HR: 1340h
AN: ED13E-1169    [Abstracts]
TI: Evaluating New Roles, Styles, and Opportunities for Map Use in Earth Science Classrooms
AU: * Kirkby, K
EM: kirkby@umn.edu
AF: Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, 310 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0219 United States
AU: Morin, P
EM: pauljmorin@gmail.com
AF: Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, 310 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0219 United States
AU: Rapp, D N
EM: rappx009@umn.edu
AF: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, 178 Pillsbury Dr SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 United States
AU: Friesen, B
EM: benjaminfriesen@gmail.com
AF: National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, 2 Third Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 United States
AU: Baumtrog, J
EM: jillbaumtrog@yahoo.com
AF: National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, 2 Third Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 United States
AU: Chen, A P
EM: chen0653@umn.edu
AF: Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, 310 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0219 United States
AU: Campbell, K
EM: kmc@umn.edu
AF: National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, 2 Third Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 United States
AU: Culpepper, S
EM: culp0013@umn.edu
AF: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, 178 Pillsbury Dr SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 United States
AB: A remarkable explosion in accessible data, visualization technology, and mapping software has provided an unprecedented opportunity to revise the ways in which mapped data is presented in Earth Science classrooms. Alternate varieties of maps are increasingly available that can supplement or replace the contour maps that have traditionally been the mainstay of earth science classes. Advances in technology and software have also made it much easier for educators to produce custom-made maps for their classes, rather than relying solely on commercially produced maps. With this wealth of new opportunities comes an urgent need for both a more rigorous assessment of how students interact with different styles of maps and a re-evaluation of how maps should be used in different earth science education programs. Testing in the University of Minnesota's introductory geology program shows that anaglyph maps significantly change the way students perceive a mapped surface, as well as increase students' accuracy on questions related to the geometry of that mapped surface. The use of anaglyph maps also dramatically reduces the time necessary to teach students how to begin to work with maps and increases students' willingness to use maps as part of their course activities. Other testing, currently underway, suggests that gray-scale maps also offer many advantages over traditional contour maps. Students using gray-scale maps appear to achieve an as good, or better, understanding of a mapped surface without falling prey to some of the pitfalls associated with using the more visually complex contour maps. Earth science education stands on the threshold of a new era in map studies, but this in itself poses a risk. Traditionally, instructors have often been one of the greatest obstacles to the integration of new educational technologies. Our familiarity with, and often love of, traditional contour maps may jeopardize our students' opportunity to benefit from new mapping options. To avoid this, as a community we need to consider the role of maps within our programs. What do we wish to accomplish within our courses and which combination of map styles and uses will best allow our students to succeed in attaining their own goals. This work is sponsored in part by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and the STC program of the National Science Foundation via the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics under the agreement Number EAR- 0120914.
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
DE: 0840 Evaluation and assessment
DE: 0845 Instructional tools
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005