Teaching with Cyberinfrastructure: Benefits and Potential Problems

Teaching with data

Some of the reasons for using data in general are explored in detail in the following resources

• Teaching with Data, Simulations and Models, a Cutting Edge site with links to workshops and resources.
• Using Data in the Classroom, a SERC site funded by the National Science Digital Library
• Using Global Datasets to Teach Earth Processes, a one-day workshop at the American Geophysical Union Meeting in 2002
• Using Data to Teach Earth Processes, an illustrated discussion at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America

Benefits to teaching in the context of cyberinfrastructure

• Using cyberinformatic databases allows educators to rapidly produce customized datasets for a variety of teaching purposes
• Teaching with cyberinformatic databases highlights the scale and diversity of natural materials and systems
• Exposing students to cyberinformatic databases forces them to make reasoned decisions regarding data quality, data management, and other issues that scientists routinely face
• Given an appropriate level of structure and guidance, online databases can be explored by the student in a way that promotes discovery-based learning

Some potential problems to consider

Several factors complicate the use of cyberinformatic databases and tools in educational settings:

• Many cyberinformatic databases are written for the primary benefit of professional researchers, and are not necessarily aimed at the needs and abilities of undergraduate-level students.
• Many cyberinformatic databases do not have well-developed educational support structures
• Cyberinformatic databases may not be as "clean" in terms of completeness and consistency as smaller datasets hand-selected by the professor
• Cyberinformatic databases may be somewhat overwhelming to beginning students (and most instructors, as well!)