80NSSC18K0135
This video showcases the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regional GLOBE Student Research Symposia (SRS), held May 31- June 1, 2019 in Boston, MA. The annual series of events began in 2015 with funding from the National Science Foundation (Grant #1546713) and are currently funded by a grant from NASA (Grant #80NSSC18K0135) and Youth Learning As Citizen Environmental Scientists (YLACES).
Commentary from students and teachers in this video highlight the events’ reach to diverse audiences, their ability to connect students from different demographics, how participation has shown to increase student self-efficacy in the science practices, and the student research and peer review process.
Thus far, the project has provided 776 students with the opportunity to share their science research using GLOBE Program data collection at symposia events where they meet students from other states, discuss their research with scientists, and visit science-related venues to envision themselves in those locations pursuing a STEM career.
The GLOBE Program (sponsored by NASA, with support from the NSF, NOAA and the Department of State) is an international science and education program that provides students and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process.
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
My name is Jennifer Bourgeault and I am the U.S. Country Coordinator for the GLOBE Program. My colleague and co-presenter from the U.S. GLOBE Office, which is located at the University of New Hampshire Leitzel Center, is Haley Wicklein. We collaborate with GLOBE Partners around the country to coordinate six regional Student Research Symposia in the spring of each year. These events are where students present their GLOBE research projects. This spring we were excited to celebrate our 5th year of the GLOBE Student Research Symposia before it was canceled due to COVID-19. Each year, we have made improvements in the reviewer feedback forms, the agendas and the experience, based on the feedback from students and teachers. Several teachers, and even several students, return year after year to participate in these regional events.
The other co-presenters are Rick Sharpe, Sue Dougherty, Elodie Bourbon, Rosalba Giarrantano, who are all teachers and mentors of the students featured in this video. Tina Harte also joins us if you have any questions for her as an experienced reviewer.
A written summary of the evaluation of the project with metrics is available. We appreciate your feedback and your questions. We also welcome future partnerships in order to expand the research aspects of this project.
Kristin Flaming
Marcy Seavey
Haley Wicklein
Tina Harte
Janelle Johnson
Perrin Chick
Your video does an excellent job of demonstrating how effective it is to connect youth from different communities to each other through outdoor experiences and hands-on science.
Janelle Johnson
Tina Harte
Sue Dougherty
Marcy Seavey
Jennifer Bourgeault
Rosalba Giarrantano
Pathways Intern
Thank you so much for your comment Perrin! As you saw on the video, one of the students put it this way: "science is a common language". It was beautiful to see students from these different communities work together towards a common goal.
Holly Morin
Tina Harte
Sue Dougherty
Teacher, TEAM and GLOBE Mentor
My name is Sue Dougherty and I am very excited to be a co-presenter in this year's Stem For All Video Showcase. I hope to share what a rewarding experience it has been to work with high school students through the GLOBE program and watch them learn and grow in both their research skills and their love of science. Please join us over the next few days and enjoy the video!
Sue Dougherty
Marcy Seavey
Haley Wicklein
Tina Harte
Janelle Johnson
Sue Dougherty
Teacher, TEAM and GLOBE Mentor
Thank you Perrin. I am so lucky to work with a group of wonderful colleagues who seek out the best opportunities for their students. Your kind words are appreciated!
Tina Harte
Margaret Baguio
I really enjoyed the video. Hearing from the student voices about the value of collaboration was dynamic. Are they moving these symposia virtually this year? How are the students selected to participate?
Marcy Seavey
Tina Harte
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Hi Margaret! The GLOBE Program has an International Virtual Science Symposia (IVSS) that GLOBE students can enter and receive feedback from judges. Given similar timing, we have focused on in-person events instead. We feel strongly that we cannot replace the experience of being at the SRS and meeting STEM professionals and other students in-person - to have a conversation, especially when the events are so short (1-2 days). However, we knew that some students had already worked very hard on projects for the 2020 SRS and some teachers were able to continue to support project development virtually so we are asking those able, to upload their projects for reviewer comments. We've posted a FAQ with details about this here. The GLOBE Program is a mosaic of teachers, STEM professionals and Partners across the country serving different communities and students. The leadership team was disappointed that we had to cancel our events. Adding to that, we have found that offering this virtual option truly highlights inequities because so many communities of students and teachers do not have the resources they need to participate. We knew that many would not be able to participate because of the burden of the switch to virtual learning, but when we polled the teachers about this option, the stark reality was clear.
