The emerging field of using geospatial technology to teach science and environmental education presents an excellent opportunity to discover the ways in which educators use research-grounded pedagogical commitments in combination with their practical experiences to design and implement effective teacher professional development projects. Often missing from the literature are in-depth, explicit discussions of why and how educators choose to provide certain experiences and resources for the teachers with whom they work, and the resulting outcomes. The first half of this book will enable science and environmental educators to share the nature and structure of large scale professional development projects while discussing the theoretical commitments that undergird their work. Many chapters will include temporal aspects that present the ways in which projects change over time in response to evaluative research and practical experience. In the second half of the book, faculty and others whose focus is on national and international scales will share the ways in which they are working to meet the growing needs of teachers across the globe to incorporate geospatial technology into their science teaching. These efforts reflect the ongoing conversations in science education, geography, and the geospatial industry in ways that embody the opportunities and challenges inherent to this field. This edited book will serve to define the field of teacher professional development for teaching science using geospatial technology. As such, it will identify short term and long term objectives for science, environmental, and geography educators involved in these efforts. As a result, this book will provide a framework for future projects and research in this exciting and growing field.
Introduction........................................................................ 1
Jim MaKinster, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Nancy Trautmann, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Mike Barnett, Boston College
Section 1: Designing Effective Professional Development Projects
2. Participatory Professional Development: Geospatially Enhanced Urban Ecological Field
Studies............................................................................... 13
Mike Barnett, Boston College
Meredith Houle, University of California at San Diego
Sheron Mark, Boston College
Daphne Minner, Center for Science Education at EDC
Linda Hirsch, Center for Science Education at EDC
Eric Strauss, Boston College
Lindsey Cotter-Hayes, Urban Ecology Institute
Beth Hufnagel, Brookline Public Schools
3. Field-based Research Partnerships: Teachers, Students, and Scientists Investigate the Geologic History of Eastern Montana Using Geospatial Technologies 44
Heather Almquist, University of Montana
Lisa Blank, University of Montana
Jeff Crews, University of Montana
George Stanley, University of Montana
Marc Hendrix, University of Montana
4. The GIT Ahead Project: Meeting Teachers Where They Are and Helping Them Achieve Their Geospatial Goals.............................................................. 67
Nancy Trautmann, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Jim MaKinster, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
5. Spatial Sci: Forwarding Geospatial Technology Innovations In the Classroom 88
Lisa Blank, University of Montana
Jeff Crews, University of Montana
Randy Knuth, University of Montana
6. Eyes in the Sky: Facilitating Classroom Research Using Geospatial Technology 110
Carla McAuliffe, TERC
Jeff Lockwood, TERC
7. Coastlines: Commitment, Comfort, Competence, Empowerment, and Relevance in Professional Development................................................................... 133
Steven D. Moore, Science Approach
Don Haviland, California State University Long Beach
Allison Whitmer, Georgetown University
Jenny Brady, Science Approach
8. The Inquiring with GIS (iGIS) Project: Helping Teachers Create and Lead Local GIS-Based Investigations.................................................................. 161
Cathlyn D. Stylinski, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Cassie Doty, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
9. Communities for Rural Education, Stewardship and Technology Program (CREST): A Rural Model of Teacher Professional Development.............. 191
Shey Conover, Island Institute, Maine
Ruth Kermish-Allen, Island Institute, Maine
Robert Snyder, Island Institute, Maine
10. Curriculum Aligned Professional Development for Geospatial Education 212
Beth Kubitskey, Eastern Michigan University
Heather Johnson, Northwestern University
Kirsten Mawyer, Northwestern University
Barry Fishman, University of Michigan
Daniel Edelson, National Geographic
11. Impact of Science Teacher Professional Development through Geospatial Technologies: A 5-Step Program of Support...................................................... 240
Rita Hagevik, University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Harriett Stubbs, North Carolina State University
Christiane Gioppo, Federal University of Parana, Brazil
Diane Whitaker, North Caroline State University
Section 2: Designing and Implementing Innovative and Effective Curricular Materials
12. The Data Sets and Inquiry in Geoscience Education Project: A Model Curricula for Teacher Capacity Building in Scientific Inquiry Tasks With Geospatial Data 266
The field of professional development for teaching science using geospatial technology is defined in this volume. The text identifies both short and long term objectives for science, environmental, and geography educators, providing a framework for future projects and research in the field.