Digital Tools for Teaching and Learning about Non-renewable Resources in the K-12 School System

English Abstract:

Earth science topics are identified in school curricula in most jurisdictions in Canada. In addition, many informal education environments such as museums and youth groups include Earth science in their exhibits and activities. Formal and informal educational settings can both provide accessible environments for Earth scientists to engage with communities to share their passion for Earth science. Societally relevant earth science topics are diverse and include natural hazards, global change, non-renewable resources, energy, surface processes, and water. In many Canadian communities non-renewable resources are particularly relevant, providing important common ground for communicating about Earth science.

Building on hands-on activities and resources for engaging the public with non-renewable resources, we have developed a suite of digital tools which can be used in the classroom or in informal education settings to teach young people about non-renewable resources. The resources “Mining in BC: Interactive Map”, “Canada Resources Map App”, “Household Minerals App”, and “Materials in a Bicycle App” have been presented and tested with teachers and informal educators, and modified based on their input. Comparisons will be made between the responses of teachers, and their students, to more traditional hands-on activities as compared with the digital resources. Benefits and drawbacks of these different delivery modes as mechanisms for engaging local communities with Earth science include variable access to good rock and mineral specimens in different educational environments, level of technology support and resourcing in schools, teacher comfort levels with Earth science topics, background materials available, and support from experts.