SERC > Projects

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# Projects

This page describes the various projects on which SERC is a leader or collaborator. See each project website for more information about what role SERC staff play in each case.

## Current Projects

- A Civil Action - The Woburn Toxic Trial
  This project is developing web-based curricular materials investigating the events in Woburn, MA that inspired the movie A Civil Action. Developed from a popular mock-trial course at Ohio State University, the site will consist of a series of educational modules that students work through culminating in the presentation of a mock trial. Materials will be presented in such as way that educators can use them all in sequence with the mock trial as the destination or pull out specific modules for use in other classes or without conducting the mock trial at the end. More about this project
- Building Strong Geoscience Departments
  This site provides information and resources for geoscience departments to improve their academic programs and presence on campus. Materials have been drawn from a number of disciplines and sources, including a workshop held at The College of William and Mary in 2005. More about this project
- Climate Change Collection
  The Climate Change Collection is a suite of science education web resources developed primarily for middle school science teachers and their students relating to the causes and effects of natural climate variations as well as human impacts on the climate system.
- DLESE Community Services Center is creating examples that demonstrate the power of DLESE in classrooms and for the geoscience education community.

- Integrating Research and Education This site explores ways to bring modern research results into undergraduate courses. This is a primary pathway for ensuring our courses reflect rapid advances in the discipline and serves as an exciting mechanism for engaging students. More about this project
- Preparing Teachers to Teach Earth Science
  This site examines the role of geoscience departments and faculty in preparing preservice teachers and supporting practicing teachers who teach Earth science at all pre-college levels. More about this project
- Teaching Quantitative Skills in the Geosciences
  Quantitative skills are an essential tool for both the geoscientist and the citizen. This site provides resources for faculty that include pedagogic methods, teaching resources, supporting materials for students and a discussion of the issues. More about this project
- Using Data in the Classroom Portal
  Engaging students in inquiry is increasingly important in teaching both the methodology and content of science. This interdisciplinary site includes information about why one might wish to use data in a course, examples of effective use, on-line access to data sets and tools, classroom activities, ideas for evaluation and assessment, and a discussion forum. More about this project

- Earth Exploration Toolbook
  This site provides step-by-step instructions for using Earth science datasets and software tools in educational settings. Each chapter of the EET walks through a case study in which the user accesses data and uses analysis tools to explore issues or concepts in Earth system science. More about this project
- Faculty Participation in the NSDL
  This project explores the use of digital libraries by higher education faculty. Research is being conducted to examine factors that encourage use of and contribution to these collections. Of equal importance is assessing why faculty do not use materials from digital libraries with a particular focus on why faculty, who are aware of digital libraries, are not active users.
- Landscape Change Program
  SERC staff are currently engaged in evaluation of the Landscape Change Program website. We are conducting evaluations of the site usability as well as consulting with that program on the use of imagery in undergraduate geomorphology classes.
- MARGINS Data in the Classroom
  This project will be developing web-based undergraduate classroom teaching modules. A development workshop will be held to bring together scientists, educators and members of the MARGINS Steering Committee to identify critical content and initiate development of web-based MARGINS "Mini-Lessons" for use in undergraduate teaching. The aim is to engage the MARGINS research and educational community in the generation and testing of multidisciplinary learning materials derived from MARGINS science.
- National Association of Geoscience Teachers
  The National Association of Geoscience Teachers works to raise the quality of and emphasis on teaching the geosciences at all levels. The website provides access to information about NAGT and it's programs, initiatives, and governance.
- The National Numeracy Network
  The National Numeracy Network (NNN) is a network of individuals, institutions, and corporations united by the common goal of quantitative literacy for all citizens. The website provides access to information about the NNN including teaching resources, workshops and the journal Numeracy: Advancing Education in Quantitative Literacy.
- On the Cutting Edge
  The NAGT/DLESE On the Cutting Edge project helps geoscience faculty stay up-to-date with research and teaching methods through a series of workshops and associated online resources. Check the project website for a schedule of upcoming workshops. More about this project
- SERC Pedagogic Service
  The pedagogic service capitalizes on the successful model of the Starting Point: Teaching Entry-Level Geosciences portal by allowing institutions and digital libraries partners to integrate information about effective pedagogy into their websites.

## Past Projects

- Bringing Research on Learning to the Geosciences
  This site brings together resources for faculty, teachers and curriculum developers working in the geosciences. The contents of the site aim specifically to raise faculty awareness of advances in the science of teaching and learning and include essays from researchers, websites, recommended reading lists. More about this project
- Carleton's Energy Future
  This three-day workshop brought together a learning community that studied Carleton College's energy future from different perspectives and disciplines. Work was done in small interdisciplinary teams in order to share and probe disciplinary/specialty perspectives, moving toward creation of a "blended" inquiry in the Carleton's energy future.
- EarthScope in the Northern Rockies
  EarthScope's network of multipurpose geophysical instruments and observatories will significantly expand capabilities to observe the structure and ongoing deformation of the North American continent. The goal of this workshop was to formulate an integrated research and education agenda to optimize the use of the Earthscope facility in the northern Rockies, to identify the "big" scientific questions of the region, and to engage the public through a variety of education and outreach activities.
- MAA Convergence Online Magazine
  In support of the Mathematics Association of America, SERC staff conducted a survey and interviews of users of the Online Magazine, Convergence. The goals for the project were to identify roles and use of different material types in the classroom, characterize barriers for discovery and use, and affirm users willingness for site usage.
- Microbial Life - Educational Resources
  MLER aims to provide a contemporary and expanding resource of expert information about the ecology, diversity and evolution of micro-organisms for students, K-12 teachers, university faculty, as well as for the general public. More about this project
- Reconsidering the Textbook
  This invitation-only workshop reconsidered the textbook by bringing together NSF DTS (Distinguished Teaching Scholars) and CAREER awardees, other leaders in education and technology, and NSF program officers. Participants assessed the state of the textbook and other learning resources, identified the pertinent questions, produced a white paper to encourage future thinking on this critical topic, and planed for widely disseminating their findings.
- Starting Point: Teaching Entry Level Geoscience
  This site focuses on instructional methods that work with entry-level undergraduates. It describes the why/when/how of a variety of teaching methods reinforced with a set of classroom-ready examples spanning the Earth system. More about this project
- Sustainability Workshop: Cows, Colleges, and Curriculum
  This workshop was a cooperative effort by the two liberal arts colleges in Northfield, MN: St. Olaf College and Carleton College. The workshop will be looking at activities on both campuses as they both strive to integrate sustainability issues across their curricula.
- Teaching with Chronos Data and Tools
  This workshop at Iowa State University will lay the groundwork for the development of complete, free-standing teaching and learning activities on stratigraphy and sedimentary geology that utilize data, tools, and other resources from the CHRONOS project.

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