Tech & Learning - June 2008 - (Page 25)

FEATURESTORY By Matt Bolch Students of the World The promise of the Internet and other technologies to bring the world’s classrooms together looks great on those television commercials and glossy magazine spreads, but what does the reality look like? Take a look at the GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment). GLOBE is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program for primary and secondary students. It brings together students, teachers, scientists, and community members to collaborate on inquiry-based investigations of the environment. Now in its 13th year, more than 40,000 teachers from more than 21,000 schools around the world have been trained in the GLOBE methodology, and students have contributed more than 18 million measurements to the GLOBE database. This currently encompasses four broad investigation areas: atmosphere and climate, hydrology, land cover biology, and soil. Current large-scale earth system science projects focus on seasons and biomes, carbon cycle, watershed dynamics, and local and extreme environments. GET YOUR CLASSROOMS TO GO GLOBE-AL WITH THE HELP OF UNCLE SAM OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK GLOBE is funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of State. Early partners included the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Education, says Teresa Kennedy, deputy director, who’s been involved in GLOBE from its early days. “There have been a lot of players who have funded aspects of the program over the years, providing U.S. students with opportunities to work with other students and scientists around the world,” says Kennedy, who holds a doctorate in education Students in Nepal share their GLOBE research results with representatives from their Superior, Colorado, sister school. and spent 15 years in K-12 classrooms and another decade teaching at the university level. “By participating in GLOBE, students become scientists, making observations, forming hypotheses, gathering data, writing reports, and communicating the results to their peers around the world.” Early funding helped the organization to develop 54 stepby-step scientific protocols for the rigorous and consistent TECH & LEARNING | 25

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Technology & Learning - June 2008

Technology & Learning - June 2008 Contents Editor's Desk News & Trends They Said It: What Tech&Learning Insiders Are Writing Online Junket Justifiers Back Office Business Students of the World Unite! Get Small for Fall Summer Reading for School Leaders They Can Hear You Now What's New - NECC Highlights and More Leader of the Year Profile

Technology & Learning - June 2008

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