Subject: [IGSMAIL-1976] SCIGN Education Module Beta release
From: Maggi Glasscoe
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 15:41:36 PDT

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IGS Electronic Mail      Wed Aug  5 15:41:36 PDT 1998      Message Number 1976
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Author: Maggi Glasscoe
Subject: SCIGN Education Module Beta release

We are pleased to announce that a Beta version of the Southern California
Integrated GPS Network (SCIGN) Education Module is now available at
http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn

For over two years we have been developing educational materials designed
to utilize data from SCIGN for students in classrooms.  The pages are for
utilization in classrooms throughout the country and even the world, as
well as at schools with SCIGN sites installed on their campuses.

We have made the Beta version available on-line in order to gather feedback
and response from educators and users in order to improve the site.  We
plan to develop a CD-ROM version of the module that will be offered in
addition to the on-line site.

The module is undergoing a curriculum review through the Education and
Outreach office of the Southern California Earthquake Center in parallel
with the Beta testing effort in order to ensure that the module complies
with education standards.  We also plan to develop a printed teacher's
guide for the module that can also be downloaded from the web site.

At the moment the module is geared toward high school and lower division
undergraduate college students, but we hope that curriculum reviewers and
users will offer insight as to how we can make the module useful for younger
students.  Elementary school teachers have suggested that many of the
concepts can be taught to younger students, it is just a matter of
presenting it in a way that they can understand it.

Since it has not been thoroughly reviewed by educators yet, we are unsure
of exactly how many teaching hours are associated with the module.  We hope
that it can be used by teachers in a variety of subjects (including, but
not limited to math, physics, and earth sciences) and can be used as a
whole or in parts at the discretion of the teacher.

So far we have developed most of the background sections, which include
text and will soon include more inquiry-based learning activities.  We have
five or six advanced activities that integrate knowledge learned in each
topic and allow students to do calculations using real data.  These will be
expanded, with hopes of at least five to ten advanced activities per each
of the main topics.

I have included below the description of the module, including the primary
concepts covered in each topic.  We hope that you enjoy the module and find
it useful.  We would of course welcome any feedback you wish to offer,
whether it be via our on-line form
(http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/comments.htm) or directly by email
([email-masked]).

Sincerely,
Maggi Glasscoe
Module Designer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Southern California Integrated GPS Network Education Module
Exploring the use of space technology in earthquake studies

Appropriate Grade Levels
	High School and College Undergraduate

Design of the module
	This educational module was designed to allow students to
interactively explore the use of SCIGN and its data in earthquake studies.
It is divided into four major sections: Plate tectonics, Earthquakes, GPS,
and Space technology at work.  All of the sections include background
material and activities, but the first three focus primarily on introducing
satellite technology and tectonic phenomena, while the final section serves
to integrate knowledge learned in the first three sections by allowing
students to use real SCIGN data in their investigations into plate
tectonics, earthquakes, and GPS.

Primary concepts
*Forces in the Earth cause its surface to change over time
	[Topic: Plate tectonics]
*Earthquakes release stress, which causes permanent change
	in the Earth's crust [Topic: Earthquakes]
*GPS is a satellite technology used as a tool to measure
	crustal change [Topic: GPS]
*SCIGN is a network of GPS stations used to study tectonics
	and earthquakes in Southern California [Topic: Space technology at
work]

Principal authors
	Maggi Glasscoe, Anne Mikolajcik, Mark Smith, Andrea Donnellan, and
Mike Watkins (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) with funding provided by the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory and the Southern California Earthquake Center.

[Mailed From: Maggi Glasscoe <[email-masked]>]