ED33A-0754 1340h
Teaching Seismology: A British Perspective
Issues Although the subject of earthquakes is taught in geography and wave properties are explored in science, seismology is not taught in great detail in either subject in the 11-18 age range. How can we address this and make the subject relevant to students in a country where earthquakes rarely impact on their lives? Description To present the results of a planned in-school `Earthquake Week' where students will be introduced to a range of activities, with tasks designed to add to their knowledge base of seismology while stimulating further enquiry. To present the evaluation of an on-line seismograph which will give schools who do not have access to this equipment the opportunity to explore the data produced by a seismograph to varying degrees. At present in the UK, a very small number of schools have access to a seismograph. Lessons Learned The outcomes of the `Earthquake Week' Project will be presented, which will include difficulties that arise and practical solutions. Recommendations To promote the use of teaching of seismology in schools in the 11-18 age range, to enable pupils to have a better understanding of the subject in relation to earthquakes and the consequences of large scale seismic events. To highlight the need for more UK based resources and educational material to enable students to engage with the subject.
ED33A-0755 1340h
Using a Web Site to Support a Seismology Course Textbook
We present a course in seismology that consists of a textbook with an accompanying web site (http://epscx.wustl.edu/seismology/book). The web site serves many different functions, and is of great importance as a companion to the curriculum in several different ways: (1) All of the more than 600 figures from the book are available on the web site. Geophysics is a very visually-oriented discipline, and many concepts are more easily taught with appropriate visual tools. In addition, many instructors are now using computer-based lecture programs such as PowerPoint. To aid in this, all of the figures are displayed in a common JPG format, both with and without titles. They are available to be used in a seismology course, or any kind of Earth Science course. This way, an instructor can easily grab a figure from the web site and drop it into a PowerPoint format. The figures are listed by number, but are also obtainable from menus of thumbnail sketches. If an instructor would like all of the figures, they can be obtained as large zip files, which can be unzipped after downloading. In addition, sample PowerPoint lectures using the figures as well the equations from the text will be available on the course web site. (2) Solutions to all of the homework problems are available in PDF format on the course website. Homework is a vital component of any quantitative course, but it is often a significant time commitment for instructors to derive all of the homework problems. In addition, it is much easier to select which homework problems are desired to be assigned if the solutions can be seen. The 64 pages of homework solutions are on a secure web site that requires a user ID and password that can be obtained from the authors. (3) Any errors found in the textbook are immediately posted on an "Errata" web page. Many of these errors are found by instructors who are using the curriculum (and they are given credit for finding the errors!). The text becomes an interactive process, therefore, and is constantly improving. In the past, errors in textbooks were a significant problem, especially if there were errors in parts of the text that were used by students in solving homework problems. However, because this textbook is reprinted in small batches, errors that are found by instructors and reported to the authors get included in the next printing, so that students using the book at any given time are able to have a text that is devoid of all errors found up to that point.
http://epscx.wustl.edu/seismology/book
ED33A-0756 1340h
The CSUN - San Fernando Valley High School Seismograph Project
Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Los Angeles Physics Teachers Alliance Group (LAPTAG) began recording aftershock data using the Geosense PS-1 (now the Kinemetrics Earthscope) PC-based seismograph. Data were utilized by students from the schools in lesson plans and mini-research projects. Over the past year, several new geology and physical science teachers are now using the AS-1 seismograph to record local and teleseismic earthquakes. This project is also coordinating with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) high school teachers involved in the American Geological Institute's EARTHCOMM curriculum. The seismograph data are being incorporated with the course materials and are emphasizing the California Science Content Standards (CSCS). The San Fernando Valley schools and seismograms from earthquakes in southern California region (e.g. San Simeon 2003) and worldwide events (e.g. Alaska 2002) are presented with associated lesson plans.
