ESPRIT Science SV

1. Eastern Shore Partnership for Real-world Information Technology in Science using Science Visualizations ESPRIT Science SV

2. Scientific Visualizations • The aim and scope of scientific visualization was first laid out in McCormick's 1987 definition: "the use of computer graphics to create visual images which aid in understanding of complex, often massive numerical representation of scientific concepts or results.” Wikipedia

3. Scientific Visualizations Using the computer to display real-world objects that cannot normally be seen, such as the shapes of molecules, air and fluid dynamics and weather patterns. PC Magazine online http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term

4. Science Visualizations • Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/vis2007 • Goddard Space Flight Center, Science Visualization Studio http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov • San Diego Supercomputing Center http://www.sdsc.edu

5. Need Demand for students with a solid foundation in science continues to grow. By 2010, jobs in science and engineering nationally are expected to increase by 2.2 million. Equally important, science education needs to ready citizens who do not pursue careers in science to handle dilemmas they will face in their lives, such as selecting treatments for diseases, evaluating messages about climate change, or using new technologies. (Resnick & Zurawsky, 2007, p. 1)

6. Need Using powerful technology to embed scientific visualizations in investigations can illuminate processes such as molecular interactions, mitosis, or the forces in an automobile collision. Research shows that students gain insights when they use visualizations to link situations, rather than using text or static drawings. Such tools can help learners connect salient information to their existing ideas. (Resnick & Zurawsky, 2007, p. 4)

7. Need Dr. Grasmick encourages school systems to: …ensure that all schools have a vision that fosters a technology-rich environment and meets the needs of our 21st century learners, critical for providing a productive and competitive workforce in Maryland and for our global economy. (Grasmick, 8/20/08)

8. Need Maryland Teacher Technology Standards include the ability for teachers to: Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate use of technology in curriculum-related instructional activity to support understanding, inquiry, problem solving, communication and/or collaboration. (MD State BOE, 2002, Standard V)

9. Need The Critical Middle: A Reason for Hope (MSDE, 2008), recommends that to address these needs school systems should: Encourage and support partnerships with businesses to allow students to apply their learning and interact with scientists, engineers, and information technology experts, among others. (p. 22, Rec. 3).

10. Goal 1 • Enhance student achievement by providing sophisticated and visually rich support for developing complex and/or abstract science concepts through classroom use of science visualizations, and through the increased engagement in science-related IT that these visualizations provide.

11. Goal 2 • Acquaint both teachers and students with the logic, conventions, potentials and limitations of science visualizations (SVs) as they are used in STEM research and careers, by putting them in direct contact with STEM professionals that use SVs, and by using common and/or specialized (but user-friendly) software packages to construct basic SVs.

12. Goal 3 • Help both teachers and students realize the usefulness and relevance of information technology (IT), especially as it is applied through SVs, in terms of STEM activities such as real-world problem solving and exploring/advancing science understanding.

13. Goal 4 • Develop an online access point for third party SVs that are meta-tagged to outcomes in the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum and linked through a single webpage (e.g., a social bookmarking site such as delicious.com). • To build this access portal participating teachers will locate and critique third party SVs that are accessible online, and then annotate the SV links with suggested approaches to effectively integrate those SVs into classroom instruction. This access portal will provide teachers throughout Maryland (and elsewhere) with technology-rich tools for science instruction.

14. Goal 5 • Furnish high quality, long term professional development (at least 90 hours). Support teachers as they collaboratively develop skills and instructional materials that make use of the potential of IT, and SVs in particular, to enhance student achievement in science and knowledge of STEM professions.

15. Major Questions • How can SVs be effectively used in inquiry-based science instruction? • How can SVs be located, organized, indexed, and made available in a reasonably efficient manner? • How can this network of teachers support each other to innovate in science instruction?

16. Products • Science Visualization Library—A library of SVs tagged to the MD Voluntary State Curriculum outcomes and annotated by teachers to describe their potential classroom uses. This library will be part of the ESPRIT Science SV Project website. • Virtual Field Trips—Each of the three new ESPRIT Science SV Project partners will allow video footage to be made of the tours provided to teachers. This video footage will be edited into vignettes that can be used in instruction as “virtual field trips”. These will be made available on DVDs through the LEA Science Supervisors. • Strategy Development—As the teachers develop specific strategies for using SVs in their instruction, those strategies will be documented and shared on the project website.