STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE TRANSLATION OF PROGRAM-GENERATED SCIENTIFIC DATA FOR USE BY EDUCATORS: EXAMPLES FROM THE JOI SCHOOL OF ROCK EXPEDITION

There are several strategic decisions that must be made to effectively translate program-generated scientific data and results for use by educators. These include: (1) How to select the best program-generated data for translation? (2) Who are the target audiences? (3) What is the appropriate level of detail and background to include in, and format of, the repackaged scientific data and results? and (4) How will the products of translation (exercises) be best disseminated? The initial success of the Joint Oceanographic Institutions pilot School of Rock (SOR) Expedition, in which middle school, high school, and informal educators were immersed in IODP shipboard science, resulted in large part from the choices made that addressed these issues. For example, early scientific ocean drilling legacy data on basement rock and sediment ages of drill sites in the South Atlantic was chosen because of its scientific significance with respect to the development of plate tectonic theory, its ability to teach graphing and analysis skills, and its ability to provide historical perspective on the nature of science. From that basic scientific data, two inquiry-based educational exercises were created specific to two different target audiences. The long term effectiveness of the SOR in promoting scientific ocean drilling literacy is now being played out. Key to this long term success will be inclusion of SOR participants in the community of educators that contribute to the ongoing development, field testing, and dissemination of the developed exercises.