ED33A-0757 1340h
Teacher Directed Design: Content Knowledge, Pedagogy and Assessment under the Nevada K-12 Real-Time Seismic Network
Education professionals and seismologists under the emerging SUN (Shaking Up Nevada) program are leveraging the existing infrastructure of the real-time Nevada K-12 Seismic Network to provide a unique inquiry based science experience for teachers. The concept and effort are driven by teacher needs and emphasize rigorous content knowledge acquisition coupled with the translation of that knowledge into an integrated seismology based earth sciences curriculum development process. We are developing a pedagogical framework, graduate level coursework, and materials to initiate the SUN model for teacher professional development in an effort to integrate the research benefits of real-time seismic data with science education needs in Nevada. A component of SUN is to evaluate teacher acquisition of qualified seismological and earth science information and pedagogy both in workshops and in the classroom and to assess the impact on student achievement. SUN's mission is to positively impact earth science education practices. With the upcoming EarthScope initiative, the program is timely and will incorporate EarthScope real-time seismic data (USArray) and educational materials in graduate course materials and teacher development programs. A number of schools in Nevada are contributing real-time data from both inexpensive and high-quality seismographs that are integrated with Nevada regional seismic network operations as well as the IRIS DMC. A powerful and unique component of the Nevada technology model is that schools can receive "stable" continuous live data feeds from 100's seismograph stations in Nevada, California and world (including live data from Earthworm systems and the IRIS DMC BUD - Buffer of Uniform Data). Students and teachers see their own networked seismograph station within a global context, as participants in regional and global monitoring. The robust real-time Internet communications protocols invoked in the Nevada network provide for local data acquisition, remote multi-channel data access, local time-series data management, interactive multi-window waveform display and time-series analysis with centralized meta-data control. Formally integrating educational seismology into the K-12 science curriculum with an overall "positive" impact to science education practices necessarily requires a collaborative effort between professional educators and seismologists yet driven exclusively by teacher needs.
http://www.seismo.unr.edu/k12network
ED33A-0758 1340h
How a Small Natural History Museum Promotes GeoScience Education
Established 23 years ago as a small aquarium, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center has grown to be a respected institution focused on marine education. Its recently opened Natural History Building highlights connections between marine ecology, the dynamic Washington shoreline, and the forces that shaped the region. An exhibit focal point is a hands-on Washington Geo-puzzle that demonstrates with sliding layers the tectonic forces that formed and continue to form our state. Another exhibit describes a local geologist's research concerning a seismic event 2300 years ago, evidence of which can be seen on a local beach. Last year when the Center received a grant of an AS-1 seismometer, earthquakes and plate tectonics became a natural direction to expand school programs and community involvement projects, especially with the Center's location in a seismically active part of the world. Public programs on earthquakes and tsunamis have generated strong community interest, and school programs and a youth summer camp with a seismology focus are planned. As an informal science center still actively engaged in program and exhibit design, we are eager to hear ideas from teachers and other educators on ways local museums can provide unique experiences that schools may not be able to offer. Port Townsend Marine Science Center, located in a popular state park on Washington's Olympic Peninsula is an important provider of marine and natural history education in the Puget Sound Basin. We offer classes for schools, teacher training workshops, summer camps, adult education, citizen science opportunities and many other programs.
ED33A-0759 1340h
When the Earth has a Belly-Ache: Young Seismologists at School
The INGV cohoperates with schools of different grades to promote Earth science programs and geophysical knowledge. This is particularly important in areas prone to seismic and volcanic hazards, like Italy. The E&O Group organizes every year school visits to the scientific laboratories of the INGV center of Rome, during which more than 4,000 students interact with scientists and learn about the dynamic Earth. Besides that the E&O Group brings on the road educational activities, carring out projects with schools and partecipating to science festivals. In March 2000 a small size earthquake hit the towns of Subiaco and Agosta, near Rome. This event was strongly felt by teachers and students of the local primary schools, and sprang the idea of a project focused on earthquakes. The aim of the project was to gain knowledge of what causes earthquakes and to familiarize with a phenomenon considered random and unforeseeable. Another goal was to train students and teachers to behave properly during the occurrence of an earthquake. The project was developed starting from the personal experience of the students, with theoretical lessons and practical experiments. The INGV researchers partecipated giving talks and producing educational materials. During the talks they showed that earthquakes are not phenomena so rare and random as thought by most people. They also showed the instruments used to register seismicity, and encouraged kids to produce their own earthquakes jumping close to a portable seismometer. In a second phase the students were divided in groups that investigated different topics of the seismic event, giving a talk to their school mates at the end of the research. The teachers used a cooperative learning approach to stimulate the ability of the kids to team up and work in cooperation. At the end of the project the kids published a book (When the Earth has a belly-ache) and a calendar, that tell about earthquakes using the kid's original drawings. The book illustrates using a kids language, though scientifically correct, what is an earthquake, what can be its effects, and what should be do if an earthquake occurs. The project was presented in a public conference to the local authorities and to the community, extending the issues regarding the natural hazards.
