Interface Designers

Measuring Data Skills in Undergraduate Student Work: Development of a Scoring Rubric

Data literacy, or students’ abilities to understand, interpret, and think critically about data, is an increasing need in K–16 science education. Ocean Tracks College Edition (OT-CE) sought to address this need by creating a set of learning modules that engage students in using large-scale, professionally collected animal migration and physical oceanographic data to answer scientifically relevant questions and think critically about how researchers collect and interpret data.

Perseverance

If the past month has done nothing else, it has shown us what a powerful force data can be in our daily lives. As the number of American lives lost from COVID passes half a million, state and county governments monitor the falling case rate data, which will determine when they can begin to re-open schools and businesses.

In Texas and across the Midwest, officials are having to come to terms with the fact that historical averages in weather patterns are not useful predictors of the conditions that occur during extreme weather events brought about by climate change.

Ocean Tracks – A Journey Through the Ocean: A Modern Approach to Science Education

Research in the sciences is currently undergoing a massive transformation, as technological advancements shift big data into the forefront of investigative tools, and early education is looking for solutions to keep up. The Ocean Tracks program offers a structured learning tool that supports both students and teachers in tackling big data in the classroom.

Are There White Sharks Swimming Among Us?

The company Strava was in the news recently for its ability to display highly accurate maps using position data from personal fitness devices (e.g., Fitbit, Apple Watch, etc.). Not only are GPS fitness devices tracking a person’s mileage on land, many also track water activities, such as swimming, to within a few meters.

Where Science Meets Science Fiction

I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about how we can better teach science using data. I believe that 21st Century science is increasingly data-intensive, and that in order to teach science as it is actually being practiced, it should be possible to identify datasets and data stories relevant to most, if not all, topics in modern science to use in the classroom.

Exploring Data through Ocean Tracks

This video was featured in the 2017 STEM for All Video Showcase, held May 15-22, 2017. View the presentation.

Reviewing Ocean Tracks at Scripps

In May, I visited La Jolla and Scripps Institute of Oceanography for the first time. Coming from Maine and what seemed like a never-ending winter I was looking forwards to the sun and warmth of California. Of course, I arrived on an unusually rainy day. However, the weather soon returned to its usual splendor and I walked along the shore to the meeting room at Scripps where I was to help work on the undergraduate modules of Ocean Tracks.

To Make a Video?

ODI is the sum of many parts. Composed of 18 projects (5 actively funded) and about 25 staff, there are a lot of moving pieces to ODI. At any given time—in addition to the regular day-to-day work of moving 5 NSF-funded projects forward successfully—our staff is attending or presenting at conferences, meeting with partners and funders, and/or working on proposals for future work. As you might imagine, we are careful to prioritize our time.

Standing Up and Being Counted

I got up at 4:15 AM to fly from Monterey, CA to Boston, and I don’t fly back until November 8 – which meant that one of the last things I did last night, after packing and before falling asleep, was to fill out my absentee ballot for the big election. I am so relieved. I’ve voted. Any more last-minute surprises will be too little, too late.

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