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Enhancing Geosciences Education with Data Analysis: A Workshop Summary

Explore the incorporation of data analysis in geosciences courses, utilizing diverse, engaging, and cost-effective data sets. Learn best practices, resources, and methods to enhance student learning and promote active engagement.

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Enhancing Geosciences Education with Data Analysis: A Workshop Summary

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  1. Preparing for an Academic Career in Geosciences Workshop: Summer 2012 Incorporating Data Analysis into Undergraduate Courses • Rachel O’Brien, Allegheny College • Dana Royer, Wesleyan University

  2. Data sets are flexible • Data and assignments can be tailored to reach a broad range of student groups K-12 Graduate courses • Can be used in one class/lab session or throughout an entire course

  3. Data sets are cost-effective • Majority of online sources are now free • Simple, low-cost field and lab work Data sets are concept-effective • Allow for compare/contrast work at a range of spatial & temporal scales • Single or multi-concept patterns

  4. Data sets are engaging • Allow students the opportunity to practice science and promote active learning Data sets are real • Require students to grapple with issues of complexity, uncertainty, and outliers

  5. Ocean Circulation Profiles Classic textbook Pacific high latitude Atlantic low latitude http://www.epic.noaa.gov/epic/ewb/

  6. Data sets are diverse in topic , scope, and format • Newly created datasets • Field work and/or lab work in your course • A genuine research experiment • Data from published literature • Journal articles, government documents, NGO reports • Online datasets • Teach particular concepts and/or skills • Recreate research, test hypotheses

  7. A great place to start http://serc.carleton.edu/usingdata/resources

  8. Data sets are not stand alone resources • Design how you’ll use data • Identify clear learning outcomes for content, concepts, and/or skills • What steps in the process are most important for your students to practice? (collection and reduction vs. analysis and reporting) • How will you address uncertainty, outliers, etc.?

  9. Data sets are not foolproof • Logistics • Work through all steps of the process ahead of time • Envision and create “Plan B” • Evaluation Did the use of data help student learning? How will you know?

  10. Selected Web Sites with Earth Science Data EPA GEOROC IPCC LDEO NCAR NOAA NSIDC UNAVCO USDA USGS

  11. Geodetic Data UNAVCO EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory

  12. Earthquake Data USGS Earthquake Hazards Program & SCEC So. California Earthquake Center

  13. Hydrologic Data USGS Water Resources Division

  14. Satellite Imagery NASA Earth Observatory

  15. Earth, Ocean, & Climate Data NASA Eyes on the Earth 3D

  16. Exploration activity • Choose a course: Introductory level • or advanced course (grad or undergrad) • Identify a website with datasets that could be used in the course –OR- identify new datasets that the students can generate • What concepts(s) and/or skill(s) can students practice by using the data?

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