ED33A-0760 1340h
Bridging the Gap - Networking Educators using Real-Time Seismic Data
After nearly a decade, the seismology community has made critical advances in identifying what is effective and what is needed for success in incorporating real-time seismic data in the classroom. Today's K-16 classroom teachers have many options and opportunities for incorporating short- and long-term inquiry activities for monitoring earthquakes and analyzing seismic data in their daily instruction. Through the SpiNet program, we are providing web-based tools that support educators working with real-time seismic data (http://www.scieds.com/spinet/). Our site includes a Recent Seismicity section, which allows users to share seismic data in real-time, and provides near real-time information about global seismicity. Our Activities section provides data and lessons to assist educators who wish to integrate seismology into their classroom. The Research section, currently under development, will allow educators to share general information about how they teach seismology in their classroom through a discussion board and by posting lesson plans. In addition, we are developing a user-friendly tool for students to post results of their research projects. Designing a website which targets a range of users requires a working knowledge of both user needs and website programming and design. User needs include providing a logical navigational structure and accounting for differences in browser functionality, internet access, and users' abilities. Using website development tools, such as PHP, MySQL, RDF feeds, and specialized geoscience applications, we are automating site maintenance; incorporating databases for information storage and retrieval; and providing accessibility for users with a range of skills and physical limitations. By incorporating these features, we have built a dynamic interface for a broad range of users interested in educational seismology.
ED33A-0761 1340h
Impact of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction on Middle School Student Understanding of Seismological Concepts
This study is part of an on-going and larger research initiative in which we are examining student understanding of the concepts underlying the science of seismology. We developed an inquiry-based curriculum that consisted of a series of projects that were designed to engage middle school students in reflecting on their own understanding of seismological concepts and processes, and to engage them in authentic inquiry practices similar to those of practicing seismologists. The students recorded earthquakes on an AS1 seismograph operating in their classroom, and they worked on various inquiry-based projects including: a "build your own seismograph" exercise, a global earthquake tracking exercise, and a laboratory simulation of earthquakes exercise using a sliding block apparatus. We assessed student understanding of seismological concepts with a mixed method research approach, including pre-post tests, interviews, and classroom observations. In general, we found that student understanding of seismological concepts improved after experiencing our inquiry-based curriculum. In spite of this general improvement, however, many of the students struggled to express a scientifically accurate description of how earthquake energy is created and propagated. Very few of the students were able to grasp the concept that energy is stored in strained rock and that stored elastic energy is released as seismic waves when a fault breaks in an earthquake.
http://www2.bc.edu/~kafka/SeismoEd/BC_ESP_Home.html
ED33A-0762 1340h
Earth-Shaking Seismology Activities for Middle School Classrooms
A sequence of related earthquake and seismology activities provides an effective curriculum unit for inquiry-based science for the middle school level. The activities allow hands-on and in-depth study, progress from relatively simple "low-tech" approaches to more advanced activities emphasizing problem-solving and use of technology, and involve significant practice with science process skills. The unit begins with an earthquake plotting activity in which student teams find recent earthquake information from the Internet and plot epicenters on a classroom map. The activity continues throughout the year and provides opportunities for discovery, connections to other seismology activities, developing map skills, and cooperative learning. Subsequent activities include investigations of plate tectonics, plate boundaries, Earth's interior structure, seismic wave propagation, plotting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the computer using Alan Jones' Seismic/Eruption software, earthquake hazards, magnitude and intensity scales, and use of an educational seismograph in the classroom. The near real time monitoring of earthquakes provided by the mapping exercises and the educational seismograph, and the relevance of earthquake studies, generate student excitement and long term impact. We have shared this approach and the activities with K-12 teachers in many professional development settings. Many of the activities are available online at: www.eas.purdue.edu/~braile.