All GLOBE students in 5th-12th grade can participate. We may have had to close registration early or limit the number of students from schools in some locations where there is a space issue but so far, that has only happened in a couple cases over the years (and it was a limit of 5 students/school). Teachers often have their own ways of selecting students (this article has some examples of that) and sometimes GLOBE Partners in a certain state or area will hold their own local SRS events to choose their representatives (GLOBE Partners may fund some teams to attend). Teachers can apply for funding support. Those are awarded to school teams in high-need districts, a large number of ELL, and teachers who are supporting student research in the classroom for the first time and never attended a science fair/symposium with students.
Marcy Seavey
Tina Harte
Tina Harte
Education Specialist
Margaret,
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed viewing our video and thank-you for taking the time to reach out to us with your questions. This year students have been invited to share their projects online for peer review. We will certainly miss the opportunity to connect in-person, but we are still providing a way to celebrate the amazing work that the students have been doing. Each year students collecting GLOBE data for their research are all invited to attend the GLOBE SRS within their region.
Janelle Johnson
Rick Sharpe
Science Dept Chairman/Certified Master GLOBE Trainer
My name is Rick Sharpe and I am also excited to be a co-presenter in this year's Showcase. I am even more motivated by the opportunities GLOBE offers to students and teachers.to participate in genuine science. The Regional Science Symposium allows high school students to display their research and to view the research of students from other areas. The science and the travel broadens student horizons and stimulates their curiosity. Huntington High School students have participated in four regional symposia and one Global Learning Experience. I participate every year because GLOBE promotes STEM education more effectively than any other program I am aware of.
Marcy Seavey
Haley Wicklein
Tina Harte
Janelle Johnson
Janelle Johnson
What a wonderful video on a truly amazing effort to broaden STEM pathways. Great job, team!
Holly Morin
Sue Dougherty
Tina Harte
Tina Harte
Education Specialist
Thank-you Janelle, we are very excited about all of the amazing things that have developed from the GLOBE Student Research Symposium. I was very humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of the SRS last year and have the chance to see the way the students interacted with each other.
Janelle Johnson
Janelle Johnson
It is an absolutely transformative experience for the students. This is why building the foundation for students doing this kind of work has become one of the key components in our own project.
Rosalba Giarrantano
Pathways Intern
Hello! My name is Rosalba Giarratano and I am honored to be a co-presenter in this year's STEM for all Showcase! I have seen students' amazing growth as scientists through GLOBE; watching them gain so much knowledge and so much confidence to present what they know to others has been very, very rewarding. GLOBE also promotes collaboration among students in a really exciting way. I am so happy to be part of GLOBE :)
Lin Chambers
Marcy Seavey
Tina Harte
Tina Harte
Education Specialist
Hello to All !! My name is Tina Harte, I am the task lead for the SD Education team at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia. I am excited to be a part of the STEM for All Showcase 2020 as a co-presenter. Part of my work involves encouraging citizen science in both formal and informal settings; engaging others in the process of science and helping them to realize their own potential within the STEM community. It has been my privilege to serve as a reviewer for the GLOBE SRS; each year I look forward to the opportunity to interact with the students and learn from them regarding the work that they have done over the past year. Every year I learn something new and discover new ways of doing things. As a former middle school science teacher, I see the value in supporting GLOBE and the research opportunities that it provides for young people around the world. I look forward to hearing from so many of you through this year's showcase.
Marcy Seavey
Marcy Seavey
Hello All, I am Marcy Seavey. I have been a GLOBE Trainer since 1999 and was honored to be the host for the 2019 Midwest SRS on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. This event brought upper elementary through high school students from the midwest region together to present their research.
I would like to add the perspective of a staff person at a teaching institution. Hosting the SRS provided our future teachers and STEM Majors with a meaningful experience of their own. The future teachers got to see exemplary examples of the practices of NGSS at work in schools. They were able to interact with the K12 student researchers to learn about their projects and ask questions about their classrooms. They were also able to network with the participating teachers. The STEM majors were inspired by (and even jealous of) the expertise of our young presenters. It was a win-win experience for all.
Holly Morin
Tina Harte
Haley Wicklein
Jennifer Bourgeault
Sue Dougherty
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Hi Marcy! Thank you for adding in this comment about engaging pre-service teachers and STEM majors. You mentioned how it was nice for them to interact with students and teachers but I also want to point out that it gave GLOBE students an opportunity to interact with college students who are close to their age. These kinds of interactions have a positive impact as well.
Marcy Seavey
Preeti Gupta
Director of Youth Learning and Research
Hello Presenters, thank you for sharing your work. Can you provide some details on the logistics of how students are recruited and matched to a team with scientists etc? Also, what is the time duration of the research? Does everyone who does research get to go to the symposia?
Marcy Seavey
Holly Morin
Tina Harte
Haley Wicklein
U.S. GLOBE Office Program Assistant
Hello Preeti, thank you for your questions. GLOBE has a large network of Partnering organizations in the United States (universities, science centers, non-profits). Partners work to support their local GLOBE students and teachers through professional development, classroom visits and connections and advice. GLOBE Partners play a huge roll in the recruitment effort, and thus many teachers that attend are already connected to a mentor (for those that are not, we connect them to a local Partner when they register for the event). We also recruit teams through the GLOBE website, a regular email listserve and social outlets.
The time duration of student research varies widely based on what research is being conducted as well as time constraints in the classroom. Some teams project span the whole year (or multiple years) and some only a few weeks.
And yes, anyone in grades 5-12 who conducts GLOBE research is welcome at the SRS! There is travel funding support, through an application process, for student/teacher teams coming from underserved and underrepresented communities.
Tina Harte
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
GLOBE also has many scientists who work with and mentor students in certain protocol areas. For those teams searching for an expert, we have the GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN).
Tina Harte
Haley Wicklein
Marcy Seavey
Hi Preeti,
I can answer your questions from the perspective of one of the GLOBE Partnerships, the Iowa Academy of Science.
Can you provide some details on the logistics of how students are recruited and matched to a team with scientists etc? Our students and teachers self select which protocols to collect data and their own scientific questions and projects. In our PD workshops with teachers we try to focus on selecting projects that connect to standards and that have meaning for the students and/or community. For example, this year we are working with 14 secondary educators across the state and their students to conduct research about local air and water quality (through an EPA grant). The projects are very different from school to school. One school is working with local farmers to determine the air quality inside hog confinement buildings and trying to determine the distance that affects can be measured downwind, others are doing water quality monitoring of local watersheds, etc. Each team knows that they have a lot of resources available on the GLOBE website and that our Iowa team can connect them with appropriate local scientists (co-workshop facilitators are University of Northern Iowa Water Quality and Meteorology/Air quality Faculty). For this workshop, we also brought in Iowa DNR, city, and industry air and water quality scientists to meet with our educators and offer on-going support.
Also, what is the time duration of the research? School GLOBE implementation projects range from a few days to a decade or more. Some schools change projects almost every year, others have created ways for one class to pass on their knowledge and data to the next class. Sometimes a school has long term data in one proptocol area but a new class of students is interested in something else and some educators are able to find ways to support this.
Does everyone who does research get to go to the symposia? No, we have had almost annual SRS type events in Iowa with around 12-30 participating educators annually for more than a decade and still this year was the FIRST year that 2 of our Iowa teams would have gone to the regional (not because they wouldn't have been selected, we have had a very difficult time getting teachers to apply to SRS). For our state event, our project usually pays for 1 teacher, 1 administrator, and up to 5 students to come and present. Usually 3 or 4 of the schools pay travel/lunch for additional students (anywhere from 3-4 to 60 or more students) to attend. We also invite all past participating schools and usually about 1/3 to 1/2 of total event participation is by unfunded past participants. Sometimes I think that the availability of this local event is a part of why our schools don't apply to the regional or global.
Hope this helps.
Nickolay Hristov
Ph.D.
I was intrigued by the evolving funding model – from NSF to NASA to YLACES. Was this always the plan or the project evolved as it went along?
