REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE CALLS FOR REVOLUTIONARY CURRICULA: AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESS THROUGH USE OF COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION

The success of any revolution depends upon a perception, in the minds of the revolutionaries, of improving upon current conditions and developing a better future. When dealing with Earth System Science curricula, how should the future look? Future curricula should engage students, be relevant, be inquiry based, use real data, integrate field and laboratory based research, provide for the integration of mathematics, reading and writing, and be developmentally (age) appropriate. Clearly, meeting these requirements necessitates the use of multiple teaching/learning resources and teachers competent in using such resources.

In conjunction with field and hands-on classroom investigations, the use of computer-based instruction can successfully address many of the characteristics listed above and provide opportunities for enhanced student learning. One example of computer based-instruction that can revolutionize science pedagogy is exemplified by the Geoscience Education Through Interactive Technology (GETIT) Project that uses the theme of energy transfer through Earth’s systems to address all but the field-based component listed above. Students explore volcanism, earthquakes, plate tectonics, and hurricanes within the context of energy transfer. Open-ended questions, guided-inquiry, and open-inquiry enable the learner to engage in complex content using a variety of learning styles while setting the pace of their own learning experience.

In a recent study of student learning using a pretest-posttest format, students in grades 6 through 9 who used GETIT as part of their curriculum consistently demonstrated greater gains in conceptual understanding than students who did not use GETIT. Future curriculum projects should build upon current successes in the design of truly interactive multimedia to produce authentic revolutionary changes in Earth System education.