activities, and support from team members; (e) train a small group of teachers in summer 2000 to use the seismic data so that they can in turn act as trainers during a weeklong teacher-training workshop during the following summer; and (f) design and begin implementation of an evaluation plan and initiate organization and recruiting for the teacher-training workshop. During the second phase they will: (a) train 45 more teachers to use these resources during a weeklong workshop at Colorado State University; (b) provide follow-up through on-site visits by a project team member; (c) complete assessments and finalize evaluation of the project; (d) disseminate project outcomes through the Internet, presentations at conferences, publications in journals and newsletters, and contributions to the Digital Library for Earth Science Education (DLESE). The on-site visits will serve two purposes: (1) to assist teachers in the transition from the workshop laboratory to their own working environment, and (2) to ensure that all hardware, software and resources are readily available and functioning in the participant's schools. There will be two lasting outcomes of this project. First, the PIs will establish and maintain a web site at the Colorado Geological Survey for archiving PEPP data, posting instructional materials, and providing on-line support for teachers. Second, they will have provided up to 48 teachers (who teach at least 5000 students) with the content knowledge, confidence, and instructional materials they need to teach earth science content through active research, using real quantitative data and interacting with scientists through the Internet. With the focus on web-based activities and dissemination through DLESE, the project has the potential to serve a far larger, essentially global audience.

Joseph Hartman, University of North Dakota
"Red River Geoscience Education Pilot Project"

The Red River Geoscience Education (RRGE) Pilot Project will give secondary school students in eastern North Dakota a learning opportunity that will prepare them to understand the issues that affect watershed water quality in general and, specifically, the water quality of the Red River of the North (in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba). Incorporating a complementary expansion of the tributary monitoring activities initiated in the Minnesota portion of the watershed, this geoscience education program provides a collaborative approach to science teacher development and student education using the major geological feature of the region. One objective of the project is to provide area educators with effective geoscience activities and methods, focused on water issues, to be used in the field and in the classroom. Objectives for the students include developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, participating in scientific research, and promoting interest in geoscience in particular and science in general. These objectives compliment the priorities and recommendations of the NSF directorate for Geosciences, Working Group Report, and national and state science education standards. Tailored to the individual needs of the participating urban and rural schools, the pilot project will improve the quality of science education by integrating experiential geoscience content into the coursework. The students will receive field, laboratory, and technology training in themes relating to riparian habitats, hydrology, and human impacts on water quality. Under the guidance of their teachers and geoscientists, students will monitor water quality parameters and examine riparian status at sites along the Red River and two of its tributaries, gathering data and analyzing water samples during monthly field trips. The students will perform wet-chemistry and instrumental techniques using EPA-approved methods to evaluate water samples in their school laboratories. As the students gain experience in observation, sampling, analysis, and data reduction techniques, the emphasis will shift to the correlation of the results from schools in the Minnesota portion of the watershed and incorporation of information on fluvial systems, precipitation, soil and near-surface geology, ground cover, landscape, and aquatic species. The program will draw from established curricula such as Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) to supplement research activities and provide the background to interpret the analytical results and draw conclusions on the factors affecting the quality of the ecosystem. They will develop an understanding of the interactions between nature and humans that determine the health of the river. The preparation and presentation of research papers for regional scientific and water quality conferences will summarize the students' research experience and relate the significance of their findings to other geoscientists. These activities will help raise the scientific literacy of adults as well as students through the presentation of results at venues such as science and county fairs and community open houses. The participation of partners from several educational and professional fields will build closer relationships between K-12 education, universities, and government agencies in North Dakota and Minnesota. This program will connect local scientists and practitioners with classroom teachers and provide student opportunities to work with scientists in research discovery. The hands-on learning aspect will enhance science and math education through the practical application and connections of skills developed in the classroom. Placing research in the context of their local environment will empower students with responsibility toward the Earth and ignite their curiosity. The impact of this project's activities will be greater science literacy in the communities participating in the program and a successful model for bringing the "hands-on-minds-on" approach to geoscience education to the high schools of the Red River watershed. Because the pilot includes both rural and urban school districts, the unique problems associated with both groups can be explored and addressed, yielding a program exportable throughout the Red River watershed and beyond.

