ACTIVE LEARNING FOR UNDERGRADUATES USING GEODESY DATA, MATH SKILLS, AND SOCIETAL ISSUES

The GEodesy Tools for Societal Issues (GETSI) project has developed more than a dozen teaching modules that feature geodesy data applied to critical societal issues of hazards, climate change, and water resources. This NSF-funded project also includes significant professional development workshops for instructors, enabling them better implement the data- and math-rich, active learning materials. The collection contains modules for classroom-based courses, both introductory and majors-level, and field-based courses. The modules include a variety of hands-on activities, demonstrations, animations, and interactive online tools in order to facilitate student learning and engagement. This presentation will feature an excerpt of a jigsaw activity related to measuring groundwater with geodesy.

GETSI activities and data analysis exercises are embedded in 4-6 units per module. Modules take 2-3 weeks of course time total or individual units and activities can be selected and used over just 1-2 class periods. Modules, and their activities and demonstrations were designed by teams of faculty and content experts and underwent rigorous classroom testing and review using the process developed by the InTeGrate Project (serc.carleton.edu/integrate). All modules are aligned to Earth Science and Climate literacy principles and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). GETSI collaborating institutions are UNAVCO, Mt San Antonio College, Indiana University, and Idaho State University.