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Summary of The Weather Data Collection Project Linda Norman July 2002 |
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My Conclusion This
project is beneficial to middle school and junior high teachers, because
it not only covers science goals but also math goals. Students get to
take part in real world classroom instruction utilizing the Internet to
communicate and gather data from around the world as a real scientist
does. The classroom needs
to do some higher order thinking by comparing and contrasting. Learning
now leaves the textbook and classroom and becomes global. Nelda's data
was a perfect example, because she included the effects of the fires on
New Mexico's weather. Another important aspect of this project is that
the data will be there recorded online for all to see when they need it
for their learning. Online makes it available to ALL teachers around the
world even if they don't want to join the project to send data to our
classroom.
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Future Recommendations Since this was the first time I have created an online project, I have learned much from this. First of all, next time I will start my project in the fall. Summer was difficult to get participants. Two junior high nephews that volunteered to join didn't follow through and collect the data. I'm sure that this fall I will get participants. Another change I will make in the fall is I will not give the participants the choice of when they collect data. We will all start and stop the same week, we will all collect current data the same time day, such as morning. Good data is collected without variables. I was trying to make it easy for the participants, but I realize that I really don't have data now that can be compared for current temperature. The high and low temperatures can be used though. Finally, I would recommend for all teachers to either create or take part in an online project with their classes, because the value is immeasurable. You are still covering your goals, but now you are engaging your learners in a meaningful way. |