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
This project began with a conference proposal to NSF. The GLOBE Student Research Symposia concept was a way to bring together GLOBE Partners, students, teachers and STEM professionals to model attendance at a professional conference for all these different groups, along with networking between them. The funding plan was to pilot the model and if successful, find it continued support. An annual series of student events are difficult to fund sustainably with conference or research dollars. Each year we hope that we can, at a minimum, support the events themselves but in order to meet the primary goal of supporting students from under-resourced and under-served schools, our priority is for participant support (per diem, lodging, mileage, airfare, car rental, etc.) for any GLOBE team that needs it. NASA, which also funds the GLOBE Program, is very supportive of this project and was able to support Year 3 and most of year 4. At that point, YLACES, a non-profit (which provides equipment grants for teachers around the world), with a mission closely aligned with these events, offered to support them too. YLACES is a true partner with the leadership team and is working to build further financial support, create a sustainable annual series of events, increase funding support for participants and grow the SRS. Along the way, other GLOBE Partnerships have written in travel and registration support for GLOBE teachers and teams in their grant proposals and the hosts of the regional SRS have been able to find small pockets of local funding or negotiate reduced rates so that we run the events as efficiently as possible. I realize that this is a very long answer to your question but it is really amazing how passionate the U.S. GLOBE Partners and our funders are about making these happen. We could not do it without all these contributions and keeping them funded is always on our minds, particularly when they have such a positive impact on students.
Nickolay Hristov
Ph.D.
Jennifer, thank you for clarifying the funding model! Indeed, securing sustained funding for travel is so difficult yet so critical in the case of your project. Furthermore, establishing support to keep the programs in place after the run of the seed grants is even more challenging. It seems like you are on the right track – distributed funding model based on increased visibility and celebrating the prominence and impact of the work. The powerful stories and experiences, like the ones that you share here, can only help.
In that sense, I also noticed the clever use of the moving picture medium in video. Introducing a number of individuals/characters with diverse backgrounds, following them throughout the project to highlight their evolving trajectory and personal journey… Well done! Consider pulling the curtain back on that part of the project – I am tempted to think what would the “director’s cut” of these presentations, videos and short films look and sound like.
Marcy Seavey
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Thank you for noticing how we followed those particular students throughout the experience. We have two stories that share similar experiences in print - from the mentor scientist and then from the teacher (both are in this video) side.
You bring up an really nice point about pulling the curtain back. We were limited to three minutes for the Showcase but we have lots more footage to sift through and put together. One of our casual observations has been that the student 'talk' in the videos over the last few years has changed over time - from a novel experience to one that is more meaningful when they return the next year. It is something that we hope to explore more in the future. We have another video about the Pacific SRS and two more will be out soon highlighting the Southwest SRS and then the whole series. After that, who knows what we will find as we keep sifting!
Marcy Seavey
Marcy Seavey
Kimberly Welty
My favorite quote is "Science is a common language" - so very true! Thank you for bringing students from different places together to share ideas, do hands-on science and see the benefits of collaboration and presentation to and with each other. Myself, I'm always very charged up and excited after attending conferences. It's such a brilliant idea to introduce that concept to young students.
Marcy Seavey
Holly Morin
Tina Harte
Rosalba Giarrantano
Pathways Intern
Thank you for your comment Kimberly! I love that quote too! I've had the privilege to work with Luis, who is featured on the video. And he is absolutely right too, he and his classmates had the chance to collaborate with hearing students, and hearing students had the opportunity to collaborate with Deaf students. The interaction was beautiful and students learned about science and about each others' cultures as well. For me, that is one of the most powerful aspects of the GLOBE program, it promotes collaboration among students, teachers and scientists, from many different communities and cultures; all working together through the common language of science.
Jennifer Bourgeault
Tina Harte
David Campbelll
Glad to see GLOBE is still going strong. Keep up the good work!
Tina Harte
Sue Dougherty
Sherry Herron
Yes, the experience of participating in a GLOBE Student Research Symposium is life-changing. Thank you to GLOBE, NSF, NASA, and YLACES for making this possible. Thank you to the teachers who are willing to make the opportunity available to their students.
Tina Harte
Sue Dougherty
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
These would not be a success without the support and assistance from GLOBE Partners like you Sherry! You hosted a wonderful 2016 Southeast Student Research Symposium the very first year in Mississippi and continue to be an integral part of the leadership team! Thank you!
Brian Shanahan
Talk about a flipped classroom! Wonderful collaboration between students and teachers/professors. Certainly an example to emulate!