ED33A-0763 1340h
The Global Earthquake Explorer: A Versatile Tool for Educational Seismology
User-friendly access, suitable for an educational environment, to the vast IRIS seismological data holdings has been a stated goal of the Education & Outreach community for some time. The Global Earthquake Explorer (GEE) utilizes advanced data access technology hidden by an intuitive map-based interface to provide educational users with full access to data from the IRIS Data Management Center. Within minutes of a significant earthquake anywhere in the world, seismograms of that earthquake are transmitted to center recording facilities for analysis. Designed with education in mind, GEE can access these same data sources used by professional seismologists through a clickable map interface that allows users to easily select the earthquake and seismograph stations of interest and then receive the seismograms over the Internet with a single click of a mouse. With GEE, users can then view and analyze these seismograms on their local computer. GEE is also a teaching tool. It offers teachers a simple and fun way to introduce their students to earthquakes, earth structure, and wave properties. GEE includes several structured Learning Modules that help develop an elementary understanding of physical principles behind earthquakes and seismology.
http://www.seis.sc.edu/GEE
ED33A-0764 1340h
It's a Blast! Results from a Teacher-Researcher Collaboration to Study Mining Explosions in Indiana
The most common signals recorded by the PEPP network in Indiana are mining explosions from surface coal mines and aggregate quarry operations. We examined recording from 30 events from west-central Indiana with known locations determined through previous work by a high school student involved in the program. We also obtained more precise ground truth from a mine near Evansville including one shot with near-field recordings. We examined data from these explosions in three independent, but related projects. One study used high-frequency Rayleigh waves to develop group velocity curves that have proven useful for location of mining explosions in the region. We measured arrival times of surface waves observed with narrow band filters centered at 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 Hz. These data were inverted using two different procedures that yielded consistent results. We measured group velocities of 2.40, 2.28, 1.99, and 1.83 km/s, respectively. The second study focused on velocities from the mine in Evansville with a known origin time. These results suggested a possible bias in the origin time computed from the surface wave group velocity measurements due to timing of the peak amplitude instead of the signal onset. The third study examined the amplitudes from the west-central Indiana data in order to determine the amplitude decay characteristics of these events with the aim of using the results for yield estimation of explosions in the region. We measured best-fit amplitude decay curves for the same four frequency bands used for group velocity estimation. The decay rates increased strongly with increasing frequency, which is probably due to stronger dispersion in the higher frequency bands. The best-fit curves allowed us to estimate a pseudo-magnitude for each frequency band. We found a poor correlation of the pseudo-magnitudes to the known yields of these explosions, suggesting that amplitudes are being influenced strongly by details of blasting practice in different mines. These projects can provide the foundation for future collaborative research between teachers and high school students working on data from this network.
