HR: 13:40h
AN: ED43A-01 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Earth System Science Education Alliance
AU: Myers, R
EM: bob-myers@strategies.org
AF: IGES, 1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 901, Arlington, VA 22209, United States
AU: * Schwerin, T
EM: theresa_schwerin@strategies.org
AF: IGES, 1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 901, Arlington, VA 22209, United States
AB: The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) professional development program is providing in-depth geoscience content and teaching methods to pre- and in-service teachers. The program is building and expanding on NASA's successful ESSEA program that was funded from 2000-2005. Now sponsored by NSF, the network has expanded to nearly 40 institutions of higher learning committed to teacher Earth system science education. The program supports participating institutions with funding, training, and standards-aligned courses and resources for pre- and in-service teachers. As a result, teachers are prepared to teach Earth system science using inquiry-based classroom methods, geoscience data and tools. From 1999-2005, the NASA funded ESSEA Program delivered online Earth system science professional development for K-12 teachers through a network of 20 colleges and universities. The program was led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and based on a trio of 16-week online courses (for elementary, middle, and high school teachers) that had been developed and piloted by NASA's Classroom of the Future at Wheeling Jesuit University. The ESSEA program's mission was to: 1) support universities, colleges, and science education organizations delivering the K-12 online graduate courses; 2) strengthen teachers' understanding of Earth system science; 3) demonstrate the ability to deliver exceptional professional development to a national audience; and 4) create a solid infrastructure to sustain the program. As of spring 2006, the courses had been used by 40 faculty at 20 institutions educating over 1,700 K-12 teachers in Earth system science. Through NSF funding beginning in late 2006, IGES is enhancing and building on the ESSEA foundation by: 1. Introducing extensive use of data, models and existing Earth system educational materials to support the courses; 2. Implementing a rigorous evaluation program designed to demonstrate growth in teachers' Earth systems content knowledge; 3. Using the ESSEA courses as a model to introduce newly upgrade Earth system science undergraduate and graduate courses; and 4. Disseminating model teaching practices and program success through annual conferences and presentations at national and regional geoscience and science teacher conferences. ESSEA has created a national professional development program aimed at improving the knowledge, skills, and resources of Earth system science educators. This professional development program offers state-of-the-art, online courses to promote understanding of Earth system science, to encourage communication and cooperation among teachers, and to facilitate the use of exceptional classroom materials. IGES furthers this vision by; updating the courses with additional tools, modules, and resources; and providing continuing support to institutions and faculty teaching middle-high school teachers (pre- and in-service) using the ESSEA courses and instructional resources. URL Address: http://esseacourses.strategies.org/
UR: http://esseacourses.strategies.org/
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
DE: 0830 Teacher training
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting