ALERT FACT SHEET

ALERT stands for "Augmented Learning Environment and Renewable Teaching"

The overarching goal is to promote awareness, appreciation and understanding of Planet Earth to millions of students and the general public in short, "Learning and Teaching about Earth" .

• The main pathway for achieving the ALERT goal is through partnering NASA centers with educational institutions responsible for teacher preparation.
• The regional consortiums in California for this joint venture of earth science education involves the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California State University (CSU) system.

• Bringing NASA information and technology into teacher preparation classrooms;
• Bringing CSU expertise in science content and pedagogy into the design of NASA educational products and policies;
• Facilitating systemic and curriculum renovation through statewide educational system;
• Facilitating systemic and programmatic renovation through the infusion of CSU educational information into NASA processes;
• Producing a significant body of educational data products that employs cutting-edge technology;
• Linking with and supporting the NASA projects: ESSE (Earth System Science Education) and NOVA (NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics);
• Replicating similar consortia nationwide

ALERT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Academic Year 1998-2000

1. Products - Modules

SFSU (Garcia, Foschi) Preparation of web pages on research topics as 'resource' for students in 'Our Violent Planet' course cluster, including: Polar Stratospheric Clouds Climatology, Climatology of tropical convection clouds (based on previous research work at NOAA: (Click Here) . Construction of initial interactive Web page illustrating how Earth Scientists use 'movies' of multitemporal imagery to understand phenomena changing over time.

SJSU (Rafkin) Developing (with Professor Alison Bridger) an on-line version of Meteorology 10 (Weather and Climate.), click here.

SJSU: (Rafkin) Has developed a real-time on-line forecast for the San Jose area Click Here.

CSUN (Hawkins) Worked on the "SEAWINDS" project with outreach coordinator Gracie Hallowell to develop educational materials to accompany the launch of the scatterometer satellite in 1999. The new CD-ROM, called "WORLDWINDS", was released in late 1999.

CSULB: (Ambos, Henriques, et. al.) Ambos and Henriques have worked with a group of students and faculty developing web pages, suitable for pre-service teachers. The major source for this funding was the USRA-ESSE contract to San Diego State University (with subcontract to California State University at Long Beach), but there are aspects of the product development in the last six months that are greatly influenced by our ALERT participation. We used the JPL web site ( click here ) as a source for some of the images. Two sites have been extensively reviewed: Land Slide Talk Story and Virtual Field Trip. The first is a tutorial on mass wasting with images, text and questions related to factors influencing mass wasting. There are teaching related tips including related K-12 science standards, classroom activities and field trips around southern California. The geology of the region is discussed along with directions to each location, geologic maps and tutorial information about various geologic features. Over three hundred students at CSULB have reviewed these web sites and given us design guidance in the past year. The Virtual Field Trip web site has recently been selected for inclusion in the "UMUC-Bell Atlantic Virtual Resource Site for Teaching with Technology" as an excellent example of web-based field trips.

CSULB: (Henriques) During summer 1999 worked with Marguerite Syvertson (JPL) and the AIRS project to evaluate existing curricula, review standards and misconceptions in order to make recommendations re: direction for AIRS outreach. She has prepared a detailed report that is available upon request. She also developed the CSULB ALERT web page ( click here).

CSULA: (Qiu) Development of a web-based spectral data visualization utility, development of hyperspectral data (AVIRIS) processing capability and acquisition of ground truth data for spectral calibration, data compilation for hyperspectral remote sensing teaching module.

CSUPP: (Jessey, Tarman) Made first mineral properties video for use with exercise. Video converted to AVI via hypermedia

SDSU: (Camp) Developed an educational website titled "How Volcanoes Work" ( Click Here).

CSUH (Hatchman): Is in process of developing a module on UV-light and its effects on terrestrial plants, based on her summer research activities. Her module will include seven activities that are closely tied to California and national science standards.




