GPS Success in the High School Science Classroom

Thomas Baker, in his article for The Science Teacher talks about the increasing role GPS has today. He believes that technological tools like a GPS receiver, "have the capacity to extend student research beyond traditional boundaries, creating an interesting and engaging environment as data are collected and analyzed in the pursuit of scientific studies" (2001, par. 1). While the classrooms examples he sites are geared to middle and high school students, I hope to work on some collaborative projects with these teachers in the future. One example in particular caught my eye.

Students in a middle school traveled to a nearby stream. Using water kits, they measured chemical, biological, and visual information along with latitude and longitude. They made the trip back to the stream several times throughout the year with the purpose of investigating seasonal changes in water quality. The information collected was loaded into an electric-mapping software called a GIS (geographic information system) which allows student to manipulate data, create graphs, and make maps. Our school has a pond at the back of our campus which our middle division
students spend time studying. I think this kind of project can be replicated with our school's pond and an added component would be some kind of collaborative project with our first graders that study pond life during the year.

On a different note, I thought I'd take a minute to explain exactly how GPS works. Baker did a nice job explaining it in his article, and I know my colleagues have had some questions about it.

There are currently 24 satellites circling the earth that produce signals. They circle the earth every 12 hours. At any one time a GPS unit must intercept at least 3 signals in order to create an accurate position of latitude and longitude. If more than 3 signals are intercepted, a GPS can also determine elevation. Essentially, the more signals intercepted, the more precise the reading. GPS signals cannot pass through buildings or mountains. Signals can also be blocked by poor atmospheric conditions.

Baker, Thomas R. (2001). Success with GPS. The Science Teacher 68(9) p38-41. Retrieved from
http://kangis.org/learning/publications/science_teacher_1201/SuccesswithGPS.PDF.

Kids as Junior Scientists

I know I already posted a blog this week from Edutopia, but I had to share this incredible use of GPS technology and project-based learning. Fourth grade students in Waterville, Washington, along with local farmers and scientists from the University of Washington are collaborating on a NatureMapping project about horny toads, local reptiles that were once thought to be close to extinction.

There is really no way I can do the project justice with a written description, so you have to check out this incredible 7-minute video. While the GPS component of the project is near the end, the entire video is worth the watch. It epitomizes project-based learning! I wish there was a NatureMapping program in Florida (just California, Washington for now).

Petersen, Diana (2005) Leapin' Lizards: Students as Data Collectors. Edutopia. Retrieved on March 21, 2008 from http://www.edutopia.org/naturemapping.

Image Source: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/
animals/images/primary/short-horned-lizard.jpg

Blog Change

In preparing for my first entry this week, I came across a wonderful blog post from Edutopia entitled "Say Yes to GPS: Bring Latitude and Longitude to Life". After reading the entry, I realized that I needed to change the title of my blog to include using GPS with Elementary Students too. While I still plan on making geocaching a part of my curriculum, there are so many wonderful learning experiences that I can plan for my students that use GPS units but are not about geocaching. According to the author Jim Moulton,

"if your students are going to actively participate in this global community, to compete in the global marketplace, they need to know where they are in addition to where they are going and what is going on"(par. 3)

Jim's quote refers to the power of making the learning of latitude and longitude a kinesthetic activity -- using a GPS makes these abstract ideas tangible for kids. Here are some of the ideas he suggests to help children "gain control over the concept" (par. 4) and not just at a specific grade level. He encourages schools to "foster geographical literacy throughout the school." (par. 5)

1) Use a GPS to record the latitude and longitude of your school and record it on your school's website.

2) Have classes take a GPS unit on field trips to create a school-wide bulletin board of places visited.

3) Encourage teachers who travel to find the latitude/longitude of where they were to share with students.

4) Send GPS units home with students to record latitude/longitude of where they live.

5) Ask parents to use GPS units to record latitude/longitude of where they work.

6) Take a field trip around town to record the latitude/longitude of community places.

7) Consider joining a nature mapping program to monitor plants/animals/habitats of your community. (More of this concept to come.)

Moulton, Jim. (2006) Say Yes to GPS: Bring Latitude and Longitude to Life Edutopia: Spinal Notebook Blog. Retrieved on March 21, 2008 from http://www.edutopia.org/yes-latitude-and-longitude-can-be-brought-life.

Getting Started with a Travel Bug

As I don't have a handheld GPS unit yet (although a colleague has offered to share hers) and am still learning about geocaching, I thought it would be good for me to launch some travel bugs this year. My second graders spend the year studying the seven continents, so launching a travel bug with them would be perfect. I think it would be so neat for them to follow the bug for the rest of the school year, recording on a map where the bug ends up. And since I will continue to instruct them in the lab through 4th grade, the project can continue once the year is over.

