| Project | The SSciVEE Project: Supportive Scientific Visualization Environments for Education |
| Contact | Daniel Edelson, Roy Pea, Douglas Gordin |
| d-edelson@nwu.edu, roypea@unix.sri.com, gordin@pilot.msu.edu | |
| URL | http://www.covis.nwu.edu/sciviz/sciviz.html |
| Project description | Scientific visualization has had a tremendous impact on the practice of science over the last decade by capitalizing on the power of the human visual perception system to identify patterns in complex data. The SSciVEE project at Northwestern University is exploring the potential of this technology to improve science education in similar ways. The goal of this research is to demonstrate that scientific visualization, incorporated into inquiry-based learning, can enable students of diverse abilities to develop an understanding of complex scientific phenomena such as climate and biodiversity. In traditional settings, this understanding has been out of the reach of all but the brightest and most highly motivated students. The challenge of this research is to identify the specific software and external supports that are necessary to transform scientific visualization into an effective educational technology. Our previous research has shown that scientific visualization can be a valuable tool for students engaged in inquiry-based learning. However, this research also revealed the need for a software architecture that can provide the specific support required by learners. The transformation of tools and techniques developed for scientists into environments to support students is a significant challenge. Understanding the requirements of such supportive scientific visualization environments for education has been the goal of this research. The lessons we have learned are embodied in WorldWatcher, a visualization and analysis program we have developed. WorldWatcher is a visualization environment for viewing and analyzing two-dimensional, gridded geographic data. Like its predecessor ClimateWatcher, WorldWatcher enables learners to examine data sets created by the scientific community and to import or create their own data. WorldWatcher allows students to view data in the form of color maps at a variety of spatial and temporal resolutions, to perform statistical and mathematical analyses of data, and to create animations. WorldWatcher supports three forms of activity that facilitate learning through inquiry: * Interpretation. The examination and manipulation of scientific visualizations in order to construct explanations. * Expression. The creation of visualizations designed to communicate a result or point of view.* Modeling. The use of mathematical operations to explore the relationships between quantities and investigate hypothetical scenarios. WorldWatcher has facilities for assembling data libraries that enable learners to conduct investigations on specific themes and for preparing multimedia, hyperlinked explanatory materials. WorldWatcher is distributed with a library of atmospheric, physical, and human geography data sets that support investigations of global warming and with curricular materials for learning activities on climate and climate change. The software is available free over the Internet and is use in a large number of middle, high school, and university level classes in the earth and atmospheric sciences. A more complete description of the WorldWatcher software and instructions for downloading it are available at (http://www.covis.nwu.edu/sciviz/sciviz.html). Using WorldWatcher, we are conducting a series of studies designed to examine the prospects for and challenges of scientific visualization as a technology for secondary science education. In these studies, we are examining the ways in which the supportive scientific visualization architecture impacts both students' conceptual understanding and the process by which they conduct scientific inquiry. We are also investigating the process by which students learn to make sense of scientific visualizations, and the way that scientific visualization environments are adopted in classrooms. In addition to the WorldWatcher software and its accompanying activities, the results of this research include a framework for characterizing visualization activities (Gordin, Edelson & Pea, 1996), a completed study on high school students1 use of visualization to support inquiry and communication (Gordin, 1997), and a design framework for creating science investigation software for learners (Edelson & Gordin, In press). The SSciVEE Project includes:Daniel C. Edelson and Roy D. Pea (SRI International), Principal InvestigatorsBrian A. Clark, Research Associate and ProgrammerDouglas N. Gordin (Michigan State University), Graduate Research Assistant EmeritusMatthew Brown, Graduate Research AssistantThis research is supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Education and Human Resources (EHR) Program in Applications of Advanced Technology (AAT) under grant no. RED-9453715ReferencesEdelson, D. C., & Gordin, D. (In press). Visualization for Learners: A Framework for Adapting Scientists1 Tools. Computers and Geosciences.Gordin, D. N. (1997). Scientific Visualization as an Expressive Medium for Project Science Inquiry. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Northwestern University.Gordin, D. N., Edelson, D. C., & Pea, R. D. (1996). Supporting Students' Science Inquiry through Scientific Visualization Activities. Paper presented at the the Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, April 8-12, 1996. |
| Theoretical background | This research grew out of prior work on the CoVis project (http://www.covis.nwu.edu/) on creating technical and social infrastructures to support project-based learning. The CoVis Project is an experiment in developing networked communities of practice that include students, teachers, practicing scientists, and educational researcher. The research is grounded in inquiry-based learning as a means for motivating learning through meaningful questions and providing learners with the opportunity to apply their newly gained knowledge and skills. |
| Challenges | During the early stages of this research, the focus was primarily on software design and implementation in order to create learner-appropriate visualization and analysis tools. With the release of WorldWatcher, the research emphasis has shifted to the design of activities, the study of learners using visualization, and the challenges of enactment in classrooms. The current research efforts include: 1. Conducting studies to understand the benefits of challenges for students in learning to use visualization technologies to engage in inquiry-based learning. 2. Working with teachers in a variety of settings to understand how to support them with curricular materials, documentation, and professional development to enable them to adopt visualization tools and enact inquiry-based curricula in classroom settings. |
| Partnership | We are interested in partnerships that will enable us to broaden our impact. We are looking for members of the scientific community who can contribute expertise and data to the development of materials in new areas of science. We are also looking for broader channels for the distribution of our software and materials. |