2. Outcomes - Changes to Existing Courses and New Courses:

CSUH (Seitz): Laboratory of Geology 1003 "Earth Sciences Laboratory for Educators"

Laboratory-based course design specifically for Single Subject Science Credential Candidates (and Multisubject) to simultaneously teach Earth Systems Science content as well as look at different pedagogical approaches and resources for teachers. This course will be a required course of every science education student regardless of concentration.

CSUH: (Seitz) New course in Planetary Science developed and offered as a seminar course. We are applying to include this course in the Single Subject Matter Preparation Program.

• New course proposed entitled Global Change. This course will be offered as in interdisciplinary Environmental Science Program which mirrors the Single Subject Matter Preparation Program.

• Incorporation of the role of NASA (and others) as a "technology driver" in existing course entitled "Science, Technology and Values" which is required of all SSMPP students.

• Incorporation of NASA information into an existing "Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology" course; specifically, comparative volcanology of the solar system is now included in the syllabus, and lunar and meteoritic material is included in the course.

CSUN: (Simila, Hawkins) Dr. Hawkins used re-assigned time to work on the revision of the Earth Science 300 course with Dr. Simila and the Physical Science 196 course with Dr. Dunne (Geology).

Both the ES 300 and PS 196 courses are required for the undergraduate students enrolled in Liberal Studies in the multi-subject teaching credential option. Another major part of the re-design was to have the students go into the elementary schools to work with teachers in the classroom. The students made regular visits to the classroom, at first observing science instruction, then assisting the teacher, and finally designing and presenting a science lesson to the elementary students, based on their PS 196 or ES 300 materials. Evaluations of the student's performance was provided by the elementary teacher. Finally, Dr. Fritsche (Geology) conducted a local field trip for the teachers.

Dr. Simila's revision of the ES 300 course involved the application of internet technologies into the classroom using JPL web sites. These sites included space exploration and results for the planets, GPS applications to earthquake activity and local plate tectonics of the Northridge and Los Angeles regions, El Niño and TOPEX.

CSUN: (Simila) Dr. Simila's new course GEOL 595-Y Teacher Enhancement is for the geology major pursuing a secondary teaching credential. Both JPL/NASA web sites and CD-ROMs will be incorporated specifically the education modules from the Southern California Integrated GPS Netswork (SCIGN) ( click here) and the associated link to the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) ( click here). In addition, the integration of the California Science Framework (and new CA Earth Science Standards) and the new National Science Standards into the curriculum, and classroom visitations to local high school science classes.

CSUN: (Simila) Dr. Simila's GEOL 464 Applied Geophysics course utilizes both the SCIGN and SCEC websites to incorporate seismology and GPS for geotechnical applications.

CSULB: (Henriques) Observed CSULB's introductory geology class (GEOL102) throughout the fall 1998 semester. This course is taken by prospective elementary teachers and prospective secondary teachers, and often represents their only exposure to earth systems science. The observation process allowed for two important results: (1) cross-fertilization of content and pedagogy techniques between instructors teaching GEOL102, and SCED 401 (the integrated science/pedagogy course offered through science education), (2) preparation to team teach a geology unit in CSULB's science capstone class in spring 1999 semester. The team teaching also involves other science education faculty as they are beginning to incorporate more geology into their courses. Specific changes during fall 1998-spring 1999 include different lab activities in SCED 401 (eco-columns and landslides).

CSUDH: (Hay, Lee) Development of a ten seat computer lab for Earth Science Dept. to be available for pre-service science teachers

CSUDH: (Hay, Lee) Blended Earth Science/Teacher Education classes

CSUDH: (Hay, Lee) JPL data integration: JPL products integrated into the CSUDH teacher program. Obtained an approved position for a Geologist or Physical Geographer interested in Education (CSUDH)

CSUF: (Carlson) New Course: Geological Sciences 102; Development of a course for prospective elementary teachers. This course will infuse JPL/NASA information/internet resources into many lessons. The course will become part of the BTEP (Blended Teacher Education Program) on the CSUF campus, and will eventually have several sections.

