Geoscience Interactive Simulations for Teaching - GIST

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9978326BerchemThis is a one-year project to create World Wide Web and CD-ROM based educational software that uses an interactive approach to teach geoscience phenomena related to Sun-Earth interactions and Space Weather at the high school level. During the development of GIST, the PIs, who are members of the Space Plasma Simulation Group at the UCLA Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), will leverage their involvement with NSF Space Weather and NASA Sun-Earth Connection research Projects. The novel aspects of the proposed project are to deliver the content as multimedia activities centered around interactive simulations controlled by student research projects. The highly interactive nature of numerical simulations makes this approach to learning a more active experience, rather than a passive one, and promotes and maintains interest in science. In addition the use of research tools and data will provide challenging hands-on activities for students that will allow close contact with the traditionally inaccessible world of scientific research. Although the Geoscience content will be created primarily to supplement science curriculum for grades 9-12, the activities will include advanced topics of interest to college undergraduates. The software will be distributed as Java applications over standard Internet web browsers to achieve platform neutrality. For those without an Internet connection, all of the content and necessary software will be placed on CD-ROM for distribution. Content creation will be carried out with the involvement of high school science teachers from the Los Angeles area. The software will first be tested in a pilot program at Van Nuys and Venice High Schools and other schools of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) before being released nationwide. Teacher training workshops conducted by the project researchers will be held at UCLA. On-site visits will be made to LAUSD high schools by UCLA students involved with the project to work directly with high school students. These on-site visits will be made not only to help high school students use the software applications, but also to receive feedback on their experience with the program for use in further refinement of the software.