The Use of Geospatial Technologies Instruction Within a Student/Teacher/Scientist Partnership: Increasing Students' Geospatial Skills and Atmospheric Concept Knowledge

Abstract

Many 21st century careers rely on geospatial skills; yet, curricula and professional development lag behind in incorporating these skills. As a result, many teachers have limited experience or preparation for teaching geospatial skills. One strategy for overcoming such problems is the creation of a student/teacher/scientist (STS) partnership within schools. This study investigated the extent to which the use of geospatial technologies (GST) within a STS partnership improved the geospatial skills and atmospheric science concept knowledge of high school and junior high school students who were primarily from high-needs schools. During the course of a 5 d summer institute, scientists who use GST in their research taught teachers how to use the geospatial technologies of remote sensing, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems. This phase was followed by instruction in standards-based activities, taught by a master teacher, which participating teachers could use to integrate GST in their curriculum. During the school year following the summer institute, teachers taught their students the use of the geospatial skills. Students then applied these skills to collect field data, which were shared with scientists. Instruction culminated in the preparation of individual inquiry-based student projects that were presented to scientists, fellow students, and community members at a mini-conference. The research methodology involved testing students before any instruction in GST and then retesting them twice: (1) once during the elaboration phase of instruction, subsequent to formal instruction and field data collection, and (2) again during the evaluation phase of instruction, after student engagement with their individual projects. Substantial gains were found from the pretest to the evaluation phase test in both geospatial skills and atmospheric concept knowledge. No interaction effects of gender and socioeconomic status were found.

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