ED33A-0765 1340h
Lessons Learned from Creating the Public Earthquake Resource Center at CERI
The Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at the University of Memphis opened the Public Earthquake Resource Center (PERC) in May 2004. The PERC is an interactive display area that was designed to increase awareness of seismology, Earth Science, earthquake hazards, and earthquake engineering among the general public and K-12 teachers and students. Funding for the PERC is provided by the US Geological Survey, The NSF-funded Mid America Earthquake Center, and the University of Memphis, with input from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. Additional space at the facility houses local offices of the US Geological Survey. PERC exhibits are housed in a remodeled residential structure at CERI that was donated by the University of Memphis and the State of Tennessee. Exhibits were designed and built by CERI and US Geological Survey staff and faculty with the help of experienced museum display subcontractors. The 600 square foot display area interactively introduces the basic concepts of seismology, real-time seismic information, seismic network operations, paleoseismology, building response, and historical earthquakes. Display components include three 22" flat screen monitors, a touch sensitive monitor, 3 helicorder elements, oscilloscope, AS-1 seismometer, life-sized liquefaction trench, liquefaction shake table, and building response shake table. All displays include custom graphics, text, and handouts. The PERC website at www.ceri.memphis.edu/perc also provides useful information such as tour scheduling, ask a geologist, links to other institutions, and will soon include a virtual tour of the facility. Special consideration was given to address State science standards for teaching and learning in the design of the displays and handouts. We feel this consideration is pivotal to the success of any grass roots Earth Science education and outreach program and represents a valuable lesson that has been learned at CERI over the last several years. Another critical lesson that has been learned is to employ K-12 education professionals and utilize undergrad and graduate student workers in the University's Department of Education. Such staff members are keenly aware of the pressures and needs in diverse communities such as Shelby County, Tennessee and are uniquely suited to design and implement new and innovative programs that provide substantive short-term user benefits and promote long-term relationships with the K-12 teachers, students, and teacher's organizations.
http://www.agu.org
ED33A-0766 1340h
The Denali Earth Science Education Project
In partnership with Denali National Park and Preserve and the Denali Institute, the Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC) will capitalize upon an extraordinary opportunity to raise public interest in the earth sciences. A coincidence of events has made this an ideal time for outreach to raise awareness of the solid earth processes that affect all of our lives. On November 3, 2002, a M 7.9 earthquake occurred on the Denali Fault in central Alaska, raising public consciousness of seismic activity in this state to a level unmatched since the M 9.2 "Good Friday" earthquake of 1964. Shortly after the M 7.9 event, a new public facility for scientific research and education in Alaska's national parks, the Murie Science and Learning Center, was constructed at the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve only 43 miles from the epicenter of the Denali Fault Earthquake. The AEIC and its partners believe that these events can be combined to form a synergy for the creation of unprecedented opportunities for learning about solid earth geophysics among all segments of the public. This cooperative project will undertake the planning and development of education outreach mechanisms and products for the Murie Science and Learning Center that will serve to educate Alaska's residents and visitors about seismology, tectonics, crustal deformation, and volcanism. Through partnerships with Denali National Park and Preserve, this cooperative project will include the Denali Institute (a non-profit organization that assists the National Park Service in operating the Murie Science and Learning Center) and Alaska's Denali Borough Public School District. The AEIC will also draw upon the resources of long standing state partners; the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. The objectives of this project are to increase public awareness and understanding of the solid earth processes that affect life in Alaska, and to provide new and innovative science curricula and teacher training for the benefit of students and teachers in Alaska and beyond. These objectives will be met by the development of learning opportunities and resources that will come together around the Murie Science and Learning Center as a focus for interpretation of EarthScope science and research results in Alaska. Project activities will take place in five areas, which are: 1) development of interactive museum displays for the Murie Science and Learning Center utilizing cutting edge technology for learning, 2) public outreach with a series of publications and Internet resources, 3) development of inquiry-based, experiential curricula for middle school students to enhance science education, 4) development of accredited teacher training workshops for science educators, and 5) the creation of opportunities for EarthScope scientists to interact with students, teachers, and the public through a series of lectures and discussions in national parks and local communities across Alaska.
