9452789 Groat EarthComm is a three year project developing a complete secondary- level (9-12) educational program in the earth sciences that includes learning materials, teacher resources (both materials and teacher-support networks), and assessment tools for a hands-on, student inquiry-driven, instructional program that is interdisciplinary and allows implementation in a modular format. There is a strong mentor program included to enhance the science teaching capabilities and leadership skills of classroom teachers, pre-service teachers and post-secondary science educators. Goals of the program are 1) to teach students the principles and practices of earth science and to demonstrate the relevance of earth science to their environment, 2) to integrate earth science and other academic disciplines through the problem-solving, issue- based model in which the teacher plays the role of facilitator, 3) to establish an expanded learning environment which incorporates field work, technological access to data, and traditional laboratory and classroom activities, 4) to support the development of communities of science learners by establishing student teams and by building a greater regional and national community through telecommunication access, and 5) to utilize local and regional issues to stimulate problem-solving activities and to foster a sense of environmental stewardship by students in their communities.