CSUF: (Carlson, Foster) Revisions to Existing Course: Geological Sciences 420: This course is being revised to utilize a systems approach to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Earth/Space sciences. Students affected by this course are chemistry, physics, and biology majors who are completing their science breadth requirements for secondary school credentials. New lessons are now being created for this course, based on the work of John Foster and Gaylen Carlson.

CSUF: (Carlson, Foster) Revisions to Existing Course: Science Education 410: Physical Science Concepts: Lessons for this course are being revised to oncorporate computer classroom time to enable students to access JPL/NASA information/internet resources/lesson plans which are appropriate to the needs of future elementary teachers. All students also utilize these JPL/NASA resources to complete a new project requirement for the course. This project requires that students construct a lesson in which they teach topics (most directly related to JPL/NASA internet searches) to elementary school students. About 150 students are enrolled in this class each semester. Gaylen Carlson is the director of the Science Education program, and he requires this new project for all sections of this class.

CSUF: (Carlson) New In-Service Teacher Summer Workshop: During the summer of 1999, eleven local junior high school teachers participated in a 10-day field course led by Gaylen Carlson, and incorporating content materials in the Earth, Space, and Biological Sciences. This summer experience was called FIST for Field Investigation for Science Teachers. John Foster’s summer work at JPL (GPS applications) was incorporated into the field experiences.




3. Outcomes - Standards and Guidelines

CSUN: (Hawkins, Simila) Drs. Hawkins and Simila are members of a campus cormmittee to combine the BA Liberal Studies and Credential Program from a six year to a 4.5 year combined program for Fall 1999 incoming freshmen.

CSULB: (Ambos, Henriques) participated on revising teacher preparation program at CSULB to blend science content and pedagogy more effectively, to form a 4 year program. Bruce Perry is developing an earth science focused course for future teachers that will be taught under this new blended curriculum.

CSULA: (Qiu, Adenika-Morrow) Developed a CSU ALERT module template, which may be viewed by clicking here.

CSULA: (Qiu, Adenika-Morrow) Developed a framework for a CSU ALERT individual institution web page template, which may be viewed by clicking here .

ARC, JPL: (Skiles, Matsuoka, Ng, Chang) Developed an ALERT web presence, housed on a server at ARC, and populated site with reports of ALERT meetings, as means of assessing ALERT progress.




4. Accomplishments - Awards or Related Grants

SJSU: (Rafkin) Dr. Rafkin submitted a proposal to NASA to study mesoscale atmospheric circulation on Mars; this proposal includes an on-line module for K-12 students.

CSUN: (Simila, Hawkins) Drs. Simila and Hawkins have received a one year grant from the NASA funded NOVA program from the University of Alabama. The project will involve redesign of ES 300, applying new teaching strategies, and assessment.

CSUN: (Simila) Dr. Simila is a faculty member of a NASA-PAIR grant recently funded to Dr. Carol Shubin (CSUN, Mathematics faculty)

CSULB: (Ambos) Co-wrote a proposal for renovating teacher education in the sciences and math at CSULB. This proposal was submitted to the National Science Foundation in September 1998, and was funded in May 1999. This proposal will broaden CSULB's institutional commitment to excellence in teacher education in math and science through partnerships with Long Beach City College and Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD). The program includes some funding for visits to/internships at JPL for future teachers.

CSUDH: (Hay, Lee) Obtained an approved position for a Geologist or Physical Geographer interested in Education

CSUDH: (Hay, Lee) Obtained NASA grant to start So. Calif. Center to Manage Fire Hazards using remote sensing data (collaboration among UCSB , LA County Fire Department and CSUDH)

CSUF: (Carlson) Submitted proposal to NASA educational NRA to work with Orange County Department of Education on implementing Classroom of the Future educational materials.