ED33A-0767 1340h
Teaching Reflection Seismic Processing
Without pictures, it is difficult to give students a feeling for wave propagation, transmission, and reflection. Even with pictures, wave propagation is still static to many. However, when students use and modify scripts that generate wavefronts and rays through a geologic model that they have modified themselves, we find that students gain a real feeling for wave propagation. To facilitate teaching 2-D seismic reflection data processing (from acquisition through migration) to our undergraduate and graduate Reflection Seismology students, we use Seismic Un*x (SU) software. SU is maintained and distributed by Colorado School of Mines, and it is freely available (at www.cwp.mines.edu/cwpcodes). Our approach includes use of synthetic and real seismic data, processing scripts, and detailed explanation of the scripts. Our real data were provided by Gregory F. Moore of the University of Hawaii. This approach can be used by any school at virtually no expense for either software or data, and can provide students with a sound introduction to techniques used in processing of reflection seismic data. The same software can be used for other purposes, such as research, with no additional expense. Students who have completed a course using SU are well equipped to begin using it for research, as well. Scripts for each processing step are supplied and explained to the students. Our detailed description of the scripts means students do not have to know anything about SU to start. Experience with the Unix operating system is preferable but not necessary -- our notes include Computer Hints to help the beginner work with the Unix operating system. We include several examples of synthetic model building, acquiring shot gathers through synthetic models, sorting shot gathers to CMP gathers, gain, 1-D frequency filtering, f-k filtering, deconvolution, semblance displays and velocity analysis, flattening data (NMO), stacking the CMPs, and migration. We use two real (marine) data sets. One of these is very easy to process, yet provides an extraordinary example of the importance of migration after stack. The other data set is a challenge to process, due to contamination by multiples. Students who complete the SU exercises learn the structure of reflection seismic data, the fundamentals of seismic data processing, and gain an introduction to signal processing, providing them with the tools required to make appropriate career choices and/or to continue their research.
ED33A-0768 1340h
Source signature and acoustic field of seismic physical modeling
As an important tool of seismic research and exploration, seismic physical modeling simulates the real world data acquisition by scaling the model, acquisition parameters, and some features of the source generated by a transducer. Unlike the numerical simulation where a point source is easily satisfied, the transducer can't be made small enough for approximating the point source in physical modeling, therefore yield different source signature than the sources applied in the field data acquisition. To better understand the physical modeling data, characterizing the wave field generated by ultrasonic transducers is desirable and helpful. In this study, we explode several aspects of source characterization; including their radiation pattern, directivity, sensitivity and frequency response. We also try to figure out how to improve the acquired data quality, such as minimize ambient noise, use encoded chirp to prevent ringing, apply deterministic deconvolution to enhance data resolution and t-P filtering to remove linear events. We found that the transducer and their wave field, the modeling system performance, as well as material properties of the model and their coupling conditions all play roles in the physical modeling data acquisition.
ED33A-0769 1340h
Bringing Seismological Research into the School Setting
One of the primary goals of educational seismology programs is to bring inquiry-based research to the middle- and high-school classroom setting. Although it is often stated as a long-term goal of science outreach programs, in practice there are many barriers to research in the school setting, among them increasing emphasis on test-oriented training, decreasing interest and participation in science fairs, limited teacher confidence and experience for mentoring research, insufficient student preparedness for research projects, and the short term of university involvement (typically limited to brief one-day encounters). For the past three+ years we have tried to address these issues through a focused outreach program we have called the PEPP Research Fellows Program. This is treated as an honors program in which high school teachers in our group nominate students with interests in science careers. These students are invited to participate in the program, and those who elect to take part participate in a one-day education and training session in the fall. Rather than leave research projects completely open, we direct the students at toward one of two specific, group-oriented projects (in our case, one focusing on local recordings of mining explosions, and a second on teleseismic body-wave analysis), but we encourage them to act as independent researchers and follow topics of interest. The students then work on seismic data from the local educational network or from the IRIS facilities. Following several months of informal interaction with teachers and students (email, web conferencing, etc.), we bring the students and teachers to our university for a weekend research symposium in the spring. Students present their work in oral or poster form and prizes are given for the best papers. Projects range from highly local projects (records of seismic noise at school X) to larger-scale regional projects (analysis of teleseismic P-wave delays at PEPP network stations) From 20 to 40 students and teachers have participated in the program in the past three years and independent work by students has been outstanding including several students' work that have won awards at regional and national science fairs. The program is feasible because we had a pool of dedicated teachers with experience in using seismographs in schools as a legacy of the Princeton Earth Physics Program (PEPP). It provides a model for focused outreach to top science students to give them an early research experience.