The Using Data in the Classroom project was active between 2003 and 2010. Much of the content dates from that time period and so may not be up to date. We are preserving the content here because it still contains useful ideas.

The Activities Collection draws from newer projects across SERC. You may also want to explore the Data and Models resources discoverable through Teach the Earth

2001 DAWG Summary

Initial Publication Date: March 21, 2007

Planning Meeting Summary of Issues Discussed, Feb. 7-8, 2001

Finding Useful Data

  • Discovery metadata
  • Useful querying
  • Persistence/storage/support
  • Granularity
  • Data processing services
  • Current Practices. Metadata and data models describing individual data sets are available (FGDC, DERM), but a classification/metadata framework for enabling educationally useful discovery across datasets is needed. GCMD (DIFF) is currently working toward this goal. Metadata organization around user practices.
  • Partners. NASA (Global Change Master Directory), SDSC, NCSA
  • Transport Protocols and Data Formating

  • Current Practices. Data models exist in a variety of forms with varying degrees of syntactic and semantic information. DODS is an effective transport protocol for many kinds of Earth data. It is being combined with other technologies (e.g., live access server).
  • Partners. Unidata, U. Rhode Island, IRIS, Web mapping testbed
  • Exploring Data (Issues)

    • Clients and tools
    • Metadata for use
    • Organizational tools
  • Current Practices. A variety of thick and thin clients exist. The complexity of the user interface is a barrier to use for numerous groups. Existing tools could be used with distributed data and improved to meet our needs. No existing interface draws across the full range of educationally relevant Earth data.
  • Partners. LDEO, Arcview, Geopgraphic Network, Cornell, Unidata, U. Minn., ESIP, USESN Planning Meeting