22173 BYRD POLAR AND CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER From

22173 BYRD POLAR AND CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER From Classrooms to Geosciences Careers: Developing and Testing a Curriculum Module and Web Application for Modeling Water in Urban Environments Jason Cervenec, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University • cervenec. 1@osu. edu Michael Durand, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center & School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University • durand. 8@osu. edu GOAL Create a high school classroom module that will promote geoscience careers by allowing students to engage with mathematical modules to investigate local problems in hydrology. MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT & FIELD TESTING The five modules were written between Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 following review of literature on student understanding of and misconceptions about watersheds, prior curriculum work in geosciences education, and a review of standards. During this time, apparatuses were designed, constructed, and adapted to best support student learning in the investigations. This was an iterative process where curriculum materials informed apparatus design and vice versa. The web application was first developed as an interface that would be installed on personal computers and interact with HEC-HMS. The web application runs on personal computers and mobile devices. DELIVERABLES CREATED During summer workshops, science content and pedagogy were integrated as educators performed guided-inquiry exercises from the module. While introductory exercises were concrete, later exercises were more abstract and involved information technology. All exercises involved data collection. • End-of-Workshop Open-Ended Teacher Responses • Following the first summer workshop, edits were made to the modules and one apparatus adapted based on workshop facilitator notes and teacher participant feedback. Due to significant technical problems with the web application and a number of issues identified by teachers, the web application was re-envisioned so as to run on personal computers, tablets, and mobile phones without installation of software. Feedback from workshop teachers implementing portions of the modules allowed the project team to further refine the curriculum and adapt the workshop format for the second summer. Following the second summer workshop, minor changes were made to the module. • – • A module, consisting of five units of increasing complexity, that addresses Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards while promoting geosciences careers Investigations that offer both high-tech and low-tech options and, while targeting high school students, can be used with middle school through university students A web application, which can be run on personal computers, tablets, and smartphones, that allows students to investigate the impact of storm events and land use changes on local watersheds A teacher workshop that successfully integrates pedagogy and science content LESSONS LEARNED • RESULTS • Teachers’ Preparation versus Impact of Workshop • • • In order to build understanding of watersheds, tangible objects such as plastic models (above, right) and “Geo. Sandboxes” created from food containers with soil substrate (right) were used before high-tech tools from Google Earth (above, left) and federal agencies were introduced. • Education technology, if not designed for easy classroom access and straightforward use, will not be used by teachers Teachers, while looking for instructional materials that are ready to use, would prefer to use portions of a module rather than the entire thing Teachers prefer to be able to customize instructional materials to their local context but need time and support to do so There are vast differences in teacher awareness of both local and online resources related to geosciences education and careers Teachers’ self-reporting that they have greater understanding in the geosciences is not sufficient evidence to conclude that they have fully learned concepts when compared to a content knowledge instrument Recruitment of teacher participation can vary dramatically based on outside circumstances View the curriculum online at http: //tinyurl. com/n 8 c 67 ex The web application output (above) can be displayed as a hydrograph or a bar graph making the results accessible to students of various ages while allowing straightforward comparisons with data collected from gauging stations (below). RELEVANT RESOURCES Ben-zvi-Assarf, O. , & Orion, N. (January 01, 2005). A Study of Junior High Students' Perceptions of the Water Cycle. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53, 4, 366 -373. Bybee, R. , Taylor, J. , Gardner, A. , Van Scotter, P. , Powell, J. C. , Westbrook, A. , & Landes, N. (July 2006). The BSCS 5 E Instructional Model: Origins, Effectiveness, and Applications – Executive Summary. Colorado Springs, CO: BSCS. Available online at http: //bscs. org/sites/default/files/_legacy/BSCS_5 E_Instructional_Model. Executive_Summary_0. pdf. Covitt, B. A. , Gunckel, K. L. , & Anderson, C. W. (June 06, 2009). Students' Developing Understanding of Water in Environmental Systems. The Journal of Environmental Education, 40, 3, 37 -51. Dickerson, D. , & Dawkins, K. (January 01, 2004). Eighth Grade Students' Understandings of Groundwater. Journal of Geoscience Education, 52, 2, 178. Dickerson, D. L. , Penick, J. E. , Dawkins, K. R. , & Van, S. M. (February 01, 2007). Groundwater in Science Education. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18, 1, 45 -61. Gunckel, K. L. , Covitt, B. A. , Salinas, I. , & Anderson, C. W. (September 01, 2012). A Learning Progression for Water in Socio-Ecological Systems. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49, 7, 843 -868. Shepardson, D. P. , Wee, B. , Priddy, M. , Schellenberger, L. , & Harbor, J. (July 01, 2007). What is a watershed? Implications of student conceptions for environmental science education and the National Science Education Standards. Science Education, 91, 4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank Dr. Steven Gordon, with the Ohio Supercomputing Center; Dr. Howard Greene, with the OSU College of Engineering; and Brian Tost, a graduate student in OSU’s School of Earth Sciences, who helped develop the module, units, and web application. In addition, we appreciate the time of Central Ohio geosciences professionals to serve as site hosts and guest speakers during the summer workshops and follow up sessions. Lastly, we extend our gratitude to the 21 teachers who participated in the program, demonstrated great patience when working with early versions of our web application, and provided us with candid feedback. This project was funded under National Science Foundation Proposal Number 1203035. BPRC. OSU. EDU