A COMPUTER-BASED TEXT ANALYSIS OF THE NEW EARTH SCIENCE LITERACY PRINCIPLES: PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR GEOHERITAGE SITE SIGNAGE SYSTEM DESIGN

On May 22^nd, 2009, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI) released a free, downloadable, succinct summary brochure offering a concise primer on what all Americans should know about the Earth sciences.

The publication of the Earth Science Literacy Principles is now widely recognized as one of the most influential drivers of 21^st-century Earth science education—focusing on the big ideas of Earth science and on understanding them well.

Our research investigation of this new document asked: Can a computer-based text-and-visual analysis of the harvested content of that publication allow us to derive a rule-based, implementable model for developing a Principles-based, interpretive, geoheritage site signage system?

Our systematic, mixed methods study involved (a) coding, transcribing, and categorizing; (b) qualitative-quantitative comparison; and (c) careful description of the document’s use of language and visual-expository practices. It builds on our previous studies of optimal interpretive science signage system design for geoheritage and bioheritage sites.

Our model characterizes and quantifies how the Principles document selects words, constructs and delivers sentences, uses the active and passive voice, integrates Earth science concepts across the set of signs, employs metaphors, creates compelling visual examples to teach science informally, and enhances the public’s aesthetic appreciation of a geoheritage site. The result is a rule-oriented, Principles-based, pedagogic model for signage system design that we think any geoheritage site could employ.