Connecting K-12 Educators with Current Scientific Research Through the DataStreme Project

James A Brey1, Ira W. Geer2, Elizabeth W. Mills3, Kira A. Nugnes3 and Abigail E. Stimach4, (1)American Meteorological Society Washington DC, Education Program, Washington, DC, United States, (2)American Meteorological Society (retired), Education Program, Washington, DC, United States, (3)American Meteorological Society, Education Program, Washington, DC, United States, (4)AMS-Education Program, Washington, DC, United States
Abstract:
One of the greatest challenges in scientific education is finding ways to incorporate recent discoveries into a classroom setting to help students engage in the subject. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) responds to this challenge by connecting K-12 teachers to current Earth science research through the DataStreme Project.

The DataStreme Project is a free professional development program for in-service K-12 teachers. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth’s Climate System are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the country in coordination with AMS Education Program scientists and educators who develop instructional materials, provide logistical support to the LITs, and administer the project. 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. This plan is the first step for participants to become an Earth system science education resource teacher for their students, peers, and community.

While each DataStreme course focuses on its respective topic, there are many sections that accentuate the many ways that atmosphere, ocean, and climate science interact; for example, the effects of climate change on the ocean system are covered at the end of the DataStreme Ocean course. DataStreme emphasizes investigation of real-word and current NASA and NOAA data and utilizes resources from respected organizations in activities and assignments for participants, such as the IPCC and U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Since 1996, more than 19,000 teachers have completed a DataStreme course, directly impacting hundreds of thousands of additional teachers and more than 1 million students. As more extensive research is done in the field of environmental science, DataStreme courses will continue to be an excellent resource for teacher professional development.

Back to: Integrating Ocean and Climate Science across the Pipeline: K-Graduate Level and Informal Education Initiatives I