IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - June 2019 - 189

were subject to local flying regulations, which precluded
the use of UAVs, so they used hand-held cameras. For each
group, the entire data acquisition campaign was spread
over ten weeks because it had to take place during regular
school hours and depended on good weather conditions.
After the students had gathered all of the assigned data,
they analyzed their data to process the NDVI images. All
groups prepared a short presentation of their work for a
final joint DLR-EPIF video conference, where images were
exchanged and discussed. Finally, the project concluded
with a group photo.
We used a questionnaire to evaluate students' interest
in natural sciences in general and in the project more specifically. The students were asked to rate their interest in the
project on a five-point Likert scale (Table 2).
The student ratings were high, especially for the emotional component of interest, which represents their enjoyment from the task. This result is reflected by the students'
responses to the question of how much time they spent
on project-related tasks in their free time: on average, they
spent about 10 h on this project in their out-of-school time.
In addition, their answers indicated that the context of the
project was interesting and attractive.
To identify the student competencies demonstrated in
this project, the teaching staff assessed the results of the students' measurement campaigns, as indicated in their final
presentations, from a scientific point of view. Specifically,
we focused on the relevance of the research area chosen, the
quality of the data, and the data analysis and interpretation
according to NDVI measurements. It was evident that the
students were able to deal independently with the project
task, because the images were sensibly selected and had scientific value (Figure 5). In our final evaluation of the project, we concurred that the students had acquired important
scientific skills, as shown by their ability to design, implement, and optimize individual field campaign layouts at a
high scientific level.

of understanding and considerable expert knowledge.
IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE
The answers to the questionSTUDENTS WERE ABLE TO
naire, together with the stuDEAL INDEPENDENTLY WITH
dents' willingness to spend
out-of-school time on the
THE PROJECT TASK,
project task, show that reBECAUSE THE IMAGES WERE
mote sensing of vegetation
SENSIBLY SELECTED AND
is an attractive and motivatHAD SCIENTIFIC VALUE.
ing subject. Applications of
remote sensing technologies
for science teaching are a current research topic at both the EPIF and the DLR and also
at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. The joint
German-Israeli project served not only as a suitable test
field but also as a unique opportunity for the young participants to learn about the personal and environmental
conditions in their partner country. The students were
able to gain a better understanding of each other, far beyond the scientific issues of remote sensing.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank Sivan Isaacson, Aviv Lee CohenZada, and Dan G. Blumberg from the EPIF as well as the
team from the DLR School Lab Oberpfaffenhofen for their
support during the workshops and video conferences at the
EPIF and DLR.

Group Lakesides

Students: Hansini, Christina, Svenja, Carlotta

SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK
Despite the challenging nature of the project, both the Israeli and German groups were able to conduct their own
measurement campaigns and acquire the relevant data.
The students' presentations revealed a high scientific level

TABLE 2. STUDENTS' SITUATIONAL INTEREST IN THIS
PROJECT (POSTTEST) ON A FIVE-POINT LIKERT SCALE.
EPISTEMIC
INTEREST

EMOTIONAL
INTEREST

VALUE-BASED
INTEREST

SURFACE

German
students

3.6

1.3

4.4

0.9

3.9

1.2

Israeli
students

3.4

0.9

3.7

0.9

3.5

1.1

M: mean; SD: standard deviation.

JUNE 2019

IEEE GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING MAGAZINE

* After Two Attempts of Taking Pictures at Two Different
Local Lakes, We Took Pictures of Our Local River
the Würm

* The Würm Is a Small River That Flows From Our Local
Lake, Lake Starnberg

FIGURE 5. The first slide of one of the student presentations. The
vegetation appears in a light blue color because of its high infrared
reflectance.

189

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - June 2019