From Maggi Wed Aug 5 15:41:36 1998 From: Maggi (Maggi) Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 15:41:36 PDT Subject: [IGSMAIL-1976] SCIGN Education Module Beta release Message-ID: ****************************************************************************** IGS Electronic Mail Wed Aug 5 15:41:36 PDT 1998 Message Number 1976 ****************************************************************************** Author: Maggi Glasscoe Subject: SCIGN Education Module Beta release We are pleased to announce that a Beta version of the Southern California Integrated GPS Network (SCIGN) Education Module is now available at http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn For over two years we have been developing educational materials designed to utilize data from SCIGN for students in classrooms. The pages are for utilization in classrooms throughout the country and even the world, as well as at schools with SCIGN sites installed on their campuses. We have made the Beta version available on-line in order to gather feedback and response from educators and users in order to improve the site. We plan to develop a CD-ROM version of the module that will be offered in addition to the on-line site. The module is undergoing a curriculum review through the Education and Outreach office of the Southern California Earthquake Center in parallel with the Beta testing effort in order to ensure that the module complies with education standards. We also plan to develop a printed teacher's guide for the module that can also be downloaded from the web site. At the moment the module is geared toward high school and lower division undergraduate college students, but we hope that curriculum reviewers and users will offer insight as to how we can make the module useful for younger students. Elementary school teachers have suggested that many of the concepts can be taught to younger students, it is just a matter of presenting it in a way that they can understand it. Since it has not been thoroughly reviewed by educators yet, we are unsure of exactly how many teaching hours are associated with the module. We hope that it can be used by teachers in a variety of subjects (including, but not limited to math, physics, and earth sciences) and can be used as a whole or in parts at the discretion of the teacher. So far we have developed most of the background sections, which include text and will soon include more inquiry-based learning activities. We have five or six advanced activities that integrate knowledge learned in each topic and allow students to do calculations using real data. These will be expanded, with hopes of at least five to ten advanced activities per each of the main topics. I have included below the description of the module, including the primary concepts covered in each topic. We hope that you enjoy the module and find it useful. We would of course welcome any feedback you wish to offer, whether it be via our on-line form (http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/comments.htm) or directly by email (scignedu at jpl.nasa.gov). Sincerely, Maggi Glasscoe Module Designer Jet Propulsion Laboratory Southern California Integrated GPS Network Education Module Exploring the use of space technology in earthquake studies Appropriate Grade Levels High School and College Undergraduate Design of the module This educational module was designed to allow students to interactively explore the use of SCIGN and its data in earthquake studies. It is divided into four major sections: Plate tectonics, Earthquakes, GPS, and Space technology at work. All of the sections include background material and activities, but the first three focus primarily on introducing satellite technology and tectonic phenomena, while the final section serves to integrate knowledge learned in the first three sections by allowing students to use real SCIGN data in their investigations into plate tectonics, earthquakes, and GPS. Primary concepts *Forces in the Earth cause its surface to change over time [Topic: Plate tectonics] *Earthquakes release stress, which causes permanent change in the Earth's crust [Topic: Earthquakes] *GPS is a satellite technology used as a tool to measure crustal change [Topic: GPS] *SCIGN is a network of GPS stations used to study tectonics and earthquakes in Southern California [Topic: Space technology at work] Principal authors Maggi Glasscoe, Anne Mikolajcik, Mark Smith, Andrea Donnellan, and Mike Watkins (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) with funding provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Southern California Earthquake Center. [Mailed From: Maggi Glasscoe ]