[Globaldata] Geoscience Visualization Workshop

[Cathy Manduca]

Greetings-
We would like to draw your attention to the following opportunity offered
through the NAGT program, On the Cutting Edge: Workshops for Geoscience
Faculty.  If you know others who would be interested, please forward this
message to them.  Please note the application deadline of December 16.

Cathy Manduca

* * * *

Teaching Geoscience with Visualizations: Using Images, Animations, and
Models Effectively February 26-28, 2004, Carleton College, Northfield,
Minnesota

APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 16, 2003

This workshop will bring together geoscientists who are leaders in using
visualizations in their classroom, cognitive scientists who study how we
perceive and learn from visualizations, and creators of visualizations and
visualization tools. Participants will consider what we know about using
visualizations effectively to teach geoscience, what important questions
need to be answered to improve our ability to teach effectively, and what
resources are needed to increase the capability of teaching with
visualizations in the geosciences.  Participation is limited to 30 people.

The program will include sharing of expertise including formal
presentations and posters addressing research results, teaching
experiences, and issues in design/development of visualizations;
opportunities for formal and informal discussion; and the development of an
action plan.

Topics for discussion will include

    * Using visualizations to tell stories: Geoscience faculty use
visualizations of observational and model data to describe various
parts of the earth. These are often linked together or animated to develop
an understanding of Earth processes with twin goals of understanding the 
nature of the process and the evidence for its role in the Earth
system. Visualizations can be used to tell stories in lectures, text books,
computer-based learning materials. We will explore what we know about both
effective use and innovative use.

* Using visualizations to explore and
understand data: Scientists have long known the power of visualizations in
making sense of data and thereby learning about the earth. With new access
to on-line data and new technologies for visualizing data, this is becoming
an increasingly powerful technique for teaching geoscience. We will explore
how visualizations can support and enhance students abilities to learn
about the Earth by working with data.

 * Powerful emerging tools and
technologies for visualization and their uses: New tools are emerging for
visualizing and understanding complex systems and for representing complex
data. We will explore new tools, their current role in scientific research
and their potential for teaching geoscience.

This workshop is one of the 2003/2004 emerging themes offerings that are
designed to move critical ideas and concepts into the main-stream of
geoscience education. Participants are sought who are leaders in the field
and are committed to participating in follow-on activities.

For more information about the workshop and/or to complete the on-line
application form, please go to:

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualize04/index.html


This workshop is part of the program On the Cutting Edge: Workshops for
Geoscience Faculty, supported by the National Association of Geoscience
Teachers and DLESE with funding provided by a grant from the National
Science Foundation-Division of Undergraduate Education. On-site workshop
expenses for participants will be covered by the grant.  Information about
the workshop program is available at:

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/

Cathryn A. Manduca
Director, Science Education Resource Center
Carleton College
Northfield, MN  55057
507 646-7096
cmanduca at carleton.edu
serc.carleton.edu