Violet Kulo, Alec Bodzin, Tamara Peffer

Lehigh University

Support provided by the Toyota USA Foundation

NARST 2011 Orlando, FL

Geospatial TechnologiesMap, visualize, and analyze geo-referenced

data Industry, business, education

Enhance science learning Authentic inquiry Critical thinking skills Problem solving skills Spatial thinking

Energy UnitAlign instructional materials and assessments

with learning goalsUsed with all ability levels of urban 8th grade

studentsUse GIT to promote student understanding of

the contentIncludes teacher resources and content

support materials

Purpose of the StudyExamine if GIT can be used to promote

students’ learning of energy resources content.RQ1: Does an inquiry unit supported by geospatial

technologies promote urban middle school students’ understandings of energy concepts?

RQ2: Are there any differences among ability level tracked middle school students?

Methodology Design–Based Research Design

Combines formative evaluation and analysis of the implementation process

Naturalistic setting Design partnership

Science educators, scientists, instructional designers, classroom teachers

Daily teacher interviews

MethodologySchool Context/Participants

Diverse ethnic backgrounds - 54% Hispanic, 30% White, 16% Black

105 eighth-grade students and one science teacher3 ability-levels tracks by mathematics PSSA scores19% ESL students20% migratory population59% reading proficiency and 22% science

proficiency

MethodologyInstrumentation

Classroom observation protocolPre/posttest content knowledge assessment

ReliabilityDistrict Curriculum (N=1043)

ELI Curriculum (N=105)

Entire instrument .78 .81

Energy acquisition .60 .67

Energy generation, storage, and transport

.57 .56

Energy consumption .48 .57

Exploring Solar Power Plants with Google Earth

Where is the Best Place to Locate a New Solar Power Plant?

Exploring Wind Farms with Google Earth

Where is the Best Place to Locate a New Wind Farm?

Investigating Oil Production and Consumption with My World GIS

Energy Resources for the Isle of Navitas

Wind Layer

Coal Layer

FINDINGS: Student Achievement

**p < .001.

FINDINGS: Student Achievement by Content Subscale

*p < .01. **p < .001.

FINDINGS: Student Performances

88% on task (engaged)76% independent

ConclusionsUse of GIT improved students’

understandings of energy.Content knowledge increased for learners at

all ability levels.Students were highly engaged.Interview data support that educative

curriculum materials helped the teacher to model and scaffold activities.

Website Address and Contact Information

http://ei.lehigh.edu/eli/energy

Paper available at:

http://ei.lehigh.edu/eli/research/pubs.html

Violet Kulovak4@lehigh.edu