GIS In Alaska's Grades 6-12 Earth Science Environment: The Experiential Discoveries in Geoscience Education (EDGE) Project

The Experiential Discoveries in Geoscience Education (EDGE) program was designed to involve Alaska's middle and high school teachers and their students in a year of place-based and technology oriented geoscience education. The National Science Foundation's Geoscience Education Division funded EDGE from 2005-2008. Teachers participated in a two-week summer workshop learning the Earth systems science approach; using remote sensing data, GPS and GIS technology; and conducting an independent research project. Participation in a fall online course allowed them to further increase their geoscience content knowledge. Students attended a one-week summer workshop learning similar content, and then worked with their trained EDGE teachers on student-led research projects during the school year. Students and teachers attended a 3-day EDGE symposium the following spring, presenting research projects as posters during the Southeast Alaska Regional Science Fair.

Thirty-four teachers, 30 high school students and over 1000 middle school students participated in EDGE activities, increasing their knowledge of Earth science, GIS skills, and data management and analysis. The use of satellite imagery, computer mapping and GIS spatial analysis enabled participants to think about physical processes affecting their local region. Students shared research locally, enforcing individual work efforts and pride while informing families and community leaders about important topics of local interest. Formative assessment tools included daily comments from teachers and students; pre-post workshop content knowledge quiz for teachers and students; pre-post program attitudinal and content knowledge survey for teachers and students; mid-term focus group discussion with teachers; and individual exit interviews with teachers and students. Assessment of three cohorts of teachers and two cohorts of students indicated a net gain of earth science knowledge by both groups. All participants recognized the importance of their science projects to their local communities. For more information about EDGE, visit www.edge.alaska.edu.