So, I created an account with Geocaching.com and spent the evening exploring the site. Starting with a travel bug will definitely be the easiest. I can order four travel bugs (one for each section of 2nd grade) for about $25. Next, I will need to find a water-tight container, notebook, etc. for the cache. I will also need the students to decide on what item(s) should be in the cache along with the directions we would like followed.

Here is an example of a travel bug that was launched from a middle school classroom in Delaware:

"Each class at NCS is launching a travel bug this year, from the school's cache. The students bring in items to attach to the TB and the class selects which item they want to use. Then they vote on a destination, based on places they have discussed in one of their classes. Finally they write a letter to accompany the TB. They are hoping to hear from folks who move the TB and learn about various places around the globe."

The students decided that Platster should go to Tokyo, Japan. Here is a photo of Platser in front of the school before he was officially "launched". Students requested that geocachers take Platser's photo in different places on its journey to Japan.

Travel Bugs Frequently Asked Questions from Geocaching.com
http://www.geocaching.com/track/faq.aspx

Engaging, Empowering, and Enlightening Part 3

Christie, A. (2007). Using GPS and Geocaching Engages, Empowers, and Enlightens Middle School Teachers and Students. Meridian 10 (1). Retrieved on March 18, 2008 from http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2007/gps/index.htm.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Dr. Alice Christie from ASU, supports the use of GPS and geocaching as a teaching tool in the constructivist classroom. In an effort to provide professional development opportunities for "teachers to explore ways to create constructivist learning environments", Dr. Christie developed the E6 Learning Model. Her model was initially used to engage teachers in relevant learning, encourage the exchange of information, and empower teachers to use new technologies. The workshops she gave, utitlizing GPS units and geocaching, provided teachers the time to explore new technologies, explain real-world data, and exhibit their new knowledge.

Essentialy, Dr. Christie had teachers experience inquiry-based learning through her geocaching workshops. Participants of her workshops commented that her E6 model fostered collaboration, discovery learning, and opportunities to make mistakes in a safe environment. Once the teachers saw how powerful student-driven learning could be, they adopted her model into their classrooms. Here is an example of a 6th grade unit developed from her model:

Social Studies Standard:
Students understand the National Park System in the United States.

Assignment:
Students plan a family vacation to one of eight US National Parks.
Students create an expense chart for travel, meals, hotel.
Students create a brochure advertising their family vacation to share with peers.

Introductory Lesson:
Teacher introduced vacation destinations by writing clues for eight geocaches, one at each park location.
Working in teams, students solved clues to locate geocaches and identify the eight parks.
Students gathered information about each state park to help them in completing the assignment.

I feel that the use of GPS units and geocaching in the 6th grade cross-curricular unit was a great way to introduce the project, get students motivated, foster communication and promote collaboration. The addition of geocaching added a discovery-learning component that made a good project even better.

Engaging, Empowering, and Enlightening Part 2

Christie, A. (2007). Using GPS and Geocaching Engages, Empowers, and Enlightens Middle School Teachers and Students. Meridian 10 (1). Retrieved on March 18, 2008 from http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2007/gps/index.htm.

According to Dr. Christie, it will take some time before formal research on the emerging technology of GPS receivers and their use in educational settings will take place. Therefore, she looks in the direction of constructivism to justify using this new technology in the classroom.

A curriculum based on the constructivist theory is student-centered. It fosters collaboration, critical thinking, and informed decision-making. Learning takes place in an authentic, real-world context where students are encouraged to analyze and interpret information. Dr. Christie believes that the use of GPS technology and geocaching is a perfect match for a constructivist classroom. She also sites the goals of ISTE in that learning environments should facilitate problem solving, collaborating, and communicating.

Here are some of the tenets of constructivist learning that underlie her position (Section IV: Review of Research)

- Problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills are emphasized
- Students seek knowledge independently through exploration
- Primary data sources ensure real-world authenticity
- Learners build on knowledge base through increasingly complex tasks
- Collaboration exposes learners to different viewpoints
- Assessment is authentic and part of the learning process

In my next blog post, I will continue a review of this article, highlighting Dr. Christie's E6 Learning Model for professional development and K-12 settings using geocaching.

Engaging, Empowering, and Enlightening

Last night, I set out on a search to find research-based support for the use of geocaching in the classroom. As geocaching is a relatively new phenomenom, I knew this would be difficult. I couldn't believe it when I came across the website of Dr. Alice Christie, a professor at Arizona State University. An expert in the field, she has been using this technology and giving workshops for the last few years. She presented at NECC last year and will do so again this year. I hope I can attend her session!

The article I read, Using GPS and Geocaching Engages, Empowers, and Enlightens Middle School Teachers and Students, reviewed the basics of geocaching, reviewed current research, outlined her model for using GPS units in the classroom, and provided examples of best practices. As I have already talked about the basics of geocaching in previous posts, I will spend the next few posts discussing her research and learning model.

Here is a link to her very informative podcast. If you still don't know what geocaching is, she does a great job laying it out!