While the value of data literacy is widely recognized, many teachers find it challenging to develop curricular activities that are relevant and engaging for their students, a problem amplified during the pandemic. This social media-based avenue for student and teacher learning evolved out of a GLOBE-based professional development program for preservice and inservice K-12 teachers. It supports science-based cross disciplinary learning that engages students in observing and analyzing their local environment.
Science, Integrating STEM and CS, Citizen Science
MSU Denver
Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST)
Related Content for Place-Based Data Literacy: Protecting the Platte
Cool project! Also nice to see an Americorps person in here among the academics. Have you been able to connect to teachers and schools to run pilot programs this summer? Would you be interested in working with public libraries?
2
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Kimberly Elliott
Samantha Schall
Rich Wagner
Co-Presenter Professor of Meteorology
May 11, 2021 | 05:48 p.m.
Jeff, Thanks for responding so quickly. And I agree with your Americorps comment.
Sami, the Lead Presenter, has picked the wrong year in terms of connecting with teachers and students. However, we are excited to be working with middle school kids at our University's Summer Science Institute in June.
Over 2 weeks, they do a different STEM topic each day ranging from microbiology to meteorology, mostly with full-time professors. The exception, Professor Schall, is demonstrating do it yourself hydroponics to 4 3-hr sessions in June.
She will be graduating from the Corps and starting grad school at the University of Denver this summer.
Well done! I appreciate your focus on place-based learning.
For the kits you assembled to test water quality, etc., do you plan to distribute those to teachers?
Rich Wagner
Co-Presenter Professor of Meteorology
May 11, 2021 | 05:24 p.m.
Thanks. We have in the past, so I hope that we can find these again. A collaboration between LaMotte (supplier) and Earth Force (non-profit in Denver), a non-profit working with K-12 students. Our GLOBE Program Country Coordinator is at New Hampshire (Leitzl Center) . Take a look at the GLOBE program video - students from Netherlands, Thailand, ... describing how the Earth has changed, from their own perspectives.
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Nicole Freidenfelds
Laura Larkin
Facilitator Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow
May 11, 2021 | 05:43 p.m.
Hi Rich and Samantha-
I can see where a project like this creates student interest in their own community and is a real call to action. Have you done any longitudinal studies or student surveys to see if this project (or ones like it) results in more STEM courses in later studies or environmental activism?
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Samantha Schall
Rich Wagner
Co-Presenter Professor of Meteorology
May 11, 2021 | 06:15 p.m.
Hi Laura,
This is a brand new project that is just passing the proof of concept stage. We are doing our first multi-day workshop in June, so your comments are helpful as we are setting up the evaluation and research data methodology.
Our recent 4-year ITEST grant had many of the same elements, but any longitudinal data we have is related to teacher surveys.
This is such a great project. The citizen science part of it is so good for the community.
Samantha Schall
Lead Presenter AmeriCorps Environmental Educator
May 12, 2021 | 10:32 a.m.
Thanks Katherine! Always appreciate your feedback. Imagine the data collection that could take place if more classrooms participated in programs like GLOBE!
1
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Kimberly Elliott
Rich Wagner
Co-Presenter Professor of Meteorology
May 14, 2021 | 02:13 p.m.
Yes, we are looking forward to normalcy where students and classes are getting back into the field.
Great work! Engaging learners with community-based projects is a fantastic way of creating interest in STEM and community.
I am interested in learning more about how the activities in the online folder support students of varying proficiency and how teachers/facilitators might be supported in adopting these activities to meet their students' needs.
Rich Wagner
Co-Presenter Professor of Meteorology
May 14, 2021 | 02:11 p.m.
Nice to hear from you, Samuel.
Until this year, we were collaboratively working with in-service teachers who shared with each other how they were implementing our lesson ideas. We emphasize the approach along with sufficient content scaffolding that each teacher adapts to their unique students' needs.
That said, this specific work using the Platte River site is in the pilot stage and we are just starting to share with our K-12 teacher network.
Rich
David Barnes
Facilitator Associate Executive Director, NCTM
May 14, 2021 | 08:51 p.m.
Your project seems very interesting and relevant. I’m curious if there are any explicit mathematics related activities associated with the work? We are working to promote the mathematics learning to understand your world and increase student agency. These both seem like they are related to your efforts.
Rich Wagner
Co-Presenter Professor of Meteorology
May 17, 2021 | 12:04 p.m.
The short answer is that mathematics related activities are in progress. Because of social distancing requirements, our efforts have focused on data collection protocols. Without classes to assist in data collection, our database is relatively small. More importantly, we have not had the chance to pilot field based lessons.
We focus on "quantitative fluency" or "quantitative literacy" more broadly than mathematics proper. Also, we notice that many capable students (and elementary teachers) are prone to math anxiety hesitation. Maybe we can tell students "you just did math in answering that question".
I will make a note to pass along some more seasoned activities when the project is further along.
1
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Found helpful:
Bridina Lemmer
Samantha Schall
Lead Presenter AmeriCorps Environmental Educator
May 18, 2021 | 10:37 a.m.
