GLOBE teachers develop Internet-based e-learning in science and math

1. GLOBE teachers develop Internet-based e-learning in science and math Ülle Kikas Institute of environmental physics, University of Tartu Coordinator of the EU Socrates/Minerva project “e-LSEE” Kikas@ut.ee

2. Outline • ICT based teaching and learning in traditional school • Challenges of e- learning based on Internet resources • The GLOBE program • EU Socrates/Minerva project “e-LSEE” • Examples of e-learning themes developed by teachers • Summary

3. Universities and learners are strongly motivated by organisational advantages: Comfortable management of diverse student groups Chance to increase students number, etc Flexibility of learning time and place Accessibility of courses in appreciated universities, etc Less organisational advantages at school Teachers are weakly motivated(absence of learning materials, technical problems, weak appreciation from administration, achievements non-measurable in traditional assessment system, etc ) Driving force for e-learning, are students, they can motivate teachers with their excitement and satisfaction Better content and methodology can drive e-learning in traditional school ODL at universities vs. e-learning at school

4. Using ICT for curricula teaching in school • Presentations by data projector, distribution of materials and tasks via Internet and e-mail • more attractive than textbooks (illustrations, animations), visual sense supports oral information, improving computer skills Students passive listeners, typing instead of handwriting, ….  new tools, traditional methods - in the future will not be considered as e-learning • Using special educational software, learning in computer labsolving problems, interactive visualisation of processes, designing a product with a computer. Efficient use of school time, students are active developers. Future mainstream of e-learning in school • Interactive games, quizzes etc • Attractive for students  difficult to include into curricula. Will always be a minor part of e-learning • Interactive Internet learning in computer lab and home weakly developed • Will be an important part of school education

5. Internet resources in curricula learning • bring “real life” into learning process • Huge pool of knowledge • recent achievements of research and technology • high quality, large variety of products • always new and fresh  • irregular (addresses and content frequently change) • Unsystematic, (non-adapted to educational needs and curricula) • Available mostly in English • Finding and adaptation requires special efforts from teachers Internet learning attractive for students, challenging for teachers. Motivation and preparation of teachers important!

6. Internet resources on Earth Numerous sites with meteorological data, soil and water temperatures, cloud cover, solar radiation, UV exposures, stratospheric ozone, land cover, surface albedo, air pollution, vulcanoes, hurricances, etc. • Relatively stable (offered by large centres, based on long-term programs and satellite remote sensing) • Clearly understandable, directed to wide public • Frequently presented as visual and numerical information (maps, graphs, images, tables), independent from language perfect resource for science, math, environmental and ICT education

7. The GLOBE programa worldwide hands-on, school-based education and science programhttp://www.globe.gov network of over 10000 schools in 103 countries, led by NASA,NSF, EPA, U.S. State Department , supported by governments of partner countries Students • takemeasurements in the fields of atmosphere, hydrology, soils, land cover, phenology • report their data through the Internet • can createmaps and graphs on the free interactive Web site to analyse data sets Teachers • have Internet skills since 1995 - 1997

8. GLOBE data, graphs and maps support development of universal skills in math and science drawing and reading graphs, linking numerical and visual information reading scales and color legends, understanding coordinate systems performing database operations, etc. specific ICT skills Working with browsers Searching for specified items Working with several windows Downloading and saving information, etc difficulties for curricula teaching GLOBE Web site too large, search complicated Language barrier hinders younger pupils Data irregularly distributed by schools and countries Links to curricula not clearly established few experiences and training on building the e-learning lesson plan and methodology GLOBE Internet resources are useful for student research projects and e-learning of different subjects  Analysis of data collected by students themselves form their awareness and attitudes on Earth environment

9. e-Learning in Science and Environmental Education Collaboration of teachers from EE, CZ, NL, NO, PL, UK to promote e- learning of science, math and environment in traditional school • partnership of GLOBE country coordinators and teachers • Creation, discussion, and testing of new e-learning materials based on Internet resources of the GLOBE program Outcomes: • a set of curricula-adapted materials for interactive Internet learning. Platform:online Internet**, a browser, MS Office, GLOBE Web site. Freely distributed in Web and as a CD. **An offline version also available. • Conference "e-Learning in Science and Environmental Education“ , 1 - 4 October 2003, Tartu Visit the project home page: http://ael.physic.ut.ee/elsee/

10. The European Ideas:Themes related to everyone’s national curriculum THE EARTH’S ORBIT • 3.Northern & Southern hemispheres • 4.Do the same tree species grow all around the world? … WHERE YOU ARE ON THE EARTH • 7.Maps, geographical coordinates • 10.Elevation  CLIMATE • 14.Comparing climate in different locations • 16.Continental/maritime • 17.Clouds CHANGES OVER TIME • 31.Seasonal changes • 35.Land cover changes over time

11. The European Ideas: • HUMAN IMPACTS • 39.Acid rain (pH-measurements) • 41.Land use by humans • MATHEMATICS/Physics • 49.Elaboration of data and their presentation • 50.Creating graphs – line/block/pie/2-D/3-D …. • 51. Reflection of light…. • ALSO TO BE CONSIDERED: • Ages and abilities: *8 – 9, **10 – 11, ***12 – 13, ****14 – 15, *****16 • All materials to be provided as complete unit in template: introduction, activities – including all GLOBE data as URLs – reports, links, images and graphic ideas. • All written in English first – then shared, edited, tested, modified and agreed • Finally all materials translated back into your own languages • An example: “Finish uncompleted research” http://sppk.vil.ee/elsee/Engl • by Meelis Reinart, teacher of Saarepeedi Basic School

12. Conclusions Interactive Internet learning in traditional school is weakly developed yet, but the issue is worth of more attention: • Curricula learning and teaching, based on online Internet resources is attractive for students and challenging for teachers with advanced ICT skills • Enables the educational exploitation of latest achievements of world wide science and technology • Supports integrating of knowledge for conducting complex tasks For its’ further propagation it would be useful: • Clearly define the educational need for Internet products • Work on interfacing the existing Internet products to school education • Define the appropriate methodologies (teaching, learning, assessment) for Internet-based curricula learning in school • Disseminate good practice • Increase teachers preparedness and motivation GLOBE teachers imlementing the e-LSEE project are the first adapters in schools, creating and testing the Internet-based e-learning materials and methodologies