Tina Harte
Education Specialist
I love the term "flipped classroom", that is a wonderful way to describe the possibilities that come from implementing GLOBE within the classroom. The experiences that students are able to have within the process of doing GLOBE are unlike anything that is possible "within the walls" of a regular classroom setting. As I talk with students during the SRS about their research, I hear so much more from them than they could have ever learned within the pages of a textbook. They learn best by "doing", learning about their environment as they experience it for themselves. Thank-you for taking the time to view our video and share your thoughts.
Michael I. Swart
This is great work in collaborative contexts! Apart from the opportunities to enroll and participate in this great program, are there specific approaches, pedagogies, etc. that are impacting student's interests? What is the theoretical framework undergirding this work? What are the constructs? How are they operationalized? What are the outcome measures?
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
The GLOBE SRS activities are informed by the literature on self-efficacy, specifically for science practices, and by the Next Generation Science Standards. The outcome measures we use for program evaluation are aligned with this literature as well (summary report). However, we implement research-based promising practices from many different areas; we’ve been responsive to teachers’ and students’ needs as it has evolved, and we welcome partnering with others who would like to investigate innovative aspects of the program. There are many different ways that teachers and students prepare for the SRS. For example, some student teams work with STEM mentors, including NASA scientists. GLOBE Partners across the country assist teachers with professional learning opportunities and classroom support for conducting GLOBE research projects with students leading up to the events. The professional learning opportunities take different forms and use different approaches. In some cases, the GLOBE Partners are grant-funded to provide and/or conduct research on teacher professional development. Two of these Partners have videos in the Showcase (Metropolitan State University Denver Partnership & GLOBE Mission EARTH involving several Partnerships). In addition, GLOBE offers webinars (specific SRS and general Watercoolers) that are linked to resources, “office hours,” teacher blogs and a Teacher Hotline staffed by experienced SRS teachers.
At the SRS events, we invite reviewers and keynote speakers that look like and come from the same communities that the students are from (promising practices in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion [DEI] area). We support students in learning about the peer review process before they present to STEM professionals and encourage everyone to have conversations about their research (science communication), rather than planning for a presentation followed by questions. Our reviewer materials do not look like judging forms and ask for specific feedback rather than a grade, as we emphasize 21st Century Skills. For links to these resources, our SRS page is the place to start.
If you would like more information about the evaluation of the SRS as a program, please reach out and we (myself and Dr. Eleanor Jaffee, our evaluator) would be more than happy to discuss it further.
Martin Storksdieck
Director
This is a wonderful project, and a compelling video. I would like to second Michael Swart's question, and wonder whether Jennifer can share the written summary of the evaluation of the project (with metrics) she announced in her first post as a link here.
I was also wondering whether the team is considering the GLOBE Observer App for future meetings.
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Hi Martin! Here is a link to the evaluation summary. Please let me know if you have any questions for me or our evaluator.
The GLOBE Observer App is a mechanism for guided data collection and entry for a select number of GLOBE protocols (clouds, land cover, mosquitos, tree height). The data can be entered by anyone through this app, once they are registered as a GLOBE citizen scientist. GLOBE teachers/students can use their GLOBE log-in to enter the data and it will show up under their school with any data they have entered. The GLOBE data entry app is for GLOBE teachers/students and includes the rest of the protocols (hydrology, soil moisture & characterization, vegetation carbon measurements, etc.). We also have online and email data entry mechanisms for entering GLOBE data. Teachers like to use GLOBE Observer because it has a very student (and public) friendly interface but many projects (water quality, aerosols, carbon cycle) are based around these other measurements that are not included in GLOBE Observer. In that case, one of the other data entry mechanisms is the better choice. The Student Research Symposia is independent of the mechanism that students use to enter data. As long as student projects use data from the GLOBE database, downloading and analyzing data themselves or using the visualization tool, they will be reviewed.
Marcy Seavey
Holly Morin
A great video that really showcases the importance of collaboration, communication, and hands-on inquiry in science with K-12 youth! Well done! As a science communicator, I really appreciate it that the students are collaborating on their projects with diverse groups, but then also discussing and presenting their results with diverse audiences as well (other students, teachers, scientists, etc.)- this science/communication balance is so meaningful and important to instill in our youth. To learn how to effectively implement the scientific process is one thing, but to communicate about it, so others can appreciate you work and results, is something else. Bravo!
One quick question, do the student self select their projects or groups? How does that work? Thank you again for your substantial efforts!
