RAISING CLIMATE LITERACY THROUGH DATASTREME EARTH’S CLIMATE SYSTEM

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) DataStreme Project is a free professional development program for in-service K-12 teachers, in which they gain considerable subject matter content and confidence in Earth science instruction. The graduate-level DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth’s Climate System (ECS) courses are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the country in coordination with a team of AMS Education Program scientists and educators who develop instructional materials, provide logistical support to the LITs, and administer the project. The 3-member LITs mentor about 8 teachers and in some instances an emergency manager, per semester through a given DataStreme course, which is taken mostly online with 3 face-to-face meetings. Teachers may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York’s The College at Brockport upon completion of each DataStreme course and construction of a Plan of Action for educational peer-training.

During a three year, six semester (spring 2011 – fall 2013) NASA and NSF-supported study period, the DataStreme ECS course prepared 1027 teachers to lead and assist their students and peers in understanding climate and global change issues. Notable evaluation results include an average of 98% of participants reporting that their environmental literacy had increased (some or much) as a result of the course.

DataStreme ECS is the Earth-system based examination of climate science focused on real world and current climate data and investigations. While using the most up-to-date climate reports, data sources, and educational websites, DataStreme ECS also addresses societal and economic impacts. Teachers completing the course gain the climate science content and literacy skills needed to engage other educators and inspire their students through up-to-date discussions of Earth’s changing climate.

DataStreme ECS can serve as a curriculum and instruction model for those designing long-duration, content-rich, teacher professional development courses and working with a network of educators and scientists to increase program reach and build public scientific literacy.