Paula Messina, San Jose State University Foundation
"Geoscience Education: Web-Based Investigations for Geosciences (WIG)"

Web-based Investigations in the Geosciences (WIG) is a multidisciplinary, broad-audience endeavor, targeting undergraduate and graduate students, pre-college science teachers, and those in their charge. The core of this initiative involves the development, field-testing and implementation of inquiry-based GIS (Geographic Information Systems)/GPS (Global Positioning System) modules and "virtual geologic field trips" that will be widely distributed over the Internet. With the assistance of a graduate student intern, the Principal Investigator of the proposed project will gather and organize spatial data to construct critical thinking activities in which geologic, biologic, geographic, meteorologic, and other GIS layers are combined into Earth Systems puzzles. The modules will be in the form of interactive directed inquiry lessons and "virtual field trips" in which the end-user will explore a remote terrain in search of physical evidence to help solve a problem. The PI of this project will employ the assistance of current students within San Jose State University's College of Science, who will collect further spatial data as part of Geology course requirements. Current students will also field-test the modules before they are more widely distributed via several public and private Internet servers. Dissemination strategies also include pre-college and in-service teacher workshops, national conference participation, and journal articles on the project's resources. WIG will make available Web-based student-centered activities, archived data sets to conduct spatial investigations, and virtual field trips for use in colleges and secondary schools around the country, or internationally.

Thor Hansen, Western Washington University
"Integrating Research & Education in Paleontology & Marine Ecology: An Inquiry-Based Grade 6-8 Curriculum that Investigates Spatial & Temporal Patterns in Naticid Gastropod Predation"

This award was made via the Awards to Facilitate Geoscience Education (AFGE) program to Drs. Thor Hansen, Western Washington University and Patricia Kelley, UNC Wilmington. The award provides funds to organize grade 6-8 students from schools around the coastal U.S. to learn about ecology and paleoecology of marine ecosystems and gain an understanding of the workings of science by participating in an authentic scientific investigation. The students will help the PI's collect data on the modern predation habits of the moon snail, a carnivorous gastropod. Moon snails leave a diagnostic trace of their feeding by drilling distinctive beveled holes in the shells of their prey. The students will collect shells with drill holes in them to help the scientists identify the characteristics of the preferred victims, such as size, morphology and age. Drillholes also provide information on; 1) identity and size of the predator (based on the size of the hole that is drilled); 2) the efficiency of the predator (by analyzing the siting of the borehole on the prey's shell); and 3) the success of the attack (based on whether the hole completely penetrates the victim's shell). Fossil records left by the moon snails and their prey create an excellent system for testing hypotheses concerning the evolution of predator-prey relationships. Current work by Kelley and Hansen on the naticid system tests the hypothesis of escalation using a database of 146,000 mollusc samples collected from Gulf and Atlantic coastal plain sediments. In order to complete the study of fossil records, the PI's need data from modern samples. They propose to work with students from across the U.S. to collect this data. The PI's have recruited teachers to work with them. They will train the teachers in a two-week workshop and will develop a curriculum based on the collection of shells. Data from each class will be posted on a common web site. The students will be an integral part of a real scientific investigation. The PI's will work with a variety of schools, including many schools with substantial Native American populations (see letters of support).

Frank Hall, University of New Orleans
"Earth System Science: Developing an Effective Framework for Preparing Preservice K-8 Science Teachers and Strengthening Existing Links…"

Historically, Louisiana has ranked at or near the bottom in educational support and the educational achievement of its students in comparisons with other states. The New Orleans region, in particular, commonly ranks at the bottom within the State of Louisiana. This result is particularly true for science and mathematics. Fundamental weaknesses in science, mathematics, and technology literacy by teachers get transferred to the students. These students grow into adults lacking critical-thinking skills and knowledge of using technology. Therefore, they are ill prepared to face the challenges of the 21st century workplace. Urban centers, such as New Orleans, can no longer expect to survive with a population of teachers who themselves do not understand the fundamental tenets of science. As a member of the Great Cities Consortium and the major educator of K-12 teachers in the New Orleans environs, the University of New Orleans is striving to improve the pool of teachers to the community and improve links with the community-at-large. At UNO, education is no longer viewed as K-12 then college. Instead, we are looking at education as pre-K-16 and beyond. Competently trained science educators that reflect this new paradigm are critically needed in our school system. This proposal is written to request funds from the National Science Foundation to support the development of an Earth System Science based curriculum for preservice K-8 teachers. The program we propose will: 1) Align the science methods and science content courses taught to preservice teachers, 2) Develop a constructivist-based curriculum in earth-systems science that emphasizes the local environment, and 3) Prepare preservice teachers to use appropriate technology in their classrooms. This curriculum will focus on the regional environment, including the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, Mississippi River drainage area, Mississippi River Delta, and Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, the students will learn the environmental interconnectivity of these areas as an interdisciplinary science aligned with the national and state science education standards. Importantly, this curriculum will be taught in inquiry-based classes with emphasis on group-cooperative learning and authentic assessment practices. Students will have access to, and be trained in, technology that they will be using when they become teachers, including computers and internet access, graphing calculators, and calculator-based laboratories. Furthermore, we will adapt components of this curriculum and test it in a local middle school. The population of this school is composed almost entirely of persons underrepresented in geoscience. Success of this adaptation will be used as a model for adapting the entire curriculum to the K-8 level. Drs. Hall and Buxton's complementary backgrounds make them ideally suited to develop and implement this curriculum. Hall is a scientist with expertise in science education whereas Buxton is an educator with expertise in science.

