Yellowknife teacher opens up science frontier for students
Dane Gibson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Dec 03/99) - Scientists from around the world are utilizing weather data from NASA's GLOBE program. The cool thing about it is that the data they use comes directly from grade-school students.
The NWT was recently introduced to the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program, thanks to St. Patrick science teacher Peter Hardy. GLOBE has only been available in Canada for two months.
During the Yellowknife teachers conference on Nov. 25-26, Hardy trained 28 NWT teachers in the program.
"By participating in GLOBE, teachers guide their students through daily, weekly and seasonal environmental observations," said Hardy.
"Students record things such as air temperature and precipitation. Using the Internet, they can then send their data to the GLOBE student data archive."
There are 84 countries participating in GLOBE. Hardy said 11 schools in the NWT are now using the program, including five in Yellowknife.
"Kids who start collecting data from around their school's area can e-mail scientists who are specialists in specific weather fields," said Hardy.
"Students get direct contact with scientists, and the scientists use the information that is gathered in their research to do things like monitor global climate change and changes in vegetation patterns."
Once trained, teachers can access hundreds of satellite images and maps through the GLOBE Internet site. As well, students from different countries can exchange messages and answer questions about their community.
Hardy is now trying to secure government funding from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Environment Canada to get as many Northern schools as possible hooked up.
"I think government agencies like this program because they're excited about having schools and communities monitoring their own data," said Hardy.
"People of the North are very concerned about environmental conditions. The information this program provides is accessible, long-term environmental data which is very valuable."
