A VIRTUAL EXPLORATORIUM TO A VIRTUAL EXPLORATORIUM TO SUPPORT INQUIRY -BASED SUPPORT INQUIRY -BASED LEARNING IN GEOSCIENCE LEARNING IN GEOSCIENCE

COURSESCOURSES

Rajul PandyaRajul Pandya11, Mary Marlino, Mary Marlino22, Robert , Robert WilhelmsonWilhelmson33, Mohan Ramamurthy, Mohan Ramamurthy33, Ken , Ken HayHay44, Don Middleton, Don Middleton55 and Dan Bramer and Dan Bramer33

(1) West Chester University, West Chester, PA (2) PAGE/UCAR, Boulder, CO (3) University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (4) University of Georgia, Athens, GA (5) NCAR, Boulder, CO

Scientific LiteracyScientific Literacy

Undergraduate Education the keyUndergraduate Education the key– science education for general publicscience education for general public– professional trainning for K-12 teachersprofessional trainning for K-12 teachers– professional training for industryprofessional training for industry– preparation for advanced SME&T preparation for advanced SME&T

degrees degrees

From “Shaping the Future”

Scientific Practice vs.Scientific Practice vs. Scientific Education Scientific Education

Science is active and Science is active and technologically technologically intensiveintensive– emphasizes emphasizes

relationships and whyrelationships and why Science Education is Science Education is

passive and low techpassive and low tech– emphasizes emphasizes

definitions and whatdefinitions and what

Hot Air RisesHot Air Rises

Students are good at telling what happens, but don’t often move to understanding “why”

Can we increaseCan we increase

Ability to explore and discover?Ability to explore and discover? Ability to find relationships?Ability to find relationships? Ability of students to conceptualize Ability of students to conceptualize

the complex?the complex?

Some Recommendations Some Recommendations

Inquiry Based approach to Science Inquiry Based approach to Science EducationEducation

Emphasis on Scientific Principles Emphasis on Scientific Principles and their applicability to everyday and their applicability to everyday lifelife

Experience of “doing science”Experience of “doing science”From “Shaping the Future”

In other words, the student becomes the scientist

The Virtual ExploratoriumThe Virtual Exploratorium

A pedagogic framework for A pedagogic framework for Geoscience EducationGeoscience Education

A learner-centered scientific A learner-centered scientific exploratory environment for exploratory environment for introductory undergraduate introductory undergraduate educationeducation– Utilizes UCAR/UIUC visualization Utilizes UCAR/UIUC visualization

technology technology – Funded through NSF DUE/EHRFunded through NSF DUE/EHR

Virtual Exploratorium will Virtual Exploratorium will provide learners with provide learners with

a well-supported inquiry environment a well-supported inquiry environment opportunities to engage the “tools of opportunities to engage the “tools of

practice” of scientific investigation practice” of scientific investigation opportunities to use and understand opportunities to use and understand

the roles of modeling and visualizationthe roles of modeling and visualization inquiry based projects on Earth inquiry based projects on Earth

Systems Science Systems Science e.g. El Niño, hurricanes, plate-tectonics e.g. El Niño, hurricanes, plate-tectonics

VE: A Pedagogic VE: A Pedagogic FrameworkFramework

What

A description of the phenomena, including sophisticated learner-constructed visualization

Why

Relation to the underlying physical principles that “explain” the behavior of the natural worldPhenomena as the “hook”

VE: A Pedagogic VE: A Pedagogic FrameworkFramework

Phenomena: concrete, observable, direct student experience

Processes: A collaboration of building blocks that explains a result or aspect of a phenomena

Building Block: combination of fundamental principles into recyclable units

Fundamental Principles: basic immutable laws of physics, e.g. Newton’s Laws

down

up

cloud

A VE ScenarioA VE Scenario

Components of the VEComponents of the VE

GoalsGoals

Develop Conceptual frameworkDevelop Conceptual framework Secure Secure FundingFunding

Investigate current understandingInvestigate current understanding Identify topics to developIdentify topics to develop

– El Niño, plate tectonicsEl Niño, plate tectonics Identify appropriate data sets and architectureIdentify appropriate data sets and architecture Develop a visualization interfaceDevelop a visualization interface Adapt modeling toolsAdapt modeling tools Develop a single curricular elementDevelop a single curricular element More FundingMore Funding