TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM: REMAINING A STEP AHEAD

In order to allow educators to keep up with the latest trends in technology, NSF GK-12 fellows at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics and the GK-12 teachers with whom they are partnered have created several inquiry-based learning activities intended to expose K-12 students and teachers to state-of-the-art visualization methods. We are using software programs such as ArcInfo and Surfer to teach students about the geology of Mars, the Chicxulub impact crater, and the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Mitch. While visualization techniques grab the student’s attention, it remains necessary to integrate these techniques into lesson plans that include inquiry-based learning activities. These new exercises allow educators to keep up with the expectations of their students while supplying them with the tools necessary to understand the fundamentals of geological processes.