Kids as Global Scientists: The Utilization of the Internet for Middle School Atmospheric Science

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The Internet telecommunications network is a resource that has begun to be utilized in many arenas, yet has a potential for K-12 learning that is unexplored and unstudied. As a component of the Boulder Valley Project, a school district/university/industry partnership which is deploying Internet connectivity to an entire school district, Kids as Global Scientists will couple the implementation of Internet technology with detailed research on student learning, collaboration models, and interface design for a K-12 audience. In particular, the project will contribute: 1) Insights into the study of seventh graders' understanding of atmospheric science concepts while investigating rich and dynamic representations of weather phenomena, 2) new models for communities and teacher interaction, and 3) prototype Internet interfaces for K-12 audiences. Internet connectivity within Middle School Internet Laboratories will allow classrooms of students to collect and interpret National Weather Service data and satellite images of an extensive variety of weather phenomena. Telecommunications within the District will support vertical curricular themes, teleapprenticeships, and new models of proximal and virtual communities. Extensive work with teachers-as-project-members will expand current models of teachers-as-researchers/learners/curriculum developers. Middle school students will be Global Scientists both in their extensive study of North American and world weather, and in their ability to communicate and personalize weather phenomena with scientists of all ages, both locally and world-wide.