The increasing availability and wealth of large, environmental datasets creates new opportunities to teach scientific concepts and quantitative reasoning with these data. Project EDDIE (Environmental Data-Driven Inquiry and Exploration) is a suite of NSF funded projects focused on developing an expanding community of instructors able to effectively use and develop materials that prepare students to utilize large datasets and apply their own quantitative analysis of large datasets to support scientific argumentation. Project EDDIE aims to develop a self-sustaining community of instructors engaged with materials and professional development designed to foster pedagogical orientation favoring open inquiry with large datasets. The community will build a shared vision for change that starts with understanding the perceived gap between instructor needs and the existing resources available to support them in their teaching. In spring 2019 we held four webinars and a 40 person workshop that together aimed to inform and develop a community vision regarding best practices and strategies for improving the teaching of quantitative reasoning using data in the classroom.

Responses from participants indicate an overall need for pedagogical tools that enrich learning environments and provide opportunities for major and non-major students to develop their quantitative reasoning and data-driven inquiry skills. Findings from the webinars and workshops are currently informing the design, development, and implementation of future Project EDDIE curricular modules and professional development opportunities, including the upcoming Teaching Module Design and Development Workshop (https://serc.carleton.edu/216830). Each module will focus on specific scientific concepts and address a set of quantitative reasoning or analytical skills, using high-frequency datasets that are publicly available online. Workshop attendees will include faculty members from different disciplines and institution types.