Stuart Birnbaum, University of Texas San Antonio
"Field Science Approach to Earth System Science: Back to Basics"

An integrated Earth system field research component will be developed to incorporate into the science curriculum. Objectives are to (1) work with a high school and two of its feeder middle schools to develop teacher-teams capable of incorporating an integrated Earth system field component into their curriculum; (2) establish a challenging and exciting environment where teachers and students conduct inquiry-based science by addressing questions they formulate themselves; (3) develop an appropriate curriculum built around integrated Earth system field research; (4) involve students and teachers in research that they may present at a UTSA sponsored research conference; and (5) provide opportunities for faculty in the sciences and education to conduct research: students using the field site will contribute to faculty research through data collection (in the case of the sciences) and as participants in education research. Nine teachers representing science and mathematics will be selected for the project: six from middle schools and three from a high school. Teachers will be trained over a five-month period in field and laboratory methods in disciplines that include archeology, ecology, environmental science, geoscience, and microbiology; emphasis will be placed upon critical thinking and developing hypotheses based upon observations. With this background, teachers will take their classes into the field a minimum of three times for data and sample collection. Data will be recorded on maps developed by students using global positioning satellite receivers and Arcview Explorer GIS software. Students will publish their data on a Web site and present their research results at a conference developed for the project. This project will have significant impact on the students and teachers involved. There will be improvement in critical thinking skills, proposing hypotheses based upon observations, communication skills, and understanding the linkages between Earth systems. In addition, this will develop a greater enthusiasm for, and understanding of, the sciences.

Perry Samson, University of Michigan
"Shared Air: Air Quality Curriculum for Middle and High Schools"

Environmental issues in the geosciences can be used to develop student abilities and understanding in the sciences and are germane to a number of the National Science Standards. It is the goal of the Shared Air project to connect students to their atmospheric environment, offer them experience in making models of how air is shared and modified by human actions, and introduce them to laws of nature through their understanding of how the atmospheric system works. The activities include: (1) Enhancement of an initial software and curriculum design with the addition of integrated collaborative and data analysis tools, (2) Implementation of curriculum and software package to an invited and volunteer base of classrooms in the Midwestern United States, and (3) Evaluation of its use as a project-based learning tool for middle and high-school students for exploration of the atmospheric environment, and (4) Presentation to traditional and Internet-based publishing communities to facilitate the self-sufficiency of the developed program in subsequent years. Students will use an enhanced software tool based on a model originally developed at the University of Michigan to determine where their air has been and to compare observations with other participants along the path of the air quality elsewhere as it traverses the country.

Susan Foster, UCAR
"Web Weather for Kids"

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) has been the catalyst for an emerging collaboration integrating science and education to create a prize-winning preliminary Web site for online middle school science education called Web Weather for Kids (www.ucar.edu/40th/webweather). This project will initiate an innovative approach to geoscience education by significantly expanding this Web site's weather-related educational materials and its capacity to communicate basic meteorological concepts to students in grades 5-8. It will use new technology that enables students and teachers to test their knowledge by applying these concepts to the analysis of real-time data in online interactive activities that will include a daily weather forecasting contest. Enhancements of Web Weather for Kids will partner scientists, educators, software designers, and assessment specialists in order to: 1) promote understanding about the atmosphere's composition and structure, the role of the sun's energy in generating and sustaining atmospheric dynamics, the processes of cloud development and precipitation, the relationship between air pressure and winds, and the mechanisms by which air masses and fronts create weather; 2) motivate students to explore these concepts in-depth by conducting simple, hands-on, inquiry-based science activities adapted from NSF-funded Project LEARN and other sources; 3) assist teachers by developing scientifically sound online pedagogy that complements and conveys the content of National Science Education Standards; 4) support and instruct students and teachers in using current online technologies and results of research to experience the scientific method in classrooms, as well as in locations outside of the schools; and 5) assess the effectiveness of the enhanced Web site's design in transmitting scientific content to students, motivating inquiry, reinforcing concepts learned, and supporting teachers engaged in teaching science and meteorology in middle schools grades. Web Weather for Kids will be promoted and disseminated to middle schools in the local school district and to teachers across the nation through educational newsletters, professional organizations, the media, and UCAR's network of academic affiliates and university members. A number of institutions within that network will assist in reaching underrepresented populations.

Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
"UND Geoscience Digital Image Library

The primary goal of this project is to create a University of North Dakota (UND) Geoscience Digital Image Library (GeoDIL). This library will follow the mission outlined by the Digital Library for Earth System Education (1999): it will "…serve educators and students of all types, at all grade levels, and in all locations … ". Users will access the system via a standard point and click Web page interface. GeoDIL will intuitively easy to use, both for the public and librarians. It will contain an archive of 10,000 high-quality, well-documented images after two years. A sophisticated search engine will allow users to browse the library and to load selected images into virtual carousels for viewing at remote locations. Educators and researchers around the globe will have access to a wealth of well-documented visual information that otherwise would most likely be unavailable to them. GeoDIL will be a resource for educators at all levels. It will be a visual learning environment that provides an opportunity for excitement to K-16 students and instructors. They will use it to explore the Earth, to make connections between different processes and materials, and to develop ideas about the Earth system. It will be especially useful for small schools or colleges that do not have well-developed teaching materials. GeoDIL will support research by facilitating virtual field trips and by providing fundamental information and field data to people stuck in a library or laboratory. GeoDIL will also allow the public to explore geology and selected Earth system phenomena in a way not previously available. The library will enhance scientific and technological understanding and permit better understanding of the Earth system's science. GeoDIL will consist of an ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) compliant relational database with a custom-designed World Wide Web interface. The database will be invisible to all users. Much of the initial project activity will be database creation and interface software design. A second goal of this project is to design this Web-based interactive library so that it can serve as a model for others. Technical information about GeoDIL (hardware, software, system requirements, etc.) will be available for people engaged in other digital image projects. GeoDIL will be one of the first "rooms" in comprehensive federated digital libraries, as they are developed. We will design it to be consistent with guidelines developed by DLESE and other community library efforts. It will connect seamlessly with the Geoscience Digital Library and other comprehensive libraries. This project is a joint project between the UND's Department of Geology, Energy and Environmental Research Center, and the Center for Aerospace Sciences. UND is supporting this effort by providing $75,000 in matching funds.

Steven D. Moore, Center for Image Processing
"Mapping an Ocean Sanctuary"

Analysis of spatial data has always been a key component of geoscience research. The relatively recent acquisition of large digital data sets is revolutionizing our understanding of the dynamic Earth system. Use of these data by geoscience educators and students has lagged behind the research community because significant barriers confront inexperienced users of geospatial data. Geospatial data will be an important element in the design and construction of a Digital Library for Earth System Education. In order for all users to fully exploit these resources, well-designed and simple-yet-powerful data visualization and analysis tools must accompany digital data archives. We propose to use the experience acquired in the construction of Cornell University's Solid Earth Information System (SEIS), a digital archive of solid Earth datasets originally compiled for the geophysical research community. These data are web-accessible through the use of data search, query and display tools developed for SEIS that allow universal access to all users regardless of expertise. Cornell University and the Paleontological Research Institution will modify and extend the capabilities of the SEIS system for educational purposes. They will take advantage of the underlying data structures and query and display functions of the current system to develop an improved interface for on-line analysis of geospatial data. They will prototype and test this system with feedback from university and K-12 students. The system will allow students to access, view, combine, and analyze a wide variety of geospatial data in an interactive way. They will develop educational user scenarios that utilize global, regional, and local scale data, and will help educators take better advantage of the same data sets and tools used by the world's leading researchers. Through ready access to comprehensive data and easy-to-use tools, students and the general public can learn about the Earth through hands-on discovery with original data.

Annette deCharon, Bigelow Lab for Ocean Sciences
"Phytopia: Showcasing Tiny Ocean Life in a Multimedia Environment"

This award provides funding for scientists at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and the University of New England to collaborate with the Data Distribution Laboratory, a facility based at California Tech/JPL, to create a multimedia educational experience that will bring the lower end of the marine food web "to life". Interaction with multimedia tools and data simulations will enable students to discover why the marine ecosystem is critical to human existence. These multimedia products will provide a window to the fascinating world of the oceans' microscopic plant life which, at present, only scientists see. In order to develop the project, the PI's will also develop the first searchable database of important phytoplankton from the world's temperate oceans using three-dimensional phytoplankton models. The program will be used and tested in the University of New England's Biology classes, which are required for all incoming freshmen, as well as the upper level courses. Although this pilot is aimed at undergraduates, the PI's propose to expand the program to include pre-college students and informal education audiences. Initially, the program will be disseminated via CD ROMS and a website, but the program is aligned with efforts to create a Digital Library for Earth Science Education.