Sue Dougherty
Sue Dougherty
Teacher, TEAM and GLOBE Mentor
Thank you Holly for your really important question about how we form groups and select research topics. At Stamford High School, I thought this was so important to the success of the GLOBE program that I remember seeking the advice of other teachers on how best to form groups. The consensus was to allow friends to self select with the rationale that these students would be more likely to stay together and complete their projects. This was sound advice as I have watched friendships grow over the years and have not had a group disband. This applies to the students who work with me above and beyond their classwork. They meet with me before, during, and after school and occasionally on weekends while they collect their data on a daily basis. As for groups in the classroom, I use flexible grouping and pair high and lower functioning students to foster leadership skills and encourage participation in the GLOBE activities.
When it comes to selecting a research topic, I like to hold meetings with groups of students to model collaboration. The students are limited to research that involves the data they collect themselves using equipment that we borrow from NASA Langley Research Center. The more say the students have in selecting the topic, the more buy in and enthusiasm they have in working on their research. When we have difficulty with equipment or questions about using data, the wonderful staff at NASA Langley has been there to support our students. My only agenda during meetings to select a topic is to look for opportunities to suggest databases that students can use in their research. For example, I often encourage them to use https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/ and teach them how to access satellite data. These are skills I hope students will use when they are doing their own research in college.
I hope this information is helpful and thank you for your kind works about our video.
Sue Dougherty
Holly Morin
Holly Morin
Thanks for this thorough reply, Sue-- it definitely answers my question and is super helpful!
Rick Sharpe
Science Dept Chairman/Certified Master GLOBE Trainer
Hi Holly,
My name is Rick Sharpe and I agree with Sue and I allow students to select their own partners as well. However I approach research topics a bit differently. I teach several co-taught classes in Environmental Science and I have found allowing students to choose from 2- 3 research topics has worked best for us. We have one hydrology project that consists of studying water quality of a local stream that flows through our most popular city parks. This stream has been impacted by raw sewage spills and diesel fuel spills, so this is a long term study that student perform each year. We also offer research topics concerning climate change and the Urban Heat Island Effect using Surface Temperatures, Meteorology, and Aerosols data. This allows us to track changes over time and to offer more options to students for selecting a research topic.We have also had great support from NASA Langley and from NASA IV & V in Fairmont, WV. GLOBE is a critical part of our curriculum and has allowed our students to collaborate with NASA scientists and to experience STEM that is relevant to their lives.
Marcy Seavey
Hi Rick,
I'll comment on student selection and project selection too. It varies drastically by teacher and even class. I've worked with teachers that engage their entire class or even an entire grade level in a single project together (what is the water quality of the stream that passes our school?, when will hummingbirds arrive this spring?, how will this year's pattern of greendown of our class tree vary compared to previous years?). Other teachers break the students into teams (by selection or choice) but all groups must work in the same protocol area. I've even worked with a couple of teachers that had every single student select and design their own project using any protocol they wanted (this is the strategy I would rarely advise, it leads to educator burn out!) One school I worked with gave every grade a different project and an annual duty, all related to the creation and then maintenance of the school's wetland. Three of the grades did GLOBE projects, 4th or 5th started a Naturemapping Species Diversity study 2 years before the wetland went in and continued it into year 5 instead of GLOBE.
In PD, we focus on integrating the projects into the curriculum through connections to standards, student interests, and community issues. We also use the 5 Essential Features of Inquiry and their Variations handout to discuss reasons why a teacher might choose to give students more or less choice of their project (in order to keep the project feasible given the time and materials available; because the students are already familiar with the topic or it is completely new to them; because the student's math skills may or may not be sufficient to analyze the data collected, etc.)
-Marcy Seavey, STEM Coordinator, University of Northern Iowa and GLOBE Trainer
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
I'll add one more resource. We asked teachers how they chose groups and turned it into a news story! Getting ready for the SRS: How to develop and choose a team of students to attend the GLOBE regional SRS.
Andrew Meltzoff
So sorry to hear that your event was cancelled this year due to COVID-19. What you're doing is so useful and inspiring. We are working on issues about stereotypes about who does STEM, especially gender stereotypes that dissuade SOME (not all!) young girls, even in elementary school, from taking up STEM. (That's what our video is about this year.) How does your group work to intentionally dampen the stereotypes that exist out there? Im sure your kind of organizations can move the needle on this.