Below I have linked our project's Padlet so that we can continue discussions and provide you with resources that align with our project.
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Found helpful:
Bridina Lemmer
Bridina Lemmer
Facilitator Technical Assistance Consultant
May 18, 2021 | 01:36 p.m.
I love this idea and am excited to learn more, so I bookmarked the padlet! Place based learning activities are critical to ensuring relevancy for students- especially those that may not have the opportunity to travel beyond their own communities. Have you given thought to documenting how you developed these materials as a sort of model for teachers (and students) to develop similar programs outside of Denver?
Jeff Ginger
Cool project! Also nice to see an Americorps person in here among the academics. Have you been able to connect to teachers and schools to run pilot programs this summer? Would you be interested in working with public libraries?
Kimberly Elliott
Samantha Schall
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
Jeff, Thanks for responding so quickly. And I agree with your Americorps comment.
Sami, the Lead Presenter, has picked the wrong year in terms of connecting with teachers and students. However, we are excited to be working with middle school kids at our University's Summer Science Institute in June.
Over 2 weeks, they do a different STEM topic each day ranging from microbiology to meteorology, mostly with full-time professors. The exception, Professor Schall, is demonstrating do it yourself hydroponics to 4 3-hr sessions in June.
She will be graduating from the Corps and starting grad school at the University of Denver this summer.
Jeff Ginger
Glad to hear it! Denver Public Library might be another good organization to collaborate with for programs, especially if they can happen outside.
Katherine Shorten
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
Too funny! My wife is the government documents librarian at DPL.
Nicole Freidenfelds
Well done! I appreciate your focus on place-based learning.
For the kits you assembled to test water quality, etc., do you plan to distribute those to teachers?
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
Thanks. We have in the past, so I hope that we can find these again. A collaboration between LaMotte (supplier) and Earth Force (non-profit in Denver), a non-profit working with K-12 students. Our GLOBE Program Country Coordinator is at New Hampshire (Leitzl Center) . Take a look at the GLOBE program video - students from Netherlands, Thailand, ... describing how the Earth has changed, from their own perspectives.
Nicole Freidenfelds
Laura Larkin
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow
Hi Rich and Samantha-
I can see where a project like this creates student interest in their own community and is a real call to action. Have you done any longitudinal studies or student surveys to see if this project (or ones like it) results in more STEM courses in later studies or environmental activism?
Samantha Schall
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
Hi Laura,
This is a brand new project that is just passing the proof of concept stage. We are doing our first multi-day workshop in June, so your comments are helpful as we are setting up the evaluation and research data methodology.
Our recent 4-year ITEST grant had many of the same elements, but any longitudinal data we have is related to teacher surveys.
Katherine Shorten
Hello Rich and Sami,
This is such a great project. The citizen science part of it is so good for the community.
Samantha Schall
AmeriCorps Environmental Educator
Thanks Katherine! Always appreciate your feedback. Imagine the data collection that could take place if more classrooms participated in programs like GLOBE!
Kimberly Elliott
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
Yes, we are looking forward to normalcy where students and classes are getting back into the field.
Samuel Arnold
Hello Sami and Rich,
Great work! Engaging learners with community-based projects is a fantastic way of creating interest in STEM and community.
I am interested in learning more about how the activities in the online folder support students of varying proficiency and how teachers/facilitators might be supported in adopting these activities to meet their students' needs.
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
Nice to hear from you, Samuel.
Until this year, we were collaboratively working with in-service teachers who shared with each other how they were implementing our lesson ideas. We emphasize the approach along with sufficient content scaffolding that each teacher adapts to their unique students' needs.
That said, this specific work using the Platte River site is in the pilot stage and we are just starting to share with our K-12 teacher network.
Rich
David Barnes
Associate Executive Director, NCTM
Your project seems very interesting and relevant. I’m curious if there are any explicit mathematics related activities associated with the work? We are working to promote the mathematics learning to understand your world and increase student agency. These both seem like they are related to your efforts.
Rich Wagner
Professor of Meteorology
The short answer is that mathematics related activities are in progress. Because of social distancing requirements, our efforts have focused on data collection protocols. Without classes to assist in data collection, our database is relatively small. More importantly, we have not had the chance to pilot field based lessons.
We focus on "quantitative fluency" or "quantitative literacy" more broadly than mathematics proper. Also, we notice that many capable students (and elementary teachers) are prone to math anxiety hesitation. Maybe we can tell students "you just did math in answering that question".
I will make a note to pass along some more seasoned activities when the project is further along.
Bridina Lemmer
Samantha Schall
AmeriCorps Environmental Educator
Below I have linked our project's Padlet so that we can continue discussions and provide you with resources that align with our project.
Platte Padlet
Bridina Lemmer
Bridina Lemmer
Technical Assistance Consultant
I love this idea and am excited to learn more, so I bookmarked the padlet! Place based learning activities are critical to ensuring relevancy for students- especially those that may not have the opportunity to travel beyond their own communities. Have you given thought to documenting how you developed these materials as a sort of model for teachers (and students) to develop similar programs outside of Denver?
Further posting is closed as the event has ended.