1 DLESE: Using a Digital Library to Enhance Teaching & Learning Holly Devaul Marianne Weingroff Climate and Global Change Geoscience Education Workshop 27 July 2004

2 Overview What challenges do educators face when searching for resources? How might digital libraries assist? How can I use DLESE to find resources that support learning goals and to enhance my teaching? Hands-on exploration of DLESE

3 Challenges in finding resources How can I find good “stuff”? Can it be integrated quickly? Is it versatile? Will it motivate students? Is it aligned with skills I’m expected to teach? Is it reliable?

4 Why use the web in teaching/learning? Lots of materials for supplementing/enriching standard teaching materials or replacing them when they are out-of-date, of poor quality or not available

5 Why digital libraries? How can they help? Provide efficient discovery of quality materials  Efficient = easy to find resources using search techniques  Quality = resources are checked before coming into library Provide safe environments and “boundaries” on the web DLESE is free; provides access to resources that are free/low cost Part of a national digital library movement - National Science Digital Library, NSDL (other DLs in arts & humanities)

6 How do digital libraries work? How do I find materials? Libraries usually don’t ‘own’ the resources Provide information about them so you can easily find what you’re looking for

7 Digital Library for Earth System Education Emphasize interdisciplinary approach to science Includes processes, states, cycles, and interactions among the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, space, from a global to local perspective, across time scales Highlight materials that bring the Earth system into the classroom or learning situation, and that demonstrate the application of science to solving real world problems Resources that support Earth System Education:

8 What does DLESE offer? Learning resources about the Earth System  Lesson plans, computer and lab activities, data visualizations, instructor guides, virtual field trips…  Themed collections about a specific topic  Reviewed collections Resources contributed and described by educators and scientists

9 How can I use DLESE to support my teaching? Find good resources to enhance existing curriculum  Search special collections aimed at your interests  Read teaching tips and reviews to determine whether to use a particular resource  Determine alignment with educational standards Learn new content Find other strategies for teaching Make community connections  Learn about workshops, summer institutes, courses, and funding sources for teachers and students  Participate in discussion groups on a wide range of topics

10 How to find materials in DLESE Browse functions (controlled vocabularies)  Subject, grade level, resource type, collection name Keyword search (free text) Advanced search (free text and vocabs) Results contain descriptions and links to resources

11 Can search by entering keywords

12 Descriptive info and links to each resource Search results

13 Refine your search: Add grade level and resource type Refine your search: Add grade level and resource type

14 National Science Education Standards National Geography Standards Assign standards to resources (that they support) Will add more detailed levels of national standards and state standards Refine your search: Search by standard

15 Collections focus on particular areas or resource types Can search over a collection Helps you focus and find what you want Refine your search: Search by collection

16 Fewer, more targeted results

17 View full description of the resource

18 Tools for evaluating resource quality

19 On-line Teaching Boxes A collaborative project to create classroom ready instructional units using DLESE resources  Teams of teachers, science advisors, interface designers Topics  Evidence for Plate Tectonics  Dynamic Weather Sun’s role in weather Structure and composition of the atmosphere Devel. and movement of weather systems Regional and daily weather Culminating ( project-based) activity

20 Resource s Misconceptio ns Related concepts Standar ds Print entire teaching sequence DLESE Teaching Boxes Home … Teaching Boxes The locations and types of volcanoes provide evidence for plate tectonics Stratovolcanoes (Booming volcanoes) occur at subduction boundaries because the magma originates from the melted crust Shield volcanoes (Fizzling volcanoes) occur at spreading centers because the magma comes directly from the mantle There is more than one type of volcano Most volcanoes are located along plate boundaries Volcanoes only occur in certain locations Types of volcanoes can be identified by both shape and rock composition Earthquakes Overview of the box Volcanoes Introduction Concepts & Standards Teaching sequence Teaching & learning resources Fossil distribution Sea-floor spreading Introductory activity Culminating activity CA Nat’l Science Ed. Stds. State: AAAS Benchmarks National Geography Standards Zoom in | Zoom out NSES: 5-8: D - Earth and space science: Structure of the earth system Lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and oceans constantly move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle. Major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from these plate motions. State Standards 6 th Grade Earth Science: California Science Content Standards, Grade 6 Focus on Earth Science - Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure 1.Plate tectonics accounts for important features of Earth’s surface and major geologic events. As a basis for understanding this concept: a.Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mid-ocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones. b.Students know Earth is composed of several layers: a cold, brittle lithosphere; a hot, convecting mantle; and a dense, metallic core. d. Students know that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults and that volcanoes and fissures are locations where magma reaches the surface. e.Students know major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions. Investigation and Experimentation 7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will: a. Develop a hypothesis. b. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data. c. Construct appropriate graphs from data and develop qualitative statements about the relationships between variables. e. Recognize whether evidence is consistent with a proposed explanation. g. Interpret events by sequence and time from natural phenomena (e.g., the relative ages of rocks and intrusions). Prerequisite activities Latitudes and Longitudes Volcanoes as Evidence (6-8) Concepts and Standards Plate Tectonics Box

21 Lesson 3 Lesson 2 Lesson 1 Getting started Prerequisite activities Latitudes and Longitudes Earthquakes Overview of the box Volcanoes Introduction Concepts & Standards Teaching sequence Teaching & learning resources Fossil distribution Sea-floor spreading Introductory activity Culminating activity Approach: Students discover the distribution patterns of volcanoes by plotting real locations of shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, and earthquakes on a map. Once they have observed the connection between the location of these volcanoes and earthquakes, they are then asked to connect volcanic and seismic activity to locations on the plate boundaries. Finally, they are asked to explore the relationship between specific volcano types and the type of plate boundary where they occur. Having become familiar with the types of plate boundaries when doing the Earthquakes lessons, students discover that knowing the location and type of volcano and the type of eruption exhibited by a volcano gives clues to what is happening beneath the earth’s surface, and specifically tectonic movement. By making this connection, students come to know that volcanoes are evidence for plate tectonics. Activities work well for small groups of students, or individuals working at computers, as well as for class discussions with demonstrations of on-line resources projected for classroom viewing. Contents : Prerequisites : Students should be able to plot locations given a whole number latitude and longitude. (See Prerequisite activity: Latitudes and Longitudes) Students should have general knowledge of the structure of the earth, earthquakes, and volcanoes prior to beginning this topic. Students should know the layers of the earth and their composition. Students should know that earthquakes result in movement of landmasses (of varying scale) moving past one another. Types of faults are defined by the direction of movement of the land relative to one another. Additionally, students should know the types of volcanoes, the difference between lava and magma, and the types of eruptions (i.e., explosive vs. non-explosive) that may occur. Approach | Contents | Prerequisites | Preconceptions | Technical | Prep | Notes Lesson 1 – Locating Volcanoes Around the World 2 activities requiring 2-3 class periods total Students will understand that: Volcanoes only occur in certain locations (6.1a) Most volcanoes are located along plate boundaries (6.1a) The locations and types of volcanoes provide evidence for plate tectonics (6.1a) Lesson 2 – Correlation of Volcano Types and Plate Boundaries 4 activities requiring 4-5 class periods total Students will understand that: There is more than one type of volcanoes. Types of volcanoes can be identified by both shape and rock composition (6.1d) Shield volcanoes (Fizzling volcanoes) occur at spreading centers because the magma comes directly from the mantle (6.1a, 6.1c, 6.1e) Stratovolcanoes (Booming volcanoes) occur at subduction boundaries because the magma originates from the melted crust (6.1a, 6.1b, 6.1d) The locations and types of volcanoes provide evidence for plate tectonics (6.1a) Lesson 3 – Volcanic Evidence: Tying it All Together 1 activity requiring two class periods total Students will understand that: The locations and types of volcanoes provide evidence for plate tectonics (6.1a) Volcanoes as Evidence (6-8) Teaching sequence Plate Tectonics Box Print entire teaching sequence DLESE Teaching Boxes Home … Teaching Boxes

22 A closer look at Resource Types

23 Resource types continued… A resource can be characterized by several types, e.g., JVV Jr. has reference material, a computer activity, map tool, datasets Can be used to teach in different ways (gather facts & info, structured or open exploration…)

24 Tying resource type to learning goals Level of learning You want students to be able to: Resource types that may target your goals Sample problems and resources Knowledge (recall or recognize info, ideas, principles) Gather facts about a topic, etc. Tutorial Text (reference) Services (ask an expert, discussion forum) Also check out: Activity (classroom, computer, lab, field) – may have good background information Problem: What are the different types of clouds and how are they formed? Resource type: Tutorial, reference Resource: Clouds and Precipitation (URL) Analysis (distinguish, classify, or relate assumptions, hypotheses, evidence) Analyze a problem Case study Dataset Activity Lesson plan … Enter keywords: Analyze, assess... Problem: How is water quality determined? Resource type: Case study Resource: Exploring the Environment: Water Quality Teaching approaches for the goals and res. types Teacher typically organizes the learning and guides the activities Can use technology to increase knowledge and comprehension Assessment is often straightforward Students play a more active role in learning Teacher is more of a facilitator Learning is problem or inquiry based…

25 Explore Examples Explore the Tying Learning Goals to Resource Types handout Look at the examples of level of learning, problems and resources Explore several examples in more detail

26 Develop a plan for using online resources Define a problem from your curriculum or this workshop  What topics might best be enhanced by technology?  What topics are difficult for students to understand, or hard to teach?  What topics might you like to find a new approach for? Determine your instructional goal  Intended level of learning/understanding (learning facts, analyzing a problem, synthesizing ideas…)

27 Tools on your desktop Worksheet  Topic  Grade level  Learning goals  URLs, etc.  Notes Web browser opened to

28 Discussion What topics did you explore? For what grade level? What kinds of searches did you do? Did you find what you were looking for? Why or why not; suggestions for broadening a search