Marcy Seavey
Hi Andrew,
I don't know that this was intentional but the number of women scientists and leaders in GLOBE definitely plays a role in encouraging girls. I know that Dr. Lynn Chambers inspired a group of 5 girls in one of our middle schools to start a "Cloud Club" after she did a video conference with them way back in the early 2000s. Two of those girls continued their research into high school even thought they no longer had a GLOBE teacher, coming in after school to meet with the science teacher on the other team in order to do their project.
Not only are their many women represented on the science teams but I am pretty sure that women outnumber men on the partnership teams. This means that in the US, our teachers and students are more likely to interact with more women than men.
And I also think that our GLOBE tradition of collecting data together at most of our gatherings gives all of those present an excellent example of men and women working together collaboratively. As important as it is for girls to have female role-models, they also need to see that male STEM professionals will welcome and support them. When you look at our teams, you see men and women of different backgrounds working together for science and education.
It would be wonderful to look into this formally.
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Marcy brings up some excellent points about how we have many female scientists and leaders in GLOBE and that we encourage collaboration around the stereotypes that exist. Everyone is a scientist in GLOBE - and they may or may not look like you or come from the same place. We extend that idea to the Symposia but also strive to invite keynotes and STEM professionals that look like the students or come from the same background. We feel that it is important that students see themselves in the STEM professionals that they interact with. The leadership team is constantly working to improve on representation and have a couple strategies that we will be implementing in the next year.
Leigh Peake
As a brand new Globe Partner who has yet to contribute anything at all to the effort, this video was an inspiration to get ourselves in gear -- particularly seeing Ed from Old Town featured! We want more of our kids from Maine participating in this great program. Kudos to the whole team for sustaining this work over such a long period of time.
Tina Harte
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Thank you Leigh! I look forward to working with you to support more teams from Maine participating next year.
John Moore
It is wonderful to see how the SRS Program has grown. It is truly amazing that students begin the pathway of perusing authentic STEM learning based on research. In addition, it gives the students a first hand look at the CTE pathway of working as a STEM professional. Thanks you for sharing your video with us!
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
John, you are being humble! You contributed to the largest spike in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic SRS participation when you hosted at Palmyra Cove Nature Park in 2017. Thank you for helping to make the SRS successful by supporting teachers in your region.
Tina Harte
Education Specialist
Each year it continues to grow, none of which could be possible without the expertise and continued commitment from our GLOBE Partners and teachers. The success of each becomes the foundation upon which to build for the next year. All of us working together ensures its continuance, fueled by the passion that drives us to improve each year.
Jennifer Bourgeault
Mariana Enriquez
Hello everyone, hello Jenniferr Bourgeault! I really like your video, it clearly shows the reach and impact of GLOBE.
Jennifer, you raised such an important issue about the inequities of not only STEM projects, but all education especially during the pandemic. It is so clear that minority and low-income communities do not have access to these resources and opportunities. I do not know what the answer to these problems are, but we need to do something to ensure everyone has access to the resources.
Great job, as usual!
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Thank you Mariana. I agree completely - both in that we need to do something and that I do not know the answer. Hopefully we can turn this into an opportunity.
Sue Dougherty
Teacher, TEAM and GLOBE Mentor
I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Jennifer, Haley, GLOBE, NSF, NASA, YLACES, and all the wonderful scientists, teachers and mentors whom I have had the honor to work with during this Showcase. Any opportunity to share the success of my students and the amazing experiences they have enjoyed is truly a gift. None of us can predict what this coming year will hold, but thanks to the generosity of so many people, I know we will continue to work together to make STEM education available for all.
Sincerely, Sue Dougherty
Sue Dougherty
Jennifer Bourgeault
United States GLOBE Country Coordinator
Thank you Sue. We so appreciate your contributions to the GLOBE community.
Rick Sharpe
Science Dept Chairman/Certified Master GLOBE Trainer
I want to echo Sue Dougherty's comments. I have been teaching Environmental Science for ten years and GLOBE has been the most important part of my curriculum. We are a Title 1 school and GLOBE has allowed my students to travel, work with NASA scientists, conduct research, collect valuable environmental data, and to work to correct a serious environmental issue in our city. Thanks to everyone who works to make GLOBE the important science education tool it is, and has allowed me to become a much better teacher than I would otherwise have been.