5. Documentation of Culture Change - New Collaborations, Infusing of Outcomes/Products/Lessons-Learned-as-a-Result-of-ALERT Into Teaching or Professional Development

SFSU: (Foschi, Garfield) Have formed partnerships with faculty and staff at the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching, a SFSU facility for training faculty in better teaching methods including using multimedia techniques for teaching enhancement. Some guidance also received concerning current teaching standards from Kathleen O'Sullivan, Professor of Secondary Education, who specializes in science education.

SJSU: (Metzger et al.) In 1998-1999, inaugurated speaker exchange: NASA Ames and CSU campuses (SJSU and CSUH)

Rafkin is pursuing projects with NASA Ames personnel, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the Naval Post-Graduate School Naval Research Lab, and the National Weather Service

Metzger is able to receive feedback from teachers about NASA materials and ALERT products through the Bay Area Earth Science lnstitute (BAESI), a comprehensive, year-round earth science education program established in 1990 with funding from the National Science Foundation, SJSU and a variety of community partners

Metzger is a member of the Advisory Board of the NASA-funded Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) Forum at UC Berkeley; BAESI will offer workshops for teachers in conjunction with the SEC in the summers of 2001 and 2002

Metzger as been invited to serve on the Editorial Board of the on-line JESSE (Joumal of Earth System Science Education (under development by the NASA-funded ESSE program)

Metzger and Skiles attended a NOVA workshop at ARC in February 1999.

CSULB: Henriques and Ambos attended a NOVA workshop at GSFC in May 1999, and gave presentations on ALERT to NOVA educators and NASA scientists.

CSULB: (Henriques) Conducted a preliminary assessment of activities on different campuses in the southern tier of ALERT. She visited the southern CSU campuses during fall 1998, and again in spring-summer 1999. She interviewed ALERT participants as to their attitudes and goals at the beginning of the ALERT endeavor. Preliminary findings from her research were shared at the fall 1998 AGU meeting in San Francisco, and at the February AETS meeting. The text of her paper is available upon request.

CSULB: (Henriques) Joined an Earth Science Education Researchers group through NARST. She has begun preliminary conversations with science education colleagues about collaborative research projects. She has also begun to work with colleagues in the College of Education at CSULB, to discuss collaborations between social studies methods courses and science methods courses for future teachers.

CSULB: (Ambos) Prime organizer of both a special session at the AGU meeting and a meeting of southern California ALERT participants at CSULB. Another part of her duties involves developing relationships with other pre-service teacher preparation initiatives developed within AGU, Sigma Xi, LACTE, MASTEP, etc., as well as with other NASA pre-service teacher education initiatives such as NOVA and ESSE. She has also been named to the Geoscience Digital Library Steering Committee, which is preparing to frame the design parameters of the NSF-NASA sponsored initiative.

CSUPP: (Jessey, Tarman) Relationship established with local schools, which might lead to teaching partnership agreements, collaborating with a pre-service teacher in the design of ALERT exercises, demos, and curricula for pre-service teachers, presenting samples of remote sensing data and information technologies for middle and high school teachers and students.

CSUN/CSULB: (Henriques, Hawkins) Their paper on the ALERT collaboration: Intracampus and Intercampus Collaborations: Lessons Learned, was presented at the annual meeting of Association for the Education of Teachers of Science (AETS), Akron, OH Jan 2000.

JPL: (Syvertson, Ng, Hallowell, Martin, etc.) Provided opportunities for summer fellowship positions for CSU ALERT personnel. Increased opportunities for fellowships during summer 1999 from summer 1998, and increased flexibility and educational aspects of summer experiences.

ARC: (Skiles) Provided opportunities for summer fellowship positions for CSU ALERT personnel, and recruited a new ALERT fellow (Newell Garfield of SFSU) and another CSUMB faculty member (non-ALERT), L. Johnson.




6. Mutual Education - Workshop and Conference Reports

ALL-ALERT: Ellen Metzger co-convened (with Beth Ambos) a special session at the Fall 1998 AGU meeting on earth science education; Toby Garfield, Edward Ng, and Beth Ambos co-convened a special session on partnerships in education at the Fall 1999 AGU.

ALL-ALERT: Three major all-ALERT meetings have been held, one at Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California in December 1998, one at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California in April 1999 and one at Vandenberg Air Force Base on February 14, 2000.

CSUN: (Hawkins, Hallowell) They presented their work in a poster session at the AGU meeting in December 1998 in San Francisco.

CSUN: (Hawkins) Presented her work on children’s understanding of image analysis at the AETS meeting in Ohio in January 2000. The title of her paper was " Children’s interpretations of aerial views and how they related to their perceptions of the Earth as round".

CSUN: (Simila) Presented his work with SCIGN at a poster session at the AGU meeting in December 1999 in San Francisco.

CSULB: (Ambos) Presented information about ALERT at the USRA-ESSE meeting in July of 1998, at the fall 1998 and 1999 AGU meetings, and at the NASA-ESE retreat in October 1999.

CSULB: (Henriques) Will present a paper on "Children’s misconceptions about weather: a review of the literature" at the April 2000 National Association for the Research on Science Teaching (NARST) meeting in New Orleans.

SJSU: (Metzger, Messina) Presented information about ALERT and its ties to the BAESI (Bay Area Earth Science Institute) at the NASA-ESE retreat in October 1999.

CSULA/JPL/ARC: (Qiu, Ng, Cheung, Skiles) Presented information about ALERT web site and digital library development at the NASA-ESE retreat in October 1999, and at the fall 1999 AGU meeting.

ARC/CSUH: (Skiles, Seitz) Presented abstract of their project The effects of ultraviolet radiation on Terrestrial plants at the AGU meeting in fall 1998.

ARC/CSUH: (Skiles et al.) Response of a Terrestrial Plant to Ambient Solar Ultraviolet-B Flux, Nature, in prep.

ARC/CSUH: (D’Antoni et al.) Stratospheric Ozone, Ultraviolet-B, and Biology in Tierra del Fuego, Journal of Geophysical Research, in prep.




HISTORY

During the summer of 1994, CSU Professors Elizabeth Ambos, Eric Frost and Milan Mijic spent some time at JPL, teaming with Michael Martin and Edward Ng, to explore education outreach approaches. Some seminal ideas were developed for a program to promote earth sciences in teacher training and general education that were to focus on technology applications and curriculum reform. This program was to involve partnering of educational institutions and NASA, i.e. the California State University system (22 campuses), NASA-headquarters (Earth Sciences and Education) and NASA centers (ARC & JPL);

In the ensuing years, a series of discussions were held among interested institutions. These entailed working meetings, and visits to different CSU campuses, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, ARC and JPL. An informal partnership was developed and nurtured through interactions among managers at JPL and faculty members of CSULB, SDSU and representatives of the ESSE program.

Spring, 1997:
A workshop was held at CSULB that brought together educators from the CSU system and representatives from NASA headquarters, JPL, CSU and the ESSE program. A strategy was developed for improving teacher preparation in geosciences and space sciences. Data from space missions, observation of the Earth, and active science program will provide the data to augment the classroom learning environment.
Fall, 1997:
A California regional consortium was formed with faculty of ten (10) CSU campuses and staff at ARC and JPL.
Spring, 1998: Project ALERT was launched
Sponsorship from NASA was acquired to launch Project ALERT as an exploratory program. At the same time, the 10 CSU campuses in the consortium made a commitment to provide matching resources for the project.
April, 1998:
A kick-off workshop was held in JPL to start this 3-year pilot project. It provided an opportunity for the Consortium members to interact, exchange ideas and find out more about each other. Participants of the workshop included professors from the 10 CSU campus, staff from ARC and JPL, and representatives of the national partners ESSE and NOVA projects.

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Last Modified: 06/14/2000