AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY EDUCATION PROGRAMS: PEER TRAINING AT ITS BEST

For more than a decade, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Education Program (www.ametsoc.org/amsed) has developed exemplary programs about weather, ocean, and hydrologic topics, trained hundreds of classroom educators to serve as Peer Trainers, and reached thousands of teachers and students across the U.S., Canada, and other countries. Beginning with printed modules presented by a small group of peer-trainers through live workshops, AMS programs now reach international audiences by a variety of web-based, print, and other formats. This approach has enabled teachers to gain share understandings of scientific concepts and classroom strategies with colleagues, who, in turn, have used AMS-created materials in educating their students—a magnificent “ripple effect.” AMS Peer Trainers also serve as leaders in local, state, and national science education programs to help develop Science Education Standards, create curriculum and instructional materials, and guide professional organizations. AMS Educational Initiatives include: • “Project Atmosphere” (weather and climate education) • “DataStreme Atmosphere” (weather and climate course delivered through Local Implementation Teams consisting of precollege master teachers, university professors, and/ or scientists) • “Project Atmosphere Canada” (online version of PA materials adapted by the Meteorological Services of Canada) • “Maury Project” (physical foundations of oceanography) • “DataStreme Ocean” (marine geology, physical oceanography, and marine biology course similar to DataStreme Atmosphere) • “Water in the Earth System” (similar course based on Earth System perspectives to investigate mass and energy